Ephraim Global Announces Development Team Portfolio Management Leadership Transition

Ephraim Global has announced today the entirely transfer of decision making responsibilities to head portfolio managers Koichi Itseburo and Sado Hayate.

Jeremy Hwan-Chen will remain an active member of team in an advisory role; however he will not undergo any portfolio management activities on the mutual funds or investor accounts that the team handles. Likewise, Mr. Oscar Mazoni will remain with the team as senior strategist. The Ephraim Global Development team manages the EG International Series, Risk-Adjusted Mid Cap and Startup Capital funds.

Mr. Hwan-Chen and Mr. Mazoni have worked side by side on the Development team since 2007. They have worked together to expand the Development franchise at Ephraim Global, cultivating valuable asset management and investment talent. As part of the ongoing process, the team formally designated the roles of principal portfolio managers to Mr. Itseburo and Mr. Hayate in June 2010. The formal designation of those roles represented the foundation of the transfer of responsibility which has been announced today. The team will proceed with its operations in a cooperative manner and each portfolio will be managed in accordance with the same investment approach and process it has employed since its establishment.   

Commenting on his new role Mr. Hwan-Chen said: “Over the years we have taken extensive measures to ensure the proper development of a generation of new investment professionals. The team is performing efficiently, the leadership has been improved in a meaningful manner based solely on merit and our investors benefit from our leading international research. Given the current progress we have made I consider that this is the appropriate time for me to take on a more consultative role while still assisting the team to the best of my abilities”. 

Mr. Itseburo added: “Jeremy has been a remarkable manager and teacher for many in our team and was instrumental in implementing our investment strategy. Since the launch of the Ephraim Global Risk-Adjusted Mid Cap Fund in late 2007, the team has added significant value to our investors’ portfolios by discovering emerging profit cycles of which we take full advantage, and thus we are well positioned to continue implementing our strategy for many years to come.  We are very confident in our performance as a team and are glad to still have Jeremy with us and benefit from his vast industry knowledge”.