April 8 (Reuters) - Asset manager Janus Henderson ( JHG )

will manage Guardian Life Insurance's $45 billion

investment-grade public fixed-income portfolio, the companies

said in a statement.

Insurance companies have turned to Wall Street firms to

invest the premiums they collect from their clients, hoping

asset managers will strike higher returns from the market.

As part of the agreement, Guardian will commit up to $400

million of seed capital for the London-based asset manager's

fixed-income product innovation, and receive equity warrants and

other economic considerations.

Janus Henderson ( JHG ) will be managing over $147 billion in

fixed-income assets globally post-completion of the transaction,

the companies said.

Guardian, in August last year, moved $30 billion of assets

to private credit manager HPS Investment Partners to invest in

publicly traded junk bonds, investment-grade private credit and

real estate debt and equity.