Natixis Global Associates, a part of Natixis Global Asset Management, has promoted John Bearce as senior vice president, Business Development for its Managed Portfolio Advisors division. Headquartered in Oakland, California, MPA is an overlay manager in the separately managed accounts industry. Mr Bearce will work with the firm’s distribution partners to address investment issues such as retirement income and risk management with solutions that leverage MPA’s multi-discipline investment expertise, tax management capabilities and overlay management services. Overlay management is an emerging investment discipline that integrates the investment recommendations of multiple managers into a single, integrated portfolio strategy. Mr Bearce continues to report to MPA president, Curt Overway. Mr Bearce joined Natixis Global Associates in 2001 from Putnam Investors, and was formerly senior vice president and portfolio manager at MPA. With $14.7 billion in assets under management, MPA ranks among the industry’s largest overlay management firms. Services include overlay management for separate account and unified managed account platforms, product development and programme design. Natixis Global Associates is part of Paris and Boston-based Natixis Global Asset Management, which had assets under management totalling $860 billion as of 30 September 2007.