Loomis Sayles Welcomes Marques Benton as Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer

Loomis, Sayles & Company, an affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers, announced today that Marques Benton has joined Loomis Sayles as chief diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) officer. Marques reports jointly to Kevin Charleston, chief executive officer and president of Loomis Sayles and John Russell, head of human resources and senior counsel. In this new role, Marques is responsible for driving the firm’s DEI strategic plan into action. In partnership with senior management, he will be focused on attracting, developing and retaining diverse talent and engaging with all staff to foster a firmwide culture of inclusion.

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Marques joins Loomis Sayles from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, where he was a vice president and chief diversity officer for over a decade. In this role, he was responsible for implementing a comprehensive strategy to effectively integrate diversity and inclusion into the bank’s culture, management practices, talent acquisition and business activities. Previously, as an officer in the bank’s public and community affairs department, Marques worked with public and private partnerships at federal, state and local levels to help thousands of low-to-moderate income families build, save and preserve assets and achieve greater financial stability. Marques is a member of the board of trustees for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston and the board of directors for the Forté Foundation. Marques holds a BA in Economics from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and an MBA from the F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson College.

“We are thrilled to welcome Marques to Loomis Sayles. He brings considerable expertise in diversity, equity and inclusion to the firm and his leadership will be critical as we strive to continually make significant improvements in these areas,” said Kevin Charleston. “Creating an environment where we can attract and integrate talented individuals with different lived experiences is a business imperative; we are deeply committed to build on our existing foundation and Marques will be integral to our work creating meaningful change.”

Marques’ appointment as chief DEI officer is the latest step in the evolution of the Loomis Sayles DEI plan. The firm has been committed to prioritizing diversity, equity and inclusion over the years through a DEI committee and governance model, customized firmwide diversity trainings, active employee resource groups and industry engagement including partnership with consultants and the CFA Institute. Loomis Sayles also has developed innovative internship and mentorship programs that prioritize career development for candidates underrepresented in the investment management industry.

Loomis Sayles believes in a workplace culture that acknowledges, supports, and invests in the diversity of all its members. This is critical in order to fulfill the investment needs of our clients worldwide, manage the complexity of our dynamic and global business and build a community where all employees have an equitable opportunity to expand on their potential. The firm is committed to fostering an environment where all employees are represented, respected, valued and empowered to apply all of the dimensions of their identities.

ABOUT LOOMIS SAYLES

Since 1926, Loomis, Sayles & Company has helped fulfill the investment needs of institutional and mutual fund clients worldwide. The firm’s performance-driven investors integrate deep proprietary research and integrated risk analysis to make informed, judicious decisions. Teams of portfolio managers, strategists, research analysts and traders collaborate to assess market sectors and identify investment opportunities wherever they may lie, within traditional asset classes or among a range of alternative investments. Loomis Sayles has the resources, foresight and the flexibility to look far and wide for value in broad and narrow markets in its commitment to deliver attractive sustainable returns for clients. This rich tradition has earned Loomis Sayles the trust and respect of clients worldwide, for whom it manages $347.8 billion ** in assets (as of December 31, 2020).

**Includes the assets of Loomis, Sayles & Co., LP, and Loomis Sayles Trust Company, LLC. Loomis Sayles Trust Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Loomis, Sayles & Company, LP.

ABOUT NATIXIS INVESTMENT MANAGERS

Natixis Investment Managers serves financial professionals with more insightful ways to construct portfolios. Powered by the expertise of more than 20 specialized investment managers globally, we apply Active Thinking^® to deliver proactive solutions that help clients pursue better outcomes in all markets. Natixis Investment Managers ranks among the world’s largest asset management firms¹ with nearly $1.1 trillion assets under management² (€910.0 billion).

Headquartered in Paris and Boston, Natixis Investment Managers is a subsidiary of Natixis. Listed on the Paris Stock Exchange, Natixis is a subsidiary of BPCE, the second-largest banking group in France. Natixis Investment Managers’ affiliated investment management firms include AEW; Alliance Entreprendre; AlphaSimplex Group; DNCA Investments;³ Dorval Asset Management; Flexstone Partners; Gateway Investment Advisers; H2O Asset Management; Harris Associates; Investors Mutual Limited; Loomis, Sayles & Company; Mirova; MV Credit; Naxicap Partners; Ossiam; Ostrum Asset Management; Seeyond; Seventure Partners; Thematics Asset Management; Vauban Infrastructure Partners; Vaughan Nelson Investment Management; Vega Investment Managers;⁴ and WCM Investment Management. Additionally, investment solutions are offered through Natixis Investment Managers Solutions, and Natixis Advisors offers other investment services through its AIA and MPA division. Not all offerings available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit Natixis Investment Managers’ website at im.natixis.com| LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/natixis-investment-managers.

Natixis Investment Managers’ distribution and service groups include Natixis Distribution, L.P., a limited purpose broker-dealer and the distributor of various U.S. registered investment companies for which advisory services are provided by affiliated firms of Natixis Investment Managers, Natixis Investment Managers S.A. (Luxembourg), Natixis Investment Managers International (France), and their affiliated distribution and service entities in Europe and Asia.

¹ Cerulli Quantitative Update: Global Markets 2020 ranked Natixis Investment Managers as the 17th largest asset manager in the world based on assets under management as of December 31, 2019.
² Assets under management (“AUM”) as of September 30, 2020 is $1,067.3 billion. AUM, as reported, may include notional assets, assets serviced, gross assets, assets of minority-owned affiliated entities and other types of non-regulatory AUM managed or serviced by firms affiliated with Natixis Investment Managers.
³ A brand of DNCA Finance.
⁴ A wholly-owned subsidiary of Natixis Wealth Management.

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Contact information

Orla O’Brien
(617)478-7480
oobrien@loomissayles.com