BOSTON, MA & OAKS, PA — Global asset manager Mackenzie Investments is expanding its U.S. institutional footprint with the launch of four new collective investment trusts, tapping SEI to provide trustee and administrative oversight amid rising demand for lower-cost, flexible retirement investment options.
The firms announced that SEI Trust Company will serve as trustee for the newly launched CITs, which are designed for defined contribution and defined benefit plans seeking access to Mackenzie’s quantitative equity strategies.
The four trusts include the Mackenzie Quantitative International Large Cap CIT, Mackenzie Quantitative International Small Cap CIT, Mackenzie Quantitative U.S. Small Cap CIT, and Mackenzie Quantitative Emerging Markets All Cap CIT. Together, the offerings give U.S. institutional investors streamlined exposure to Mackenzie’s Global Quantitative Equity team, which blends data-driven modeling with human judgment in an effort to generate excess returns while managing risk.
Company officials said the move reflects a broader shift among retirement plan sponsors toward collective investment trusts, which often carry lower fees and greater structural flexibility than traditional mutual funds.
Chris Adey, Mackenzie’s head of U.S. institutional sales, said the CIT structure allows the firm to deliver established global quantitative strategies in a format tailored to the evolving needs of U.S. retirement plans. He said the launch reinforces Mackenzie’s commitment to consultants, allocators, and institutional investors navigating an increasingly complex investment landscape.
By naming SEI Trust Company as trustee, Mackenzie pairs its investment management platform with SEI’s operational scale and fiduciary infrastructure. Executives from both firms said the partnership is aimed at meeting growing institutional demand for efficient, cost-conscious investment vehicles without sacrificing governance or oversight.
Sean Lawlor, senior vice president and head of SEI’s Traditional Investment Managers business, said the collaboration supports Mackenzie’s U.S. expansion while strengthening the operational foundation behind the new trusts. He added that the structure is intended to give institutional investors, consultants, and recordkeepers greater confidence and efficiency as they build and manage retirement portfolios.
Collective investment trusts have gained momentum across the retirement industry as sponsors look to control costs and customize investment lineups, a trend that continues to reshape how asset managers deliver strategies to institutional clients.
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