CI Mutual Funds Inc. has awarded four fixed-income portfolio management mandates to its in-house Signature Funds Group.

The funds are CI Canadian Bond Fund, CI Short-Term Bond Fund, CI Long- Term Bond Fund and Clarica Premier Bond Fund, with total assets of $1.7 billion. James Dutkiewicz has been appointed lead portfolio manager of the funds.

Signature Group replaces J. Zechner Associates Inc. of Toronto. The change is effective immediately.

“The Signature Group has assembled a strong team of fixed-income specialists with expertise in all aspects of these markets,” said Peter Anderson, CI president and CEO, in a news release.

“This team of analysts and managers was built to support Signature’s fixed-income requirements in other products and they have made significant contributions to the performance of those funds. The team is now in a position to accept these new mandates.”

“It makes sense for CI to bring these portfolios in-house, given the Signature team’s extensive qualifications and experience,” added Anderson.

Signature Funds is CI’s largest in-house portfolio management team, with approximately $11.4 billion in assets under management. The group, led by chief investment officer Eric Bushell, manages funds across the asset class spectrum, including fixed-income, Canadian balanced and Canadian and global equity funds.

Dutkiewicz is currently lead portfolio manager of funds that include Signature Corporate Bond Fund, Clarica Premier Mortgage Fund, and Assante Corporation’s Optima Strategy Canadian Fixed Income Pool.