ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., April 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Raymond James Investment Management, a global asset management company with $115 billion in assets, and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Raymond James, has appointed Kristi Higgins as Head of ETF Strategy.
In this role, Higgins will focus on supporting the continued development and expansion of Raymond James Investment Management’s active ETF platform. She will report to Johan Grahn, Head of ETFs, who leads the firm’s ETF platform with the product organization overseen by Matt Johnson, Head of Commercial Strategy. She will also work closely with Susan Walzer, President of the firm’s Family of Funds.
Higgins has spent the majority of her career in investment management focused on launching and scaling ETF businesses. She has played an instrumental role in bringing over 30 ETFs to market across asset classes. Her prior experience, with firms ranging from a new entrant to an established market leader, has included product innovation and development, product marketing and campaigns, and distribution.
“We are excited to welcome Kristi at an important moment for our business,” said Johnson. “Active ETFs are a central pillar of our long-term product strategy, and we are leaning in with conviction. We see a significant opportunity to bring the differentiated capabilities of our boutique managers into the ETF structure in a way that better serves advisors and their clients. Kristi’s experience building ETF platforms makes her an ideal partner as we scale our ETF capabilities.”
Raymond James Investment Management’s current suite of three ETFs is actively managed by investment teams at Eagle Asset Management (Eagle), a boutique manager within the Raymond James Investment Management platform. The ETFs are designed to provide advisors and their clients with access to differentiated, income-oriented strategies through a transparent, tax-efficient, and operationally flexible ETF structure. The suite includes:
- RJ Eagle Vertical Income ETF (Ticker: RJVI)
- RJ Eagle GCM Dividend Select Income ETF (Ticker: RJDI)
- RJ Eagle Municipal Income ETF (Ticker: RJMI)
Prior to joining Raymond James Investment Management, Higgins was Senior Investment Strategist and Vice President at Dimensional Fund Advisors, an industry leader in active ETFs. She also worked alongside Grahn at Allianz Investment Management, where she helped lead the launch of the firm’s ETF business, at the time a new entrant to the space. Her role spanned business case development, ecosystem partner selection and onboarding, product development of the first-generation ETF offering, and go-to-market strategy.
“If my past experience working with Kristi has shown me anything, it’s that she brings a rare combination of strategic vision and executional rigor across ETF product and platform development,” said Grahn. “From initial concept through launch and scale, she has a proven ability to translate ideas into successful, differentiated solutions across client segments.”
“The boutique asset managers within the Raymond James Investment Management platform offer a wide array of time-tested investment capabilities,” said Higgins. “I’m excited to help deliver active ETF solutions that make these proven strategies more accessible.”
Higgins holds a Series 7 license and Bachelor’s degree from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota.
About Raymond James Investment Management
Raymond James Investment Management is a global asset management company that combines the exceptional insight and agility of individual investment teams with the strength and stability of a full-service firm. Together with our boutique investment managers – Chartwell Investment Partners, ClariVest Asset Management, Cougar Global Investments, Eagle Asset Management, Reams Asset Management, and Scout Investments – we offer a range of investment strategies and asset classes through multiple vehicles. Our focus is on sustainable, risk-adjusted returns and alpha generation. We believe this lineup of institutional-class portfolio managers can help investors meet their long-term business and financial goals. Ultimately, our structure allows affiliated investment teams to focus on what they do best: managing portfolios.
Media Contacts:
Shree Dhond/Jansel Murad
Dukas Linden Public Relations
(646) 722-6531/(646) 722-6537
[email protected]
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/929f2563-940e-406e-8b24-299c2272aa70
