Mackenzie Financial Services Inc. announced Wednesday the appointment of Ian Ainsworth as lead manager of the Mackenzie Universal Future Fund (and its Capital Class version) and Mackenzie Universal Emerging Technologies Capital Class fund.

Ainsworth will lead of one of six management teams each directing a portion of the Mackenzie Universal Select Managers Canada Fund (and its Capital Class version). He will also head the growth equity team of the mutual fund company, and effective immediately, becomes senior vice president, Mackenzie Financial Corp.

Ainsworth has a long history in the Canadian mutual fund industry having previously served as managing director of Altamira’s equity team and lead manager of a number of immensely popular and successful Canadian equity funds. Ainsworth was named Canada’s Fund Manager of the Year at the 1999 and 2000 Canadian Mutual Fund Awards.

“We are thrilled and honoured that Ian has joined our team at Mackenzie,” said David Feather, president, Mackenzie Financial Services Inc. “This is great news for our clients and investment advisor partners.”

Ainsworth’s Mackenzie Universal Future Fund mandate will build on his longstanding growth focus. The fund is unique in Canada, with a hybrid mandate to focus on knowledge- and tech-based companies in North America, while diversifying across other industries and growth companies that are leaders in their respective fields.

He will also assume direction of a portion of Mackenzie Universal Select Managers Canada Fund, a portfolio that combines the best ideas of five of Canada’s top money managers with the best global investment ideas selected by Henderson Global Investors, a top-rated international money management firm; and he will lead manage Mackenzie Universal Emerging Technologies Fund.

Ainsworth has proven capabilities in these areas, as former manager of one of Canada’s most successful technology funds, one of the country’s largest Canadian equity funds, and a global equity fund with a concentrated portfolio mandate. Under his tenure, Altamira Science and Technology Fund was ranked the top performing technology fund in North America over five years.

“Ian Ainsworth is a proven performer, an expert growth manager, and adds a logical growth complement to our existing value experts within the Cundill, Ivy and Maxxum fund families,” said Jim Hunter, president and CEO, Mackenzie Financial Corp.

Over his 23 years of experience, Ainsworth has demonstrated his skill in identifying investment opportunities in a variety of sectors in Canadian, U.S. and global markets.

“I am excited to join Mackenzie at such a pivotal time,” said Ainsworth. “As global markets and Canadian investors ease back to business-as-usual, I’m certain investors will gain perspective and get back to basics. More and more, investors will see that worldwide the fundamentals haven’t changed.”

Ainsworth has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics and an MBA in finance from Dalhousie University. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst charterholder.

Previously, Ainsworth was vice president and portfolio manager, equities, and managing director of Altamira’s equity team from 1992 to 2002. For the past 13 years he managed Canadian, U.S. and global portfolios. He was named the industry’s Fund Manager of the Year in 1999 and 2000.