Investment manager Neuberger Berman has ramped up its expertise in the emerging market debt sector, hiring 22 specialists in this asset class.

Of the new hires, 19 join from ING Investment Management, where they managed over $16 billion invested in emerging market debt.

The 22 staff are made up of 12 portfolio managers, six credit analysts and four economists. They will be based across the US, Europe and Asia.

They join a 100-strong fixed income team at Neuberger Berman, led by Brad Tank, chief investment officer of fixed income.

The firm’s new emerging market debt platform will be led by Rob Drijkoningen, based in The Hague, and Gorky Urquieta, based in Atlanta.

Other professionals joining the firm are: Bart van der Made (The Hague), Raoul Luttik (The Hague),  Jennifer Gorgoll (Atlanta), Nish Popat (The Hague), and Prashant Singh (Singapore).

Neuberger Berman manages $216 billion in assets, including $97 billion in fixed income assets, as of March 31, 2013.