CI unveils post-Sionna lineup

CI Investments has announced a series of portfolio management changes aimed at permanently filling the gaps left by the abrupt departure of Kim Shannon’s Sionna Investment Managers Inc. in early October.

The affected funds include CI Canadian Small/Mid Cap Fund, CI Canadian Asset Allocation Fund, Synergy Canadian Style Management Corporate Class, Synergy Tactical Asset Allocation Fund and Select Canadian Equity Managed Corporate Class.

James Lawson and David Picton of Synergy Asset Management have been named lead portfolio managers of CI Canadian Small/Mid Cap Fund. Picton is also president of Synergy.

“Synergy has a strong team and a well-defined investment approach that has been successfully applied across the Canadian and global equity markets,” said Peter W. Anderson, CEO of CI. “We are pleased to bring Synergy’s expertise to CI Canadian Small/Mid Cap Fund.”

Back in October, CI wasted little time in finding a replacement manager for the flagship CI Canadian Investment Fund, picking Daniel Bubis, president and CIO of Tetrem Capital Partners Ltd.

Bubis and Tetrem again get the nod to manage portions of the Synergy Canadian Style Management Corporate Class and Synergy Tactical Asset Allocation Fund. Lead management of these two multi-manager, multi-style funds will remain in the hands of Synergy’s Picton, who will also share in the management of the former Sionna portions.

Sionna has now been officially terminated as a co-manager of Select Canadian Equity Managed Corporate Class, with Sionna’s share of the portfolio being assigned to Tetrem, which already manages a portion of the portfolio.

Taking charge of the CI Canadian Asset Allocation Fund is Eric Bushell, CIO of CI’s Signature Advisors portfolio management group.

“Eric is a talented manager backed by a deep team of seasoned equity and income analysts,” said Anderson. “Investors in the fund have already benefited from Signature’s income investing, and now they will have access to the group’s proven capabilities in Canadian and global stock selection.”

All changes are effective November 20, 2006.

Filed by Steven Lamb, Advisor.ca, steven.lamb@advisor.rogers.com