Union Bancaire Privée a confié à Geneva Capital Management, société basée à Milwaukee, son mandat actions américaines croissance, est en mesure de révéler Citywire. La société de valeurs moyennes remplace Calamos Investment, qui gérait UBAM Calamos US Equity Growth depuis décembre 2003. Le fonds sera renommé UBAM - GCM Midcap US Equity Growth.
Standard Life Investments (SLI) a annoncé son intention de lancer au premier trimestre 2014 un fonds géré par son équipe multi-classes d’actifs et destiné aux souscripteurs de plans d'épargne retraite à contribution définie, le Enhanced-Diversification Growth Fund (EDGF).L’objectif sera de générer des rendements similaires à ceux des actions sur un cycle, mais avec une volatilité inférieure. Pour ce faire, l'équipe de gestion utilisera un nombre de stratégies plus important que pour les approches traditionnelles d’investissement «growth».Par ailleurs, a indiqué Louise Kay, head of UK institutional business, SLI lancera un service de soutien destiné à aider les employeurs et les consultants à informer et éduquer les adhérents aux plans d'épargne à contribution définie de la marque.
BNP Paribas Real Estate a annoncé lundi 4 novembre la nomination de Steve Norris à la fonction de président non-exécutif. Au directoire de la société, il soutiendra le développement des activités de Property Management et de Property Développement. Il travaillera également avec le CEO Advisory de BNP Paribas Real Estate UK, John Slade, afin de renforcer le positionnement de la société sur les activités de Transaction, de Conseil et d’Expertise, indique un communiqué. Député pendant plus de 14 ans (de 1983 à 1997), Steve Norris a été secrétaire personnel parlementaire au Ministère de l’Environnement, du Commerce et de l’Industrie et au Ministère de l’Intérieur, et a été ministre des Transports à Londres de 1992 à 1996. Il a également été vice-président du Parti conservateur. En tant qu’homme d’affaires, Steve Norris est également président de Soho Estates.
Duncan Owen prend avec effet immédiat la direction des investissements immobiliers de Schroders (10,5 milliards de livres d’encours), succédant à William Hill, qui quitte ce poste après 25 ans d’exercice, rapporte Investment Week. Le nouveau promu est arrivé début 2012 chez Schroders après avoir été CEO d’Invista, director chez LaSalle Investment Management et associé chez Jones Lang Wooton.William Hill restera conseiller de la direction de Schroders pour les questions d’investissement immobilier.
Selon Fundweb, la décision de Barclays Wealth & Investment de continuer à faire subir un régime amincissant à ses services de gestion de fortune va se traduire par la suppression de 100 postes de banquiers privés, soit 35 % de son effectif dans ce domaine. Cependant, les personnels concernés bénéficient de primes pour rester en poste jusqu’à février 2014.La réduction d’effectifs est en partie imputable à l’acquisition de Gerrard il y a douze ans, à la faveur de laquelle Barclays avait hérité de beaucoup de clients avec des portefeuilles inférieurs à 500.000 livres. Ces clients, après la restructuration, seront transférés au pôle «private clients», où ils recevront un service allégé.
Head of interest rates et chair du fixed income investment strategy group (ISG) depuis 2005, Phil Apel a été nommé head of fixed income de Henderson Global Investors (HGI) avec effet au 4 novembre 2013. Responsable d’une équipe de 60 personnes au Royaume-Uni et aux Etats-Unis, avec des encours de 18,3 milliards de livres au 30 septembre 2013, il sera subordonné à Rob Gambi, le nouveau CIO recruté chez UBS Global AM (lire Newsmanagers du 16 octobre), qui rejoindra HGI début 2014.Par ailleurs, le gérant de portefeuilles James McAlevey succèdera à Phil Apel comme head of interest rates et aura pour adjoint Mitul Patel.
McKinley Capital, une société de gestion basée en Alaska, lance trois fonds en Europe et au Royaume-Uni. Les trois produits, au format Ucits, sont tous des fonds actions de croissance. Le premier est un fonds marchés émergents, le deuxième un fonds dividendes et le troisième un fonds monde.
Legal & General Investment Management a obtenu l’autorisation de lancer une Sicav avec trois compartiments au Luxembourg, rapporte Financial Times fund management. Cinq autres compartiments devraient suivre. La société britannique va faire agréer les fonds dans 12 autres pays européens. C’est la première incursion de L&G IM en dehors du Royaume-Uni en 177 années. La société va cibler les investisseurs privés fortunés.
Le secteur européen des fonds retail socialement responsables a atteint un encours de 108 milliards d’euros à fin juin 2013, soit une hausse de 14 % sur un an, selon le rapport «Green, Social and ethical fund in Europe» dont Plus24 a obtenu une copie. L’étude recense 922 fonds, contre 884 l’année précédente. En termes géographiques, la France reste le principal marché des fonds retail ISR, mais sa part descend à 7 % avec 38 milliards d’euros. L’Angleterre arrive ensuite (10,5 milliards), devant les Pays-Bas et la Suisse (10 milliards d’euros). L’Italie, avec ses 12 fonds ISR, représente 2,3 milliards d’euros, soit 2 % de plus qu’en 2012.
Les salaires des professionnels de rang junior travaillant dans le secteur des hedge funds a augmenté pour la troisième année consécutive pour s'établir à 335.000 dollars au titre de l’année 2013, selon la dernière livraison du Glocap Hedge Fund Compensation report, rapporte International Business Times.Le salaire moyen d’un analyste dans un société de gestion alternative moyennement performante a été gonflé par des augmentations de bonus jusqu'à concurrence de 10%.Les professionnels les plus confirmés du secteur ont également bénéficié d’augmentations significatives, les gérants de portefeuilles des plus grandes maisons empochant en moyenne 2,2 millions de dollars sur l’année. Les bonus des professionnels confirmés se sont toutefois échelonnés dans une fourchette de –5% à +20%. Pour l’ensemble du secteur des hedge funds, la rémunération moyenne a progressé dans une fourchette de 5% à 10%, témoignant de la confiance des investisseurs..
The UBS group is planning to create an affiliate in which several activities could be housed, including the Retail & Corporate department and wealth management in Switzerland, according to NZZ, which has detected a few entries related to the project in the latest quarterly report from the bank. This is related to a strategic decision by UBS not to be “too big to fail,” the Swiss newspaper says. However, it should be noted that final decisions concerning the contours of this new structure have not yet been taken.
In third quarter 2013, euro money market funds shows higher allocation towards top-held ‘F1+' banks and quasi-sovereigns, amid a portfolio rating mix dominated by ‘F1' issuers, and a lengthening of portfolios’ average maturity to compensate for low yields, according to Fitch Ratings’ 3Q13 quarterly report. Fitch-rated European MMFs denominated in euros have on average about half of their portfolio assets concentrated in 20 entities, led by Rabobank (AA/F1+) and other highly rated banks, such as Nordea Bank, HSBC, Svenska Handelsbanken, or Standard Chartered Bank (all rated AA-/F1+).. ‘F1'-rated banks, such as Barclays, BNP Paribas and Credit Agricole, saw the biggest fall in fund allocation over the past year, although they remain among the top held names, notably as repurchase agreement counterparties. Yet, the average portfolio rating mix is now showing a predominance of investments rated ‘F1', or equivalent, at 54% of portfolios on average, up from 35% until June this year. This is due to the downgrade of France’s Long-term Issuer Default Rating to ‘AA+' in July, followed by the downgrade of the most widely held French banks to ‘F1' from ‘F1+'.
Legal & General Investment Management has obtained permission to launch a Sicav with three sub-funds in Luxembourg, Financial Times fund management reports. Five other sub-funds are expected to follow. The British firm will license the funds in 12 other European countries. This marks the first incursion by L&G IM outside the United Kingdom in 177 years. The firm will target high net worth private investors.
Salaries for junior professionals working in the hedge fund sector increased for the third consecutive year, to USD335,000 for 2013, according to the most recent edition of the Glocap Hedge Fund Compensation report, the International Business Times reports. The average salary for an analyst at a moderately-well performing hedge fund firm was inflated by bonuses equivalent to up to 10%. The most experienced professionals in the sector also received significant raises, with portfolio managers at the largest firms pocketing an average of USD2.2m per year. Bonuses for experienced professionals ranged, however, from -5% to +20%. For the hedge fund sector overall, the average income has increased by a range of 5% to 10%, in a sign of investor confidence.
Following the integration of the private banking activities of Lloyds, as of 1 November, Union Bancaire Privée (UBP) is hoping to grow on the British market. “We don’t have any foreign acquisition plans, except perhaps in London, We are going to take advantage of the integration of Lloyds to strengthen our presence in the United Kingdom. It is currently difficult to provide growth for a Swiss bank without a presence on the European market,” the CEO of UBP, Guy de Picciotto, has told Agefi Switzerland, and has confirmed that the firm has not made a bid for BSI.
Mirabaud & Cie has announced the appointment of René Hermann as head of its Zurich branch, to “continue to expand and strengthen our core business lines of wealth management, asset management and intermediation.” Hermann was previously head of private banking at Valartis Bank and at Maerki Baumann & Co, where he was responsible for the development and expansion of their front office, as well as for advisory and portfolio management services. He has a Swiss Federal Diploma from the Advanced College of Business and Management (HWV) (today Graduate of University of Applied Sciences in Economic and Business Administration) and is a graduate of the Swiss Banking School. Hermann began his career as a private banker with Credit Suisse in Zurich.
Miklos Vidak, COO of JP Morgan Asset Management in Switzerland, has left the firm to join another banking group, according to finews. He will not be replaced in the position. From January 2014, his operational functions will be taken over by Philipp Pfenniger, country head for Switzerland. His responsibilities in the area of marketing will be split between Nadja Huber for German-speaking Switzerland and Céline Cantatore for French-speaking Switzerland.
The hedge fund Naya estimates that the share price of Essilor, in which it holds a short stake, is worth EUR60, compared with nearly EUR77 currently, due to inadequate organic growth and rising competition in the future, the firm announced at an annual hedge fund conference, the Sohn Conference, in London, Les Echos reports. The young fund, launched in 2012, has been one of the emblematic launches of the past 18 months in equities. Its founder, Masroor Siddiqi, is a former employee of the activist fund The Children’s Investment fund (TCI). Naya, which has over USD1bn, is supported by the highly influential investor Blackstone, which has invested its own money. The hedge fund is enthusiastic, however, about the luxuries group Salvatore Ferragamo, a share which it feels is worth at least EUR35, compared with EUR25 currently.
According to FundWeb, Barclays Wealth & Investment is to cut 100 private banker jobs, 35% of its private banker worforce, as the bank looks to further streamline its wealth management services. However, the bankers have been incentivised to stay until February 2014.The job cull is partly due to the acquisition of Gerrard 12 years ago when Barclays inherited a number of clients with portfolios under GBP500,000. As a result of the restructure, the clients will be transferred to a section of the banked called «Private Clients» were they will receive a «lighter touch» service.
BNP Paribas Real Estate on Monday, 4 November, announced that it has appointed Steve Norris as its non-executive chairman. As chairman of the board, he will oversee the development of Property Management and Property Development activities. He will also work with the Advisory CEO of BNP Paribas Real Estate UK, to strengthen the positioning of the firm on Trading, Advising and Expertise activities, a statement says.Norris, a member of Parliament for more than 14 years (from 1983 to 1997), was personal Parliamentary secretary to the Minister of the Environment, Commerce and Industry and to the Minister of the Interior, and served as Minister of Transport for London from 1992 to 1996. He was also vice-chairman of the Conservative party. As a businessman, Norris is also chairman of Soho Estates.
Duncan Owen becomes director of real estate at Schroders (GBP10.5bn), effective immediately, succeeding William Hill, who is leaving the position after 25 years, Investment Week reports.Owen arrived at Schroders in early 2012, after serving as CEO of Invista, as a director at LaSalle Investment Management and as a partner at Jones Lang Wootton.Hill will continue to advise the management at Schroders on real estate investment questions.
Phil Apel, head of interest rates and chair of the fixed income investment strategy group (ISG) since 2005, has been appointed as head of fixed income at Henderson Glboal Investors (HGI), effective from 4 November 2013. Apel will be responsible for a team of 60 people in the United Kingdom and the United States, with assets of GBP18.3bn as of 30 September 2013, and will report to Rob Gambi, the new CIO recruited from UBS Global AM (see Newsmanagers of 16 October), who will join HGI in early 2014. Portfolio manager James McAlevey will also succeed Apel as head of interest rates, and will be assisted by Mitul Patel.
Axa Wealth is offering passive strategies with commissions expected to run about 0.5%, Fundweb reports. According to the managing director of Axa Wealth Specialist Products, Nick Elphick, the new range of funds will offer investments a lower-cost long-term investment strategy. The Elite Diversified Market range, managed by Architas, offers five passive strategies with different asset allocations, appropriate for five different risk profiles. The strategies, which make it possible to offer an annual cost of less than 5%, have been designed for providers of pension plans.
The British asset management firm Jupiter now has a team of four people in Hong Kong, Asian Investor reports. Jupiter is seeking a fifth person, as it is preparing to occupy permanent offices in the city-state, and is preparing distribution agreements.
After USD34.3bn in September, ETPs worldwide posted net subscriptions of USD32.9bn, of which UDS24.3bn have been since 17 October, in a sign that the easing of the situation surrounding the debt ceiling in the United States has favoured a return of investors, the BlackRock Institute finds. Since the beginning of the year, net inflows total USD194.2bn.Net subsriptions for equity ETPs have totalled USD35.9bn, of which USD18bn for US equities. In the first ten months of the year, net inflows to equity funds have totalled USD201.3bn, 72% more than the USD117bn in January-October 2012.In Europe, net subscriptions have totalled USD4.1bn in October, and USD13.6bn in the first ten months of the year. Assets in the 2,130 European ETPs as of the end of October totalled USD412.8bn, while for the 1,524 US funds it totalled USD1.6408trn.
McKinley Capital, an asset management firm based in Alaska, is launching three funds in Europe and the United Kingdom. The three products, in UCITS format, are all growth equity funds. The first is an emerging market fund, the second a dividend fund, and the third is a global fund.
The European socially responsible fund sector has reached assets of EUR108bn as of the end of June 2013, a gain of 14% year on year, according to the report “Green, Social and Ethical Funds in Europe,” of which Plus24 has obtained a copy. The study takes into account 922 funds, compared with 884 the previous year. In geographical terms, France remains the largest market for SRI retail funds, but its share has fallen to 7%, with EUR38bn. The United Kingdom comes next (EUR10.5bn), followed by the Netherlands and Switzerland (EUR10bn). Italy, with its 12 SRI funds, represents EUR2.3bn, 2% more than in 2012.
SAC Capital Advisors, the hedge fund run by Steven Cohen, has pleaded guilty to insider trading and agreed to pay a fine of USD1.8bn, the Financial Times reports. Investigators are continuing to investigate transactions by the founder of SAC Capital, however, which suggests that uncertainty still surrounds him. The hedge fund has agreed to stop its activities for third parties. The fine includes USD1.2bn to settle criminal charges and USD616m to settle civil accusations. It becomes the largest fine ever paid for fraud.
Willem Jillema, manager of the Luxembourg-based Robeco Momentum Equities I Eur fund, has announced that for the product, launchd on 22 August 2012 (with assets limited to EUR3.5m), it is using a new quantitative model to select equities with positive momentum, while controlling risks by limiting transactions, although this creates some slight added volatility. The objective for the fund, which has received a sales license for Germany, is to profit from the market momentum anomaly and the factoral premium associated with it.Since the launch of the fund, cumulative performance as of 30 September totals 14.73%, or 344 basis points more than the MSCI World Index (net return), but the fund, whose currency of reference is the euro, has no benchmark currency.Currently, the largest positions in the portfolio are Johnson & Johnson, Roche Holding, Gilead Science, ISIS Pharmaceuticals, Bayer and Dürr.CharacteristicsName: Robeco Momentum Equities I EURISIN code: LU0803250884Front-end fee: maximum 0.5%Total expense ratio: 0.94%
BaFin has awarded a sales license for Germany to the Global SmartBeta Equity sub-fund of the Luxembourg Sicav Axa WF, an equity fund managed by Rosenberg. The fund, aimed at institutionals (I shares) and large institutionals (ZI shares) aims to benefit over the long term “in a diversified, effective and inexpensive manner” from rising equity markets. The objective is to generate outperformance of 100 to 200 basis points over a complete cycle with a volatility 80% of that of the market. The management team will work to avoid speculative bubbles and to limit losses in declining periods (see Newsmanagers of 26 February 2013).Axa IM states that it has about EUR3.1bn in assets under management in smart beta strategies in including EUR1.2bn in bonds and EUR1.9bn in equities.The characteristics of the fund are available as a pdf attachment.