General Description of Firm
Wilmington Trust Investment Advisors, Inc. (“WTIA,” “our,” “we” or the “Firm”), founded in
1995, is a wholly owned direct subsidiary of Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company (“M&T
Bank”), which is a subsidiary of M&T Bank Corporation, a publicly traded bank holding company
(NYSE: MTB). WTIA principally provides investment management services to institutional
clients, including to its affiliates, Wilmington Trust, N.A. (“WTNA”), Wilmington Trust Company
(“WTC”), M&T Bank, and other subsidiaries of M&T Bank Corporation and their clients.
Wilmington Trust is a registered service mark used by certain subsidiaries of M&T Bank
Corporation (together “Wilmington Trust”). Wilmington Investment Management is a branding
name used for investment management-related services offered by the following Wilmington Trust
entities: M&T Bank, WTC, WTNA, WTIA, Wilmington Funds Management Corporation
(“WFMC”), and Wilmington Trust Investment Management, LLC (“WTIM”).
M&T Bank, through its subsidiaries and affiliates, offers a full range of financial services including
investment advisory, corporate and retail banking in the communities of the Northeastern and Mid-
Atlantic regions, and also offers certain services (including institutional investment management) to
clients throughout the U.S.
Description of Advisory Services
WTIA provides asset management and other investment advisory services to clients including
institutions, individuals, high net worth persons, pension plans, defined contribution plans, private
foundations, and mutual funds. WTIA offers discretionary and non-discretionary investment
management and other advisory services with respect to the following primary areas:
• Equity investing in U.S., developed, developing, and emerging markets
small-, and large- capitalization companies
• Fixed income investing in investment grade corporate, municipal and government
bonds, U.S. high-yield bonds, emerging markets bonds, and enhanced cash
strategies
• Asset allocation strategy investing, including manager selection and portfolio
construction using an open architecture approach. Such portfolios are constructed
using proprietary asset allocation models that draw upon the Firm's in-house
equity and fixed income strengths, supplemented with strategies and products from
third party managers
• Alternative asset class investing, including advising with respect to liquid
alternatives, hedge funds, private equity funds, and real asset strategies
• Model portfolios based on certain of our investment strategies (“Model Delivery”)
that are managed and offered to both affiliated and external financial institutions
either directly or through third-party providers that operate platforms or programs.
Model Delivery investment portfolio recipients implement WTIA’s
recommendations at their discretion. WTIA generally does not have investment
discretion or trading responsibilities in connection with Model Delivery
arrangements
•
Non-discretionary investment advisory services for Defined Contribution Plans
using a consultative approach. WTIA provides recommendations to assist plan
sponsors in creating an appropriate investment menu for their plan participants
• Non-discretionary Investment Consulting Services including Investment Policy
Statement review and development, asset allocation, and manager
recommendations.
Among other things, WTIA:
• Provides manager and fund research services to M&T Bank, WTNA, and
WTC in connection with those affiliates’ Wealth Advisory Services and other
offerings
• Serves as the principal sub-adviser to certain portfolios of the Wilmington
Funds, an open-end investment company, registered under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, and advised by WTIA’s affiliate WFMC
• Acts as a non-discretionary provider of a series of model investment portfolios
made available by LPL Financial LLC (“LPL”) to participants in LPL’s
Manager Select wrap fee program. Subject to a networking arrangement
between LPL and M&T Bank, M&T Bank personnel, acting in their capacity
as investment adviser representatives of LPL, recommend the Manager Select
program and these models to clients.
Additionally, pursuant to an intercompany agreement, WTIA leases members of its investment
advisory and other staff to certain of its affiliates, including M&T Bank, WTC, WTNA, WFMC,
WTIM, Wilmington Trust Asset Management, LLC (“WTAM”), and People’s United Advisors, Inc.,
whereby such personnel, as employees of those entities, perform a variety of investment
management, research, analytical, due diligence and similar functions to support the activities of
such affiliates, including in connection with the Wilmington Funds (“Fund Services”) managed by
WFMC, and private funds managed by WTAM. WTIA also leases designated personnel from one
or more of WTC, WTNA, and/or M&T to perform certain Fund Services, provide investment
management and other services, and/or perform other functions, as employees of WTIA.
It is WTIA’s policy to obtain and follow a clear statement of investment policy for each client
account, based upon the client’s investment objectives, financial circumstances, investment
restrictions, risk tolerance, and other information provided by the client. Clients may impose
reasonable investment restrictions limiting investment in certain securities or types of securities.
Such investment restrictions are subject to acceptance by WTIA.
The advice provided by WTIA in the capacity as an Outsourced Chief Investment Officer
combines the services of an investment consultant with the discretionary authority to implement
and execute asset allocation, manager selection and investment vehicle decisions within the
guidelines of a client’s applicable investment policy statement.
As of December 31, 2023, WTIA had $ $16,435,124,934 in discretionary assets under
management and $ $61,804,032 in non-discretionary assets under management for a total of $
$16,496,928,966 in total assets under management.