Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management

Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management celebrates 50 successful years

In 1964, Art Phillips, Bob Hager, Rudy North and Dick Bradshaw created a boutique investment firm in Vancouver. With headquarters far from Bay Street, Phillips, Hager & North Investment Management (PH&N) was different from the start. The founders’ vision was to create a firm that offered a conservative, long-term investment approach with an emphasis on its clients’ best interests.

From its humble beginnings, PH&N grew to more than 300 employees, with more than $60 billion under management by 2008, when it became a part of Royal Bank of Canada. PH&N is now an integral part of RBC Global Asset Management, a global manager of over $330 billion.

In delivering on its vision, PH&N has earned a reputation as one of Canada’s most respected money managers, with many of the country’s leading pension plans and institutional investors as clients. Building long-term relationships with clients is central to its approach. In 2013, for example, PH&N celebrated the 40th anniversary of its relationship with the IWA – Forest Industry Pension Trust and Plan.

Bruce Geddes, head of institutional asset management at PH&N, says the company has always put its clients first.

“Our only business is managing investments, and all our services are related,” says Geddes. “We often help with investment governance, risk management and asset allocation, and we provide investment-related education to help clients understand their portfolios and the markets.”

Geddes says PH&N plans to celebrate a low-key 50th anniversary.

“In 50 years, we have evolved from a Vancouver-based start-up with one U.S. equity fund to a pre-eminent provider of diverse investment solutions for institutional investors across Canada,” he states. “We will mark our anniversary quietly, with a continued commitment to the legacy of our founders: a focus on the best interests of our clients; giving back to the community; and providing employees with a working environment that is collegial, respectful and intellectually challenging.”