La banque américaine Goldman Sachs a choisi Dublin comme centre administratif post-Brexit pour ses activités européennes de gestion d’actifs, rapporte le Financial Times qui cite deux sources proches du dossier. Environ 20 personnes quitteront alors Londres pour être relocalisées dans la capitale irlandaise. Le groupe bancaire avait déjà annoncé son intention de créer des « hubs » pour ses activités de banque d’investissement à Francfort et à Paris afin de servir les clients de l’Union européenne une fois que le Royaume-Uni en sera sortie en avril 2019. Dans ce cadre, Goldman Sachs délocalisera les services bancaires et les équipes commerciales sur le continent afin d’être plus proches des clients.Interrogée par le Financial Times, Goldman Sachs a toutefois nié le fait d’avoir choisi Dublin comme nouvelle base de son activité européenne de gestion d’actifs, qui emploie 400 personnes. « Nous n’avons pas choisi Dublin comme siège de notre activité européenne de gestion d’actifs, a indique un porte-parole de la banque américaine. Dans le cadre de notre planification du Brexit, nous étudions toutes les options liées à l’administration de fonds au sein de l’Union européenne. »

Le principal hedge fund de l’activiste britannique TCI Fund Management devrait boucler l’année 2017 sur un gain de 29%, malgré une bataille boursière très médiatique avec le London Stock Exchange (LSE), rapporte Reuters qui évoque une lettre adressée aux investisseurs. Le hedge fund de Christopher Hohn, dont les encours s’élèvent à 17,5 milliards de dollars, affichait depuis le début de l’année une performance de 28,6% en date du 15 décembre 2017, selon la dernière communication de la société aux investisseurs.

Le hedge fund Odey Asset Management a vu ses bénéfices chuter de 60% l’année dernier, pénalisé principalement par l’effondrement de ses commissions de performances, rapporte Financial News qui évoque les comptes annuels déposés auprès du régulateur ce 22 décembre. Il s’agit de la plus forte baisse de ses bénéfices depuis la crise financière. Selon ces comptes annuels, les bénéfices sont ainsi passés de 44,4 millions de livres à l’issue de la période de 12 mois close au 5 avril 2016 à 17,8 millions de livres un an plus tard, précise le site d’information britannique. Sur cette période, les commissions de performances se sont effondrées de 99%, passant de 19,3 millions de livres à 60.000 livres seulement. Les frais de gestion ont également fortement reculé, passant de 58,7 millions de livres à 44,2 millions.Sur cette même période, les actifs sous gestion d’Odey Asset Management sont passés de 10,4 milliards de dollars à 6,1 milliards de dollars, selon les comptes consultés par Financial News.

Le gestionnaire d’actifs suisse Unigestion a collecté 1,2 milliard de dollars sur ses stratégies de capital-investissement (private equity) depuis la reprise du zurichois Akina en début d’année 2017, rapporte l’agence de presse AWP. Cette acquisition a permis au groupe genevois d'étendre ses compétences dans ce domaine avec des résultats immédiats. « La prime d’illiquidité est une solution qui intéresse nos clients », a indiqué à AWP sa directrice générale, Fiona Frick. Le capital-investissement a contribué en grande partie à la performance réalisée par Unigestion ces derniers mois. « La croissance s’est révélée plutôt forte entre 2016 et 2017. Les actifs illiquides, principalement le private equity, ont rencontré le plus de succès », a précisé la dirigeante. Le private equity représente actuellement un volume de quelque 7 milliards de dollars américains d’actifs, sur des encours totaux avoisinant les 26 milliards.L’opération Akina a permis à Unigestion de s’assurer une place dans l’univers du capital-investissement, mais également de faire irruption sur un nouveau marché, les Etats-Unis. La société zurichoise menait déjà une activité soutenue outre-Atlantique, une base sur laquelle le nouveau propriétaire compte construire. De fait, la reprise d’Akina « nous a forcé à mettre en place un plan d’intégration du marché américain que nous n’avions pas envisagé par le passé », a souligné Fiona Frick. Unigestion compte actuellement 1,5 milliard de dollars d’actifs gérés aux Etats-Unis, soit quelque 4% des encours totaux.Unigestion emploie actuellement 228 collaborateurs et cet effectif continuera de gonfler chaque année d’environ dix personnes supplémentaires. Tous les domaines sont renforcés, que ce soit par l’engagement de gérants, d’analystes, de vendeurs, de techniciens ou de spécialistes marketing. L’ensemble du personnel d’Akina a été conservé après la reprise.

p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; } Dyal Capital Partners, an affiliate of the US asset management firm Neuberger Berman, has acquired a stake in the capital of the US private equity firm Platinum Equity, the news agency Bloomberg reports, citing sources familiar with the matter. The investment will represent a minority stake, according to the same sources, who wished to remain anonymous. Platinum Equity, based in Los Angeles, and led by chairman and CEO Tom Gores, has seen rapid growth in the past few years. In March 2017, the private equity firm closed its fourth fund with assets of USD6.5bn. The previous fund, raised five years earlier, raised USD3.75bn. When contacted by Bloomberg, a spokesperson for Dyal Capital Partners did not wish to comment. For its part, Platium Equity did not respond to requests for comment from Bloomberg.

The private equity firm KKR has announced the acquisition of PetVet Care Centers from the Ontario teachers’ pension regime, L Catterton, and other shareholders, without announcing the financial terms of the transaction. PetVet is an general and veterinary hospital operator specialised in pets, with a network of 126 hospitals in 22 US states. The company, based in Westport, Connecticut, USA, was founded in 2012 by CEO Gino Volpacchio and L Catterton, a a private equity firm born of a partnership between the US Catterton fund, the French luxuries giant LVMH and the Arnault group.

p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; } The US General Electric (GE) group on Wednesday, 27 December announced that it has signed an agreement with the Elliott Management fund and Polygon Investment Group to acquire their stakes in Arcam AB, a Swedish 3D-printing group. The two investment funds, which had opposed the takeover by Arcam in 2016, will each receive SEK345 per share. At the conclusion of the operation, which is expected to take place on 29 December 2017, GE will control about 95% of shares in Arcam.

After equities, ETFs, bonds and real estate, Mirae Asset Global Investments is setting up in private debt in Asia. As a part of the project, Kevin Tai has recently been recruited, NewsManagers has learnt. He has the title of Senior Portfolio Manager for Real Estate Division, Alternative Investment Unit and oversees the development of our private real estate debt business in Asia. “This is a very new activity. We are really at an early stage,” JH Rhee, CEO of Mirae Asset Global Investments, the asset management arm of the Mirae Asset Financial Group, which also have a life insurance company (Mirae Asset Life Insurance) and wealth management, investment banking, and brokersage activities (Mirae Asset Daewoo), explained during a recent visit to Paris. The Korean asset management firm, a specialist in Asian and emerging markets, has celebrated its 20th anniversary. Its international boom began in 2003, when it opened offices in Hong Kong (where it now has 65 employees) and then continued with the creation of a Luxembourg Sicav in 2007. In France, seven funds (six equity and one bond fund) have been registered so far. After a few years of slumber due to the financial crisis, the firm is now again actively covering the French market from London, where seven employees are based, as well as with the assistance of a third-party marketer, La Financière Jacques Coeur.Mirae Asset Global Investments has over USD110bn in assets under management, with about USD100bn for Asian clients.

p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; } 3i Infrastructure, one of the investment vehicles of the private equity group 3i, has agreed to increase increase its investment in Wireless Infrastructure Group (WIG) and to acquire the stake owned by Barings LLC’s client accounts (Barings). The expected investment by 3i Infrastructure is GBP186m which will take 3i Infrastructure’s ownership of WIG to 91% of the equity with the balance held by management. Wireless Infrastructure Group is an independent communications infrastructure provider based in the United Kingdom. The firm builds and operates communications towers in rural and suburban areas. In April 2016, 3i Infrastructure acquired a minority interest in WIG from Barings, to provide additional capital to support the growth of the business. The portfolio of Wireless Infrastructure Group now includes nearly 2,100 assets in the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Ireland.

p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; } The hedge fund Odey Asset Management has seen its profits fall by 60% last year, penalised largely by a collapse in performance commissions, Financial News reports, citing the annual accounts submitted to the regulator on 22 December. This represents the largest decline in profits since the financial crisis. According to the annual accounts of the firm, profits fell from GBP44.4m at the conclusion of the 12-month period ending on 5 April 2016 to GBP17.8m one year later, the British website reports. In this period, performance commissions dropped off by 99%, from GBP19.3m to only GBP60,000. Management fees were also down sharply, from GBP58.7m to GBP44.2m. In the same period, assets under management at Odey Asset Management fell from USD10.4bn to GBP6.1bn, according to accounts seen by Financial News.

The main hedge fund from the British activist investor TCI Fund Management is expected to finish the year 2017 with profits of 29%, despite an intense media battle with the London Stock Exchange (LSE), Reuters reports, citing a letter sent to investors. The hedge fund led by Christopher Hohn, with assets totalling USD17.5bn, had since the beginning of the year posted returns of 28.6% as of 15 December 2017, according to the most recent statement to investors.

p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; } The Spanish asset managemnt firm Kutxabank Gestion has registered two new passively-managed funds with the local regulator, which will be released for sale from 2018, the specialist website Fubds People reports. The first fund, entitled Kutxabank Garantizado Bolsa 5, with a maturity date in October 2024, aims to increase capital with a guarantee of 0.67% of the initial net asset value, with an opportunity to take 100% of the variation point by point, if it is positive, from the Eurostoxx 50 Price index. The minimal initial investment is set at EUR100. Management commissions are 0.37%. The second fund, entitled Kutxabank RF Horizonte 6, will mature in May 2022. The unguaranteed objective is to aim for the final net asset value to represent 100.46% of the initial net asset value, for an annual unguaranteed rate of return of 0.11%. As for the first fund, the minimal investment is EUR100. Management fees are set at 0.05%.

p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; } The Spanish banking group Bankinter has begun offering clients of its private bank a way to invest in a publicly-traded real estate company (SIIC in France, or Socimi in Spain), whose portfolio is composed of four- and five-star hotels throughout Spain, the website Cinco Dias reports. The SIIC is expected to be launched on the stock market in first quarter 2018. The structure will have capital of about EUR200m, invested in a selection of hotels. The largest shareholders in the vehicle will be clients of the Bankinter private bank, who have engaged to commit about EUR120m to the project from 18 January. The minimal investment per client will be EUR200,000. Other institutional investors, such as Bankinter, will contribute at least EUR60m to the SIIC.

p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120%; } Trilantic Capital Partners, the former private equity division of Lehman Brothers, is seeking to raise USD2.25bn for its sixth investment fund, Private Equity News reports, citing documents submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission, the US financial regulator. The investment bank Evercore Partners is participating in fundraising for the new fund, to be entitled Trilantic Capital Partners VI. If it achieves this target, the investment vehicle will become the largest fund raised by the firm founded in 2009 by former employees of Lehman Brothers. The previous fund, closed in 2013, collected USD2.2bn.

Trilantic Capital Partners, l’ancienne division de capital-investissement de Lehman Brothers, cherche à lever 2,25 milliards de dollars pour son sixième fonds d’investissement, rapporte Private Equity News qui évoque des documents déposés auprès de la Securities and Exchange Commission, le régulateur financier américain. La banque d’investissement Evercore Partners participe à la levée de capital pour ce nouveau fonds, baptisé Trilantic Capital Partners VI. S’il réussit à atteindre sa cible, ce véhicule d’investissement deviendra alors le plus important fonds levé par la société, fondée en 2009 par d’anciens collaborateurs de Lehman Brothers. Le précédent fonds, bouclé en 2013, avait recueilli 2,2 milliards de dollars.

Barclays Bank a annoncé le retrait de cotation d’un de ses ETN coté à la Bourse de New York, Arca, appelé «iPath Bloomberg Natural Gas Subindex Total Return Exchange Traded Notes (ETN)». La décision de radiation a été prise pour plusieurs raisons et notamment un cours boursier «anormalement bas». L’indice sous-jacent est le Bloomberg Natural Gas Subindex Total Return.Barclays indique dans son communiqué qu’il a déjà publié des notes d’information à l’intention des investisseurs le 8 décembre 2017, le 8 mars 2017, le 22 décembre 2015 et le 9 novembre 2015 concernant la baisse de la valeur de rachat quotidienne des ETN et leur persistance.Le groupe a introduit un nouvel ETN lié au même indice plus tôt cette année, mais qui comporte certaines différences, comme des frais réduits et une fonctionnalité de rachat de l'émetteur.

Invesco PowerShares termine l’année 2017 en fermant quatre de ses plus petits fonds, y compris trois produits qui associent une couverture de change à une stratégie à faible volatilité, rapporte le site ETF.com.Les fonds qui ont fermé sont : PowerShares Contrarian Opportunities Portfolio (CNTR) PowerShares Developed EuroPacific Currency Hedged Low Vol (FXEP) PowerShares Europe Currency Hedged Low Volatility Portfolio (FXEU) PowerShares Japan Currency Hedged Low Volatility Portfolio (FXJP)Cette année, plus de 130 fonds négociés en Bourse aux États-Unis ont été fermés ou retirés de la cote, ce qui constitue une année record après celle de 2016 durant laquelle 128 fonds avaient fermé.

Selon le Financial Times qui citait hier deux sources proches du dossier, Goldman Sachs a l’intention de transférer dans sa gestion d’actifs une vingtaine de collaborateurs de Londres à Dublin suite à la décision du Royaume-Uni de quitter l’Union européenne. Il transférera en outre du personnel en Europe continentale (Francfort, Paris) dans ses activités de trading et de banque d’investissement dans le cadre du Brexit.

Le 3 janvier 2018, le monde de l’investissement financier bascule dans l’ère de la directive « MIF 2 ». Un changement purement technique, sans aucun impact pour le grand public ? Faux ! Les épargnants constateront rapidement une première évolution : les CGPI vont perdre leur « i ». Explications.

Tenant compte du règlement européen sur les dépositaires centraux de titres, l’Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) vient d'annoncer qu'elle lançait une consultation publique, jusqu’au 28 février 2018, sur des modifications apportées au livre V de son règlement général sur les infrastructures de marché.

La Fondation Akuo et la société de gestion française Sanso Investment Solutions viennent d'annoncer annoncent ce jour la signature d’un accord de mécénat financier et de compétences en faveur des projets développés et soutenus par la Fondation.

Les fondations et les institutions religieuses font leur reconversion financière. Soutenues par les dons défiscalisés, elles craignent de voir ces ressources se tarir avec la réforme de l’impôt sur la fortune et s’intéressent à l’une des ressources les plus « lucratives » du moment, les fonds d’investissement, rapporte le quotidien Les Echos. « Nous anticipons une division par trois de la collecte », estime Sylvain Coudon, conseiller du président du directoire chargé du développement des ressources à la Fondation pour la recherche médicale. Frédéric Théret, le directeur du développement de la Fondation de France, considère pour sa part que « les dons liés à l’ISF devraient baisser de 40% pour 2018 ». L’alternative consiste alors à proposer aux donateurs d’investir dans des fonds dédiés, permettant de partager le rendement entre le donateur-investisseur et la fondation. L’investissement dans les entreprises non cotées présente deux avantages : des promesses de rendement de 10% en moyenne par an et l’investissement dans l’économie réelle et de proximité, proche des donateurs. A ce titre, Siparex, soutenu par de grandes familles, travaille à un nouveau dispositif de partage de performance. Il s’inspire des fonds de partage existant dans l’univers coté et compte finaliser un support mi-2018. « L’investissement se fera sur le modèle des nouveaux contrats ouverts aux particuliers en assurance-vie que nous lancerons en janvier, mais la performance sera en partie rétrocédée à des fondations ou autres institutions », explique Bertrand Rambaud, le président du groupe Siparex. La banque privée Meeschaert, proche des confédérations religieuses, a créé un modèle du genre dans l’univers coté et elle envisage aussi de lancer un support associant le capital-investissement.

@page { margin: 0.79in }p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120% }IndosuezWealth Management is adding to its teams in Spain. The privatebanking affiliate of the Crédit Agricole group, led by AntonioLosada in Spain, has recruited Iñigo Calderon, previously head ofkey client activities in Spain at Deutsche Bank, the specialistwebsite Funds People reports. Before joining the German bank,Calderon had for six years been CEO of Barclays Wealth &Investment Management in Spain.Meanwhile,Indosuez Wealth Management has recruited five other managers fromDeutsche Bank in Spain. Diego Rosillo, regional sub-director ofDeutsche Bank Asset & Wealth Management, responsible for centraland northern Spain, joins the French group. The other recruits areLetizia Beca, Carlos Galvez, David Nogues and Manuel Martinez.

ETFGI, a research and consultancy firm on trends in the global ETF/ETP ecosystem, reported Smart Beta ETFs and ETPs have gathered 69 billion US dollars in net new assets in the first 11 months of 2017. Assets invested in Smart Beta ETFs and ETPs grew by 30.1% year-to-date, the greatest annual increase since 2009 when markets recovered following the 2008 financial crisis, and an increase of 3.8% on the previous record of US$661.74 Bn set in October 2017.Year-to-date, through end of November 2017, Smart Beta ETFs and ETPs listed in globally saw record net inflows of US$68.73 Bn; 22.0% more than net inflows for the whole of 2016, and more than the previous YTD record for the same period of US$45.88 Bn set in November 2016. November 2017 also marked the 21st consecutive month of net inflows into ETFs/ETPs, with US$9.06 Bn gathered during the month. The majority of these flows can be attributed to the top 20 ETFs by net new assets, which collectively gathered US$33.84 Bn during 2017. The iShares Core S&P Small-Cap ETF (IJR US) on its own accounted for net inflows of US$6.51 Bn

As part of its oversight of independent financial advisers (conseillers en investissements financiers, CIF), the French financial market authority, the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF), has over the past three years been collecting quantitative and qualitative information about the activities of these actors, and has released a summary of the data it has collected. The report it has published reveals that in 2016 there was an increase of 18% in the total earnings declared by CIFs over 2015, for a total of EUR2.6bn in 2016 (30% of this for activities specifically related to advising on financial investments), compared with EUR2.2bn in the previous year.The AMF also notes a significant concentration of activities at CIFs: 50 CIFs out of a declared 4,862 account for 49% of total earnings.The increase in total earnings comes mostly at the larger players, where there is an increase of nearly EUR330m (83% of the increase) at the top 25 players. This increase is partly due to a change in the scope of the study, with the addition of three large agencies which had not been included in the scopt of the 2016 study (impact +EUR221m), and also due to a general rise in the level of activity at other actors.Personnel declared by these agencies also rose compared with the previous year, to 15,960 persons (+2,996 persons). This increase is largely due to a new actor being granted CIF status, while the average staff size per agency remains stable at 2.95, offsetting the arrival of this new actor. Among personnel the number of directors and employees at CIFs totals 6,840 (6,556 in 2016). These individuals are subject to the access conditions for the profession, and a requirement to undergo ongoing training in CIF regulations. From 2020, these persons will also be required to demonstrate a minimal level of knowledge to be permitted to continue to provide investment advising services.The AMF also notes that pay scales for wealth management advising CIFs is largely composed of commissions on front-end fees and annual management fees, which represent 56% and 35%, respectively, of total declared CIF earnings, while the remainder is made up of billing to clients. Actors declared total earnings of EUR7.8bn, and supervised assets of EUR30.5bn as of the end of the 2016 fiscal year, as incicated previously. On the basis of this data, average commission levels on front-end fees are 3.08%, and on management fees, 0.51% (3.57% and 0.47%, respectively, in the previous year).

Natixis has completed the sale of its 15% stake in Caceis to Crédit Agricole SA. At the completion of the operation, Crédit Agricole S.A. becomes the sole shareholder in Caceis, a company specialised in fund depository and custody services for investors. Caceis has EUR2.6trn in assets under custody and EUR1.7trn in assets under administration, and is present in nine European countries.In a statement, Crédit Agricole states that “in a context of rising equity markets, Caceis, already growing strongly, is attracting new clients and extending its product range. The operation will make it possible to increase the benefits of integration of Caceis into the Greater Client unit at the Crédit Agricole S.A. group. The expected gradual normalisation of the interest rate context is expected to support activities at this affiliate in the coming years. In parallel with this operation, Caceis is assured a place as a top partner of the BPCE and Crédit Agricole groups, the top two players in France in the insurance and asset management industries, and will extend its partnership in financial services with the BPCE group in France and Luxembourg.”Natixis says in a separate statement that the estimated impact of the operation on the CET1 owners’ equity ratio at Natixis as of 31 December 2017 will be about +12 basis points, and will result in a pre-tax capital gain of EUR74m, which will go down on the books for fourth quarter 2017.Natixis states that “this operation is fully in line with the objectives of the ‘New Dimension’ 2018-2020 strategic plan, including an aim to reduce risk-weighted assets (RWA) at the Corporate Center.”

TheFrench asset management firm Sanso Investment Solutions (Sanso IS)and the Fondation Akuo have announced that they have signed afinancial and expertise sponsorship agreement for projects developedand supported by the foundation. By the terms of the agreement, SansoIS agrees to donate a percentage of its annual management fees to theAkuo foundation. The company also engages to allow partners tovoluntarily dedicate up to a total of five working days of their time to work on projects supported by the foundation in France andworldwide.Thetwo partners have known each other for a long time, as “Sanso ISwas one of the first investors in green bonds issued by Akuo Energy,”says Eric Scotto, founder of the Akuo foundation, cited in astatement. “Our engagement alongside the Akuo foundation is in linewith the SRI management which we have practised for many years,”says Benoit Magnier, CEO of Sanso IS.@page { margin: 0.79in }p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120% }TheAkuo foundation, founded in 2011 by the Akuo Energy group, aims toprovide essential needs in developing countries, such as energy,water, health care, food and education. It also participates toprotect the environment and biodiversity through raising awarenessabout sustainable development.

@page { margin: 0.79in }p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120% }AsDaimlerChrysler last week announced the acquisition of a majoritystake in Chauffeur Privé, a French car and driver transport company,the venture capital firm Xange has announced that it has sold itsstake in Chauffeur Privé to DaimlerChrysler, but has not stated thesale price. XAnge entered the capital of Chauffeur Privé in January2015 at the first round of fundraising. XAnge accompanied the teamled by Yan Hascoet for three years.“Theentry of Daimler is a dream alliance between the German high end andthe French high end. Yann Hascoet, Othmane Bouhlal and their teamsare writing a fine page in the history of French tech, which moreoveris an extremely competitive industry for chauffeured cars. XAnge isvery proud of having been able to accompany them in this greatadventure,” says Cyril Bertrand, a partner at XAnge and member ofthe board of directors at Chauffeur Privé.Thestartup, founded in Paris in 2012, has nearly 1.5 million clients,130 employees, and 18,000 chauffeur partners, with locations inParis, Lyon and the Côte d’Azur.

@page { margin: 0.79in }p { margin-bottom: 0.1in; line-height: 120% }TheUS asset management firm First Eagle Investment Management (FirstEagle), with assets totalling USD116bn, on 22 December announced thatit has completed its acquisition of NewStar Financial, an assetmanagement firm specialised in direct lending to small and mid-sizedbusinesses and syndicated loans. The credit platform and investmentteams at NewStar will now form the alternative credit division atFirst Eagle. NewStar had about USD7.3bn in assets under management.The operation was announced in October 2017. The shareholders atNewStar are expected to receive between USD12.32 and USD12.44 per share,which would value the company at over USD512m.

Indosuez Wealth Management renforce ses équipes en Espagne. La filiale de banque privée du groupe Crédit Agricole, dirigée en Espagne par Antonio Losada, vient ainsi de recruter Iñigo Calderon, jusque-là responsable de l’activité avec les clients clés en Espagne chez Deutsche Bank, rapporte le site spécialisé Funds People. Avant de rejoindre la banque allemande, l’intéressé avait été pendant 6 ans directeur général de Barclays Wealth & Investment Management en Espagne.En parallèle, Indosuez Wealth Management a recruté cinq autres cadres de Deutsche Bank en Espagne. Diego Rosillo, sous-directeur régional de Deutsche Bank Asset & Wealth Management en charge du centre et du nord de l’Espagne, a ainsi rejoint le groupe français. Les autres recrues sont Letizia Beca, Carlos Galvez, David Nogues et, enfin, Manuel Martinez.