Schroders appoints its first ETFs manager after surpassing 1 billion dollars in managed assets
Schroders announced today the appointment of Tom Stephens as its first head of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) to strengthen its expansion in this rapidly growing segment. Coming from JP Morgan AM, where he worked for eight years, Stephens will lead the development and execution of Schroders' global ETF strategy, encompassing product, infrastructure, distribution and customer relations.
The announcement comes after the launch of the manager's first two active ETFs in Europe earlier this year and after Schroders exceeded $1 billion in assets under management in its global ETF business at the end of October 2025. His incorporation is scheduled for January 5, 2026.
Professional career
At JP Morgan AM, Tom Stephens was the international head of capital markets specializing in ETFs. He led a global team responsible for the ETF market, liquidity architecture, and authorized participant and market maker strategy. In addition, he managed client execution standards, operational design, and the development of new ETF capabilities in multiple regions and asset classes. He was part of the firm's Global ETF Operating Committee and is chairman of the ETF Committee of the UK Investment Association.
In his new stage at Schroders, he will report to Matt Oomen, global head of the Client Group, the area that integrates sales, business development, customer experience, product, marketing and communication.
Boost to Schroders' active ETF platform
The appointment comes in a context of strong demand for active management solutions in ETF format. Earlier this year, Schroders launched its first two active ETFs in Europe: Schroder ETFs ICAV - Schroder Global Equity Active UCITS ETF and Schroder ETFs ICAV - Schroder Global Investment Grade Corporate Bond Active UCITS ETF.
With the arrival of Stephens, the manager seeks to consolidate and accelerate its global ETF strategy, relying on the milestone of having reached $1 billion in assets under management in this business and on the coordinated deployment of product, infrastructure, distribution and customer service.
We are delighted that Tom will be joining Schroders in the new year to help drive the rapid development of our active ETFs business. His twenty years of experience in this field will be very valuable for the expansion of our leading market competitive advantage through these investment instruments. Our recent active ETFs launches in Europe will allow us to reach more investors, and Tom's deep knowledge and leadership in the ETFs market will help us respond to the growing interest of clients in these types of products.
Matt Oomen, global head of Schroders Client Group
