JPMorgan names global ETFs head in bullish active bet

investmentnews.com:

JP Morgan Asset Management is looking to extend its leadership in the active ETF space as it appoints Travis Spence, a long-tenured leader within the organization, as its new global head of ETFs.

The move, effective immediately, puts Spence in charge of ETF product development, capital markets, and the recently established ETF insights team. He will continue to lead ETF distribution across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa as he takes on the expanded responsibilities of his new role.

Spence will report to Jed Laskowitz, the firm’s chief investment officer and global head of asset management solutions.

“We are committed to revolutionizing the landscape by providing the highest quality active ETFs in the industry,” Laskowitz said in a statement Thursday.

Spence’s appointment comes as JPMorgan seeks to capitalize on growing interest in active ETFs, which have been outpacing the overall ETF industry in growth. The firm says its global ETF platform has expanded to nearly $190 billion across more than 100 products, ranking it second in active ETF AUM and eighth in overall ETF assets globally.

The active ETF market has seen a few asset managers jockeying for position recently, including Allspring’s plan to launch its inaugural ETF suite early next year and Rockefeller Asset Management’s announcement of its first active fixed-income ETFs which focus on the municipal bond space.

According to Bloomberg, JPMorgan’s active ETF platform has absorbed $27 billion globally so far this year.

Spence has been with JPMorgan Asset Management for 20 years, most recently serving as head of EMEA ETF distribution since 2023. In that role, he helped establish the firm as a leader in active ETFs in Europe. Previously, he led the international