21/02/2017
Willis Towers Watson launches an asset management service for institutionals
Willis Towers Watson has launched The Asset Management Exchange (AMX), an institutional asset management marketplace.AMX is a global marketplace where asset owners (the buyers) can invest in external asset managers (the sellers) and where asset managers can access significant capital, cutting overall value leakage as a result. It will do this through a centralised back office and standardised fund infrastructure that bypasses the investment industry’s significant cost and resource duplication. In addition, it will deliver scale benefits to both sides of the market while increasing transparency and asset owner control.Willis Tower Watson has committed a significant financial investment into the development of AMX which represents the continuation of its corporate strategy of building client-oriented solutions and operating marketplaces. The initial $750 million of capital on the exchange came from clients of the company’s Investment business, but it is expected that the offering will appeal to a broad range of the company’s clients.AMX is open to institutional asset owners to benefit from the economies of scale which will increase in line with asset growth. In addition the exchange takes on the development of product packaging allowing asset managers to focus solely on investing.AMX, which launches first in the UK, will initially focus on providing cost effective and simpler access to hedge fund strategies, with additional asset classes following later in the year.
