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JPMorgan Asset Management Appoints William McHugh to Head Strategic Investment Advisory Group

Oct 02, 2006

JPMorgan Asset Management Appoints William McHugh to Head Strategic Investment Advisory Group

New York– October 2, 2006– JPMorgan Asset Management (“JPMAM”) today announced the appointment of William McHugh as group head for the Strategic Investment Advisory Group (“SIAG”), based out of New York. SIAG serves as one of JPMAM’s centers for thought leadership in the area of pension finance.  As part of the firm’s commitment to helping clients address these numerous challenges, JPMAM has in the past year expanded the reach and resources of SIAG to include the firm’s European and Asian institutional clients.  SIAG currently has five employees located in the U.S. and London. 

McHugh brings with him over 29 years’ experience in asset management and as a practitioner of pension finance.  Prior to this appointment, he worked for the JPMorgan Chase (“JPMC”) Treasurer’s Department, where for 18 months he served as the chief investment officer of the Benefit Plan for JPMC.  McHugh joined JPMAM in October 2000 as part of the firm’s fiduciary services practice. As part of that role, he served as chairperson of the practice's investment committee and was a principal portfolio manager.  Prior to this, he was vice president and treasurer for Novartis Corporation.  While at Novartis, the firm was a two-time recipient of the Alexander Hamilton Gold Medal for excellence in pension finance and the Novartis 401(K) plan was designated "The Nation's Best 401(K) Plan" by Treasury and Risk Management magazine.  McHugh has also previously worked for Pricewaterhouse Coopers and MCO Holdings. He is a Certified Public Accountant and earned his B.A. from the University of Notre Dame.

McHugh said:  “As both a former client of JPMAM and now as an employee, I have had the opportunity to be part of SIAG’s distinguished history of partnering with and providing insightful guidance to the firm’s clients.” 

McHugh added: “This is an extremely exciting time in the pension world. Over the next few years, we will witness dramatic changes in the way both private and pension plans are managed. We see the emergence of 401(K) plans as a primary source of retirement savings for a large segment of the U.S. - while the approval of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 and proposed changes to accounting rules arguably represent the most significant changes to the private pension landscape since the passage of ERISA in 1974. At the same time, endowments and foundations and public pension funds struggle with issues associated with achieving attractive returns in what many predict will be a low return environment. As a result, institutional investors face numerous challenges.  Given the depth and breath of the firm’s intellectual capital and investment strategies, JPMAM is well positioned to help our clients address the challenges they face.” 

About JPMorgan Asset Management:
With over $898 billion as of June 30, 2006*, in global discretionary assets under management, JPMorgan Asset Management is one of the largest active asset managers in the world and one of the largest mutual fund companies in the United States, providing institutional, ultra high net worth and retail clients with outstanding investment products across all asset classes globally, including fixed income, equity, liquidity, real estate, private equity and hedge funds.
*Based on AUM for the Asset & Wealth Management (JPMAM, PB, PCS) division of JPMorgan Chase & Co. as of June 30th, 2006.

For further information, please contact:
Jackie Meere
Media Relations
Telephone: 212-648 -1798
Email: jacqueline.meere@jpmorgan.com

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JPMorgan Asset Management is the marketing name for the asset management businesses of JPMorgan Chase & Co. Those businesses include J.P. Morgan Investment Management Inc., JPMorgan  Investment Advisors Inc, JPMorgan High Yield Partners, LLC, Security Capital Research & Management Incorporated and J.P. Morgan Alternative Asset Management, Inc.