Fidelity International strengthens its ETF business with a new head of product strategy in Europe

The arrival of Elisa Prezzavento, formerly of State Street and ICE Data Indices, supports the expansion of Fidelity’s active ETF platform across the continent. The company confirms its position as the second-largest provider of active ETFs in Europe by assets under management.

Prezzavento will be responsible for supporting the development of Fidelity’s ETF product strategy, with a particular focus on expanding the range of active strategies. Her responsibilities will include identifying new areas of client demand, developing innovative products and maintaining the competitiveness of the ETF platform in a rapidly evolving market.

The new head will be based in London. She brings with her international experience gained in leadership roles in the areas of product innovation, fixed income strategy and index solutions, in both the EMEA and Asia-Pacific markets. Prior to joining Fidelity, Prezzavento worked at State Street Investment Management, where she most recently led fixed income product innovation for the EMEA region. She previously held senior roles in ETF product development and strategy for the same regions. Before State Street, she spent nearly 14 years at ICE Data Indices.

Neil Davies, Head of ETF Product & Capital Markets, Europe & Asia-Pacific, Fidelity International, comments: “

The ETF market is evolving at pace, with investors increasingly seeking active and targeted ways to access markets. As demand continues to grow, innovation and differentiation will remain critical to delivering relevant investment solutions. Elisa brings deep ETF product expertise and a strong track record of innovation, further strengthening our capabilities in this area. Her appointment reflects our continued commitment to expanding and evolving our ETF offering to meet the changing needs of clients”

Fidelity International is currently the second-largest provider of active ETFs in Europe by assets under management, with $11.3 billion in assets under management in the active segment. The company offers 25 ETFs across the active equity, fixed income and differentiated index strategies categories, totalling $15.8 billion in total ETF assets.

The market environment justifies investment in dedicated resources. The European active ETF market has seen significant growth in recent years, reaching €85.6 billion in assets at the end of March 2026. Equity strategies account for the largest share of inflows, but the fixed income segment has recently gained momentum. Fidelity launched its ETF platform in 2017 and has since expanded its offering with research-enhanced solutions and, more recently, with high-conviction strategies based on Fidelity Investments’ fundamental research.

Fidelity’s current range includes active equity ETFs, active bond ETFs and index strategies with differentiated approaches. Recent additions include the US Fundamental Large Cap Core and US Fundamental Small-Mid Cap funds, launched in September 2025 with a semi-transparent structure for the small-mid cap portion, approved by the Central Bank of Ireland. These products apply systematic processes to combine the high-conviction investment ideas of multiple Fidelity Investments portfolio managers into single strategies.

Prezzavento’s arrival follows other organisational changes within Fidelity’s ETF team. Neil Davies was promoted to Head of ETF Product & Capital Markets for Europe and Asia-Pacific in July 2025, expanding a role that had previously focused solely on Europe. The company has indicated that further recruitment is planned in key areas to support the platform’s expansion.

For professional investors and financial advisers, the expansion of the product strategy team signals a desire to accelerate the development of active ETF solutions. The ability to quickly identify new client needs and translate them into competitive products is a differentiating factor in a segment where process and structural innovation can influence market adoption.

Fidelity maintains a fundamental research-based approach to active strategies, distinguishing itself from purely quantitative or benchmark-aware approaches. This choice is reflected in product communication and portfolio construction. Transparency regarding methodologies and the frequency of disclosure vary depending on the product structure: some ETFs publish their full portfolios on a daily basis, whilst others adopt semi-transparent structures to protect the intellectual property of active research.

Fidelity’s ETF platform is domiciled in Ireland and listed on several European exchanges, including Xetra, the London Stock Exchange and Borsa Italiana. Trading lines in euros, dollars and pounds meet the demand for currency flexibility from institutional and professional retail clients.

The European ETF market as a whole exceeded €2.7 trillion in assets under management at the end of 2025, representing 41% growth compared to the previous year. In this context, the active segment remains a minority but is expanding, with significant net inflows in the first few months of 2026. The ability to offer active solutions with low costs, operational transparency and trading flexibility is a central element of issuers’ value proposition.

Fidelity International is a global asset manager with a presence in pension savings. The ETF division forms part of a broader range of investment solutions for institutional clients, advisers and retail investors. The company has not provided specific timelines for upcoming product launches, but has confirmed that expanding the range remains a strategic priority.