TDAM Global Equity Shareholder Yield Portfolio Manager Update

Plan sponsors may wish to consider whether this investment news has any implications for the investment options available within their plans. Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada purchases units of the fund listed below. They are established as a segregated fund under the Insurance Companies Act (Canada).

This is an update only and you don’t need to take any immediate action as a result of this news.

Portfolio Management Team Update

In March of 2026, Bill Booth, Chief Investment Officer (CIO) of TD Epoch was named Co-Portfolio Manager (Co-PM) for the TDAM Global Equity Shareholder Yield Fund (the Fund). As Co-PM, he is primarily responsible for supporting the client base globally and contributing to thought leadership activities. Secondarily, Booth will contribute to investment decision making. Booth joined TD Epoch in 2009 and has 30 years of total investment experience.

TDAM indicated that this addition was a part of ongoing succession planning. They mentioned it was also in efforts to strengthen leadership on the portfolio management team and enhance alignment across strategies.  Booth is expected to allocate approximately 20% of his time to the Fund.

The TD Epoch investment team manages the Fund for TDAM and is based in New York. Lead PM responsibilities continue to reside with Kera Van Valen who has final say on buy/sell decisions for the Fund. Van Valen is also supported by Co-PMs Michael Jin and Lin Lin, who is Head of Quantitative Research and focuses on risk management.

TDAM indicated that the investment philosophy and process won’t change as a result of the changes to the portfolio management team.

About the TDAM Global Equity Shareholder Yield Fund

The Fund’s objective is to provide growth and income by investing primarily in dividend-paying equity securities and other income producing instruments of issuers from around the world.   

The Fund’s security selection process focuses on free cash flow metrics and capital allocation using proprietary quantitative research to identify potential investments and then subjects any potential investments to fundamental research.  Epoch constructs a portfolio of companies that are expected to grow free cash flow and allocate it effectively, with an emphasis on above-average and growing dividends, share buybacks and/or debt repayment.

Notably, the Fund is available in a Registered Only version, which has the additional benefit of being exempt from U.S. withholding taxes when held in a non-taxable plan.

Sun Life GRS Investment Solutions team view

At this time, we have no concerns given that Van Valen and the existing portfolio management team remain in place. We view the addition of Booth as a positive development as it should help Van Valen from an ongoing client servicing standpoint.