Foto cedidaWilliam Davies, CIO para EMEA y responsable global de renta variable, y próximo CIO global en enero de 2022.. William Davies asumirá el papel de CIO global de Columbia Threadneedle
Columbia Threadneedle Investments has put its Global Chief Investment Officer transition plan into action. The asset manager has announced the retirement of Colin Moore, who currently holds this position, after nearly 20 years at the firm. He will be replaced by William Davies, currently EMEA CIO and Global Head of Equities, in January 2022.
The firm has highlighted the “key role” that Moore has played in shaping its global investment capability, including its “well-established and highly successful investment process based on collaboration across asset classes, research intensity and independent oversight to foster continuous improvement.” Under his leadership, Columbia Threadneedle has generated consistently strong long-term investment performance for individual and institutional clients, and today has 103 four- and five-star Morningstar-rated funds globally.
“I would like to recognise and thank Colin for his numerous contributions, including establishing our global investment capability that has delivered an enviable track record of consistently strong investment performance for our clients. We have built an outstanding and experienced team of more than 450 investment professionals across our global footprint, and as we look forward, William is well positioned to assume the Global CIO role. He is both an exceptional investor and respected people leader with a deep understanding of our firm having joined us in 1993. I look forward to working with William and Colin to ensure a smooth transition”, said Ted Truscott, Chief Executive Officer of the firm.
Meanwhile, Mooreclaimed to be grateful for the opportunity he’s had to establish a broad and deep investment capability for their clients. “We have spent considerable time ensuring a thoughtful succession, and I am extremely pleased that William will assume the Global CIO role next year. It has been a privilege to lead our team of dedicated, experienced investors who will continue to focus on delivering consistent, competitive investment performance for our clients under William’s leadership”, he added.
Lastly, Davies commented that his focus is unchanged: “I will continue to work with my colleagues to consistently deliver the investment performance our clients expect. I am honoured to lead our talented global investment organisation and look forward to continuing our partnership with colleagues across the business to help our individual and institutional clients achieve their investment goals.”
Pixabay CC0 Public Domain. Flujos financieros: la fuente de la juventud para unas infraestructuras hidráulicas enfermas
Adequate water supply is essential for the human life as well for economies and businesses to thrive. Yet adequate water supply has become more of a luxury than a basic right due to a growing global water crisis where water supply is limited, quality issues prevail, and infrastructure is either old and breaking down or even non-existent in the case of the developing world.
Allianz Global Investors believes that the implications of inadequate water infrastructure and lack of access to fresh, high quality water supply has far reaching consequences impacting nearly every individual, economy, and business around the world. “Investments in new and upgraded water infrastructure are therefore necessary for high quality water supply access and effective wastewater treatment today and into the future. Such investments can support the development of resilient infrastructure which can more effectively meet both todays and future challenges tied to growing populations, urbanization, climate change and even cyber-attacks”, says the asset manager in a recent analysis.
Given the necessity for such investments, the US Senate recently approved the US Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021, which authorizes USD 35 billion of water related investments to be allocated to improving wastewater, stormwater, drinking water and water recycling across the nation. It is one the few areas with bipartisan support in the US which highlights the urgent need for water investments.
Will funding run dry?
The makeover of US water infrastructure which still has to be passed by the House is just one part of the larger USD 2 trillion infrastructure bill. As unanimous as the consensus is about the urgency to make the world’s biggest economy’s drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems future-proof, is the remaining investment deficit as the USD 35 billion will only slightly move the needle. In 2019 alone, the accumulative investment gap on water infrastructure was USD 81 billion.1Other calculations suggest annual needs of more than USD 100 billion each year for the next 20 years.2
Allianz GI points out that the consequences of funding shortfalls for water-reliant businesses and households are “enormous” as breakdowns and quality incidents will continue to plague local communities and disrupt future economic growth. “So, filling this financial void is vital not only to allow for the current US water infrastructure to function properly but also to make it resilient for future requirements“, they add.
The state of US water infrastructure
The United States’ public drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems resemble an outdated patchwork rug formed by pipes and lines from different centuries and with different levels of functionality. Because many pipes and pumps are nearly a one hundred years old and are operating at higher capacity than initially designed for, they are past the end of their usable life, leaking large amounts of water and oftentimes failing to meet today’s needs.
The asset manager highlights that municipalities are facing the question whether to upgrade, replace, or fortify these systems and how to make the water infrastructure future-proof to tackle severe weather events brought on by climate change. Additionally, they face the challenge to connect all US households to a regulated and safe water system. Currently, around a fifth of all households rely on septic tanks over public wastewater systems, and over two million lack properly connected drinking water and sanitation systems.3 Around a quarter of Americans are very concerned about the quality of their community’s drinking water.4
The leaking lifeline
A modern and robust water infrastructure is vital to the country’s economic development as it secures not only the supply of water but also prevents the spread of illness and diseases, fosters economic growth, and ensures a higher living standard.
“The more water infrastructure leaks treated water, the more capital is lost negatively thus impacting both local residents and the local economy. It also affects the competitiveness of a city as a business located in an area with adequate water supply and infrastructure is more competitive and fosters long term growth”, they comment. According to ASCE’s 2021 Infrastructure Report Card5 there is a daily loss of approximately 6 billion gallons (approx. 22.7 million m³) of treated water due to water main breaks occurring at one-minute intervals, amounting to a yearly loss of 2.1 trillion gallons (approx. 7.9 trillion m³).
Within the next four years, almost three-quarters of all dams will be over 50 years old and gradually deteriorating. If not upgraded and rehabilitated, they will be vulnerably exposed to possible disaster scenarios leading to a loss of human lives and to a considerable damage of properties and existing infrastructure.
Following the estimations of the Association of State Dam Safety Officials6 there are more than 2,300 state regulated high-hazard-potential dams in poor or unsatisfactory condition and in need of remediation.
Urbanization combined with the age profile of wastewater treatment plans is increasingly resulting in system overloads and failures.
15% of wastewater treatment plants have reached/exceeded their designed capacity.
These are just a few examples illustrating the poor conditions of US water infrastructure and the dire need for infrastructure capital expenditure. The situation has far-reaching consequences and urgent action is needed to upgrade and modernize the world’s biggest economy’s drinking water, wastewater, and stormwater systems.
The investment gaps
For Allianz GI, while the infrastructure investment proposals currently making their way through the US Congress would be a step in the right direction, the US water infrastructure gap is still immense. Estimates indicate that over USD 2 trillion in water investments are needed over the next 20 years to close the funding gap and develop adequate water infrastructure across the nation. For example, the amount needed to replace the remaining lead pipes in the US is already over the projected USD 35 billion in the current proposal as estimates are as high as USD 45 billion to complete the replacements.
According to estimates of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) there are between 6.5 million and 10 million lead service lines in the US. On average, it costs about USD 4,700 to replace one single lead service line. Even if the EPA’s estimate is higher than needed in certain cases, the projected funds would quickly run dry.
Several angles for active investments
“Undoubtedly, the US Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act of 2021 reflects a decisive first step to closing the existing funding gap. On the other hand, while it is ambitious it’s still short of meeting the most pressing water challenges as it cannot even address the remaining lead pipes which threaten the safety of US citizens. There are still substantial funding gaps that require capital expenditure to be addressed. That said, if this bill is passed later this summer, it will be a positive for water space and for water investments given the water equipment and projects that will be needed to make the upgrades”, explains the firm.
When considering the several aspects water infrastructure covers, we can clearly identify where active investments are needed and how they could pay off.
Replacement of lead pipes and service lines: The removal of all lead service lines in the United States not only ensures clean drinking water for every American but it is also contributing to improved public health by preventing severe chronic diseases like lead poisoning, ultimately easing the financial burden on health systems. Additionally, it is likely to result in an attractive investment opportunity in companies that provide piping systems. Investor-owned networks can also play a role here as they can make improvements independent of infrastructure stimulus, many times at lower costs than municipalities.
Leaking lines: To maintain and stop the loss of precious treated water companies have developed smart technologies and tools to detect leaks in water pipes.
Emerging contaminants and Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances(PFAs)7: Specialised companies that offer advanced water treatment technologies can detect and remove emerging contaminants from drinking water and help protect citizens from developing cancer after consuming poor water quality for years at a time.
Aging wastewater treatment plants: The replacement of wastewater treatment plants reaching the end of their lifespan opens up interesting investment opportunities for companies who are experts in wastewater management and designing wastewater treatment plants.
Lookout
While the USA and a big part of the world is focussing on how the US Drinking Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Act will contribute to revitalizing the aging US water infrastructure, positively impacting economic and job growth over the medium to long-term, there are still many under-researched and prominent risks. Just take cyber security, a topic gaining increasing importance for the protection of water infrastructure against cyber criminals. The cyber-attack on the water supply in Oldsmar, Florida and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s call to “install independent cyber-physical safety systems”8is just one piece of evidence of the high relevance cyber security has for a future-proof water supply.
Investment implications
Global Water strategies help to address the very real water-infrastructure and water-quality related challenges in the US and the rest of the world by investing in pure play water companies delivering solutions to the most pressing challenges. “Investments may not only generate financial alpha given structural support of the theme, but also environmental and social alpha given the solutions-oriented approach. Such investments can help to upgrade and build resilient water infrastructure that is well prepared to face the challenges tied to climate change and ongoing population growth and urbanization”, says Allianz GI.
This approach allows investors the ability to participate in a compelling long-term growth opportunity and contribute to the solutions of modern water infrastructure, a lifeline to society and the economy.
Pixabay CC0 Public Domain. JP Morgan AM compra Campbell Global, firma especializada en gestión e inversión en el sector forestal
In an effort to directly impact the transition to a low-carbon economy and provide ESG-minded investment opportunities related to climate, conservation and biodiversity, JP Morgan Asset Management has acquired forest management and timberland investing company Campbell Global, LLC.
Although the terms of the deal with Campbell Global’s parent company, BrightSphere Investment Group, were not disclosed, the asset manager has stated in a press release that the acquisition does not impact current investment strategies for Campbell Global clients. It also revealed that the transaction is expected to close in the third quarter.
Campbell Global is a recognized leader in global timberland investment and natural resource management. Based in Portland, Oregon, the firm has over three decades of experience, 5.3 billion dollars in assets under management and manages over 1.7 million acres worldwide with over 150 employees. JP Morgan AM has indicated that all employees will be retained and Campbell Global will remain headquartered in Portland.
The deal will make the asset manager “a significant benefactor for thriving forests around the world”, including in 15 U.S. states, New Zealand, Australia and Chile. Carbon sequestration in forests worldwide will play an important role in carbon markets, and the firm expects to become an active participant in carbon offset markets as they develop. Besides direct access to Forestry sector, the transaction will provide alignment UN Sustainable Development Goals and Principles of Responsible Investing.
“This acquisition expands our alternatives offering and demonstrates our desire to integrate sustainability into our business in a way that is meaningful. Investing in timberland, on behalf of institutional and high net wealth individuals, will allow us to apply our expertise in managing real assets to forests, which are a natural solution to many of the world’s climate, biodiversity and social challenges”, said George Gatch, CEO of JP Morgan AM
John Gilleland, CEO of Campbell Global, commented that they have always held that “there should be no tradeoff” between investing wisely and investing responsibly. “We made our first institutional investment in timberland 35 years ago, have since planted over 536 million trees, and emerged as a leader in sustainable forestry. We look forward to continuing these efforts with JP Morgan. Importantly, this transaction further positions Campbell Global to serve our existing world-class clients at the highest standard“, he added.
“Acquiring Campbell Global provides us with an opportunity to strengthen and diversify our ESG focus, including building a robust carbon sequestration platform,” said Anton Pil, Global Head of J.P. Morgan Global Alternatives. “Timber investing further enhances our asset class offerings in our alternatives business, ultimately passing along the unique benefits of forest management to our clients. Our knowledge of real estate and transport markets, in particular, is expected to provide opportunities to optimize the usage of timber and wood products more vertically.”
The investment offering will sit within JP Morgan’s Global Alternatives franchise, with 168 billion dollars in AUM, and will tap into the continued growth of private markets. JP Morgan is an expert in investing in real assets, with leadership positions in real estate, infrastructure, and transport and as well as private equity, private debt and hedge funds. In their opinion, Campbell Global adds to this portfolio, filling an asset class gap in an attractive market while also supporting sustainability goals.
Jaime Cuadra Jr.has joined as partner, managing director and founding member at Better Way LLC, a private investment firm where he will lead the global growth efforts focusing on capital raising, institutional partnerships, joint ventures, and investor relations.
Cuadra told Funds Society that he will now join forces with Alex Gregory, who founded the firm, built its infrastructure and brought in its initial investors.
Better Way LLC is an investment manager that offers a unique access program to invest in top overlooked Private Equity and Debt funds with a focus on mitigating risk and avoiding conflicts of interest for investors. Leveraging the team’s top performing decade long track record and deep relationships, target investors are investment advisors, family offices and institutional investors.
Jaime Cuadra has more than 15 years of experience in global asset management, private banking, and corporate strategy. Recently he was Global Director of Institutional clients at Compass Group in New York, an investment firm with over 41 billion dollars in assets where he led the unit that raised capital and advised global investors with Latin-American investments.
Throughout his career, Better Way’s new partner has held multiple leadership positions and enabled businesses in America, Europe and Asia through partnerships. He is an Industrial and Systems Engineer and also holds a Bachelors in Finance.
In his view, the rise and relevance of private investments in client portfolios (either institutional or retail) is “greater than ever” and he expects that this trend will continue in the future: “Allocation to Private Equity or Private Debt is still low relative to institutional portfolios, and there is a lot of room for this to evolve”.
“That being said, there are a lot of firms, distributors and banks, offering PE funds from top brands; yet in the competitive landscape our clients have told us they don’t hear a focus on risk or thorough due diligence when deals are presented. In our view, investing periodically in a carefully curated, small number of quality deals makes a big difference in performance”, Cuadra added.
He also pointed out that, given the reputation and the philosophy of Alex Gregory as a professional investor is “quite outstanding, unique and special”, it was “a no brainer” to work alongside him and bring this investment approach to investors around the world. “Alex’s track record is quite impressive over the decades and I hope we can continue evangelizing that paying attention to risk, and asking the tough questions is very important when allocating to Private Equity“, he concluded.
Pixabay CC0 Public Domain. Más ricos y más acaudalados: el crecimiento de la riqueza se mostró inmune al golpe de la pandemia mundial
Wealth creation in 2020 was largely immune to the challenges facing the world due to the actions taken by governments and central banks to mitigate the economic impact of COVID-19. This is the main conclusion of the twelfth “Global Wealth Report” recently published by Credit Suisse Research Institute.
The analysis shows that total global wealth grew by 7.4% and wealth per adult rose by 6% to reach another record high of 79,952 dollars. Meanwhile, aggregate global wealth rose by 28.7 trillion dollars to reach 418.3 trillion at the end of the year. However, widespread depreciation of the US dollar accounted for 3.3 percentage points of the growth. If exchange rates had remained the same as in 2019, total wealth would have grown by 4.1% and wealth per adult by 2.7%.
The research institute points out that overall, the countries most affected by the pandemic “have not fared worse in terms of wealth creation”. In this sense, the pandemic had a profound short-term impact on global markets in the first quarter of 2020: the report estimates that 17.5 trillion dollars was lost from total global household wealth between January and March 2020, equivalent to a fall of 4.4%.
However, this was largely reversed by the end of June. “Surprisingly, in the second half of 2020 share prices continued on an upward path, reaching record levels by the end of the year. Housing markets also benefitted from the prevailing optimism as house prices rose at rates not seen for many years. The net result was that 28.7 trillion was added to global household wealth during the year”, highlights the analysis.
“The pandemic had an acute short term impact on global markets but this was largely reversed by the end of June 2020. As we noted last year, global wealth not only held steady in the face of such turmoil but in fact rapidly increased in the second half of the year. Indeed wealth creation in 2020 appears to have been completely detached from the economic woes resulting from COVID-19“, said Anthony Shorrocks, economist and report author.
The regional breakdown shows that total wealth rose by 12.4 trillion dollars in North America and by 9.2 trillion in Europe. These two regions accounted for the bulk of the wealth gains in 2020, with China adding another 4.2 trillion and the Asia-Pacific region (excluding China and India) another 4.7 trillion.
Another key finding of the report is that India and Latin America both recorded losses in 2020. In this sense, total wealth fell in India by 594 billion dollars, or 4.4% in percentage terms. This loss was amplified by exchange rate depreciation: at fixed exchange rates, the loss would have been 2.1%. Latin America appears to have been the worst performing region, with total wealth dropping by 11.4% or 1.2 trillion.
Meanwhile, total debt also increased by 7.5% and the report points out that it would likely have increased much more if households had not been obliged to save more by the constraints on spending. Specifically, it rose markedly in China and Europe, but declined in Africa and in Latin America, even after allowance is made for exchange rate depreciation.
“Windfalls from unplanned savings and prevailing low interest rates saw a revival in housing markets during the second half of 2020. The net result was a better-than-average year for homeowners in most countries”, it adds.
Global wealth levels in 2020
Wealth impacts of the pandemic have differed among population subgroups due to two main factors: portfolio composition and income shocks. The wealth of those with a higher share of equities among their assets, e.g. late middle age individuals, men, and wealthier groups in general, tended to fare better. Homeowners in most markets have seen capital gains due to rising house prices.
“If asset price increases are set aside, then global household wealth may well have fallen. In the lower wealth bands where financial assets are less prevalent, wealth has tended to stand still, or, in many cases, regressed. Some of the underlying factors may self-correct over time. For example, interest rates will begin to rise again at some point, and this will dampen asset prices”, Shorrocks commented.
The report also shows that there have been large differences in income shocks during the pandemic. In many high income countries the loss of labor or business income was softened by emergency benefits and employment policies. In countries with an absence of income support, vulnerable groups like women, minorities and young people were particularly affected
Also, female workers initially suffered disproportionately from the pandemic, partly because of their high representation in businesses and industries badly affected by the pandemic, such as restaurants, hotels, personal service and retail. “Labor force participation declined over the course of 2020 for both men and women, but the size of the decline was similar, at least in most advanced economies”, it adds.
Wealth distribution and the outlook
Wealth differences between adults widened in 2020. The global number of millionaires expanded by 5.2 million to reach 56.1 million. As a result, an adult now needs more than 1 million dollars to belong to the global top 1%. A year ago, the requirement for a top 1% membership was 988,103 dollars. So, as Credit Suisse Research Institute highlights, 2020 marks the year when for the first time, more than one percent of all global adults are in nominal terms dollar millionaires.
Besides, the ultra high net worth (UHNW) group grew even faster, adding 24% more members, the highest rate of increase since 2003. Since 2000, people with wealth in the range of 10,000–100,000 dollars have seen the biggest rise in numbers, more than trebling in size from 507 million in 2000 to 1.7 billion in mid-2020. “This reflects the growing prosperity of emerging economies, especially China, and the expansion of the middle class in the developing world”, says the report.
Global wealth is projected to rise by 39% over the next five years, reaching 583 trillion dollars by 2025. Low and middle-income countries are responsible for 42% of the growth, although they account for just 33% of current wealth. Wealth per adult is projected to increase by 31%, passing the mark of 100,000 dollars. Unadjusted for inflation, the number of millionaires will also grow markedly over the next five years reaching 84 million, while the number of UHNWIs should reach 344,000.
Nannette Hechler-Fayd’herbe, Chief Investment Officer International Wealth Management and Global Head of Economics & Research at Credit Suisse, claimed that “there is no denying” actions taken by governments and central banks to organize massive income transfer programs to support the individuals and businesses most adversely affected by the pandemic, and by lowering interest rates, have successfully averted a full scale global crisis.
“Although successful, these interventions have come at a great cost. Public debt relative to GDP has risen throughout the world by 20 percentage points or more in many countries. Generous payments from the public sector to households have meant that disposable household income has been relatively stable and has even risen in some countries. Coupled with restricted consumption, household saving has surged inflating household financial assets and lowering debts. The lowering of interest rates by central banks has probably had the greatest impact. It is a major reason why share prices and house prices have flourished, and these translate directly into our valuations of household wealth”, she concluded.
Snowden Lane Partners has announced the launch of The Esses Group, a new wealth management team helmed by Tony Esses, who was Managing Director at Wells Fargo Advisors from 2014-2021. Overseeing more than 800 million dollars in client assets, they will be based in Snowden Lane’s Coral Gables office.
Esses, a top-ranked financial advisor with over 35 years of experience in the international wealth management business, specializes in working with individuals, business owners and families based in Argentina. He is joining Snowden Lane as a Senior Partner and Managing Director.
“Over the last three decades, Tony has established himself as a top-rated financial advisor and a true champion for his clients. He exemplifies everything we look for in a partner and colleague, and we have no doubt he and his new team will do great things for years to come”, said Greg Franks, President and COO of Snowden Lane Partner.
Meanwhile, Esses claimed to be “delighted” to be joining a firm “with such a client-first mindset and independent spirit”. In order to best serve clients, it “became clear” to him that he needed to operate within a firm that gave their advisors space and freedom without conflicts or pressure. “Snowden Lane’s built an environment that’s removed all obstacles to growth, and their fast rise within the RIA space is a reflection of the strong and unique culture they’ve established”, he commented.
Prior to Snowden Lane, he served as a Managing Director at Wells Fargo Advisors for seven years, and before that held senior roles at Barclays (2010-2014) and Republic National Bank of New York (later HSBC, 1985-2010). He’s been selected to the Financial Times Top 400 Advisors list several times and has been distinguished as a premier advisor at each of the institutions he’s worked for.
The firm has also revealed that several additional team recruits are expected to join soon.
Rob Mooney, Snowden Lane’s CEO, added that it’s been an exciting recruiting start so far this year and that they are “so pleased” with the pace and quality of individuals who’ve have joined them over the last few months. “We finished 2020 with great momentum and we’re heading into the second half of 2021 with wind in our sails. The strong response from the advisor community, particularly those who cater to international clients, has been nothing short of breathtaking and we’re looking forward to the future”, he concluded.
The firm has 116 total employees, 64 of whom are financial advisors, across 12 offices around the United States.
Pixabay CC0 Public Domain. BlackRock adquiere el modelo de escenarios de cambio climático de Baringa Partners
BlackRock and Baringa Partners have announced their entry into a definitive agreement for BlackRock to acquire and integrate Baringa’s industry-leading Climate Change Scenario Model into its Aladdin Climate technology. In a press release, both firms pointed out that this new long-term partnership is “a significant milestone” for them, as they collaborate to set the standard for modelling the impacts of climate change and the transition to a low carbon economy on financial assets for investors, banks and other clients.
Both companies believe that, while the reallocation of capital to sustainable investment strategies continues -with over 2.3 trillion dollars of assets under management in sustainability funds globally as of the first quarter of 2021- understanding the potential impacts of climate change and the transition to a low carbon economy on their portfolios remains a complex challenge for investors. With the number of governments and companies making commitments to achieve net-zero continuing to grow alongside increased regulatory requirements for climate-related disclosures, companies and investors alike are seeking solutions to help assess climate risk.
“Investors and companies are increasingly recognising that climate risk presents investment risk. Through this partnership with Baringa, we are raising the industry bar for climate analytics and risk management tools, so clients can build and customise more sustainable portfolios. The integration of Baringa’s models and the ongoing collaboration between our firms will enhance Aladdin Climate’s capabilities, helping our clients understand transition risks in more sectors and regions than ever before”, commented Sudhir Nair, Global Head of the Aladdin Business at BlackRock.
Meanwhile, Colin Preston, Global Head of Climate Solutions at Baringa said that climate change is “the number one challenge and opportunity of our generation”. Having developed the leading Climate Change Scenario Model, they are “excited to partner with BlackRock” to accelerate the adoption of this solution by organisations across the globe. “The integration of Baringa’s Climate Change Scenario Model into BlackRock’s Aladdin platform will inform the reallocation of capital across the global economy, accelerating the transition to net zero”, he concluded.
As for BlackRock, it began developing Aladdin Climate to fill a void in climate risk analytics by creating technology to help clients better understand and mitigate the financial impacts associated with climate change on their portfolios. Aladdin Climate is offered through the Aladdin platform and is used by BlackRock’s Financial Markets Advisory (FMA) group to deliver sustainability advisory services to clients. It measures both the impacts of physical risks, like extreme weather events, and transition risks – such as policy changes, new technology, and energy supply – at the financial instrument and portfolio levels.
Foto cedidaJoanna Munro, consejera delegada de HSBC Alternatives.. HSBC AM integra todas sus capacidades alternativas en una única unidad de negocio
HSBC Asset Management has announced in a press release that it is bringing together all of its existing alternatives capabilities under a single business unit, HSBC Alternatives, with a 150-strong team and combined assets under management and advice of 53 billion dollars. Joanna Munro has been appointed CEO HSBC Alternatives to lead the new combined unit.
The firm’s alternatives assets have doubled over the past four years and they believe that the creation of a single business unit is the next step in its strategy “to reposition the business as a core solutions provider and specialist Asia, emerging markets and alternatives asset manager”.
HSBC Alternatives will comprise of HSBC Alternatives Investments (HAIL), which includes the multi-manager Hedge Fund and Private Market teams, as well as the firm’s Private Debt, Venture Capital and direct Real Estate teams, with existing capabilities in the UK, France, Germany, Switzerland, Hong Kong and the US.
Munro, currently Global CIO, will now report directly to Nicolas Moreau as a member of his Management Committee. She was appointed Global CIO in 2019 and has been with HSBC Asset Management since 2005, with responsibilities including CEO Multi-Manager and CEO Asia Pacific. She will continue to be based in London.
As CEO HSBC Alternatives, she will be responsible for enhancing and expanding the range of alternative investments available to the firm’s wealth and institutional clients, across indirect and direct alternatives including hedge funds, private markets and real estate. Under her leadership, the newly combined team will work closely with other parts of HSBC Asset Management to deliver on the firm’s strategic enablers of client centricity, investment excellence and sustainable investing.
“We have been very successful in delivering innovative capabilities to our institutional and wealth clients, with the recent success of our Infrastructure Debt teams, the rapid growth of our indirect private equity business, the launch of a direct lending investment capability with HSBC UK and the establishment of our Climatech venture capital team. With Joanna’s strong track record of building and transforming businesses, I am confident that we will take our alternatives business to the next leveland accelerate this important growth opportunity“, commented Moreau.
Meanwhile, Munro claimed to be looking forward to leading the growth of HSBC Alternatives and bringing the benefits of alternatives asset classes to new and existing clients. “Alongside sustainable and impact strategies, such as Climatech, we will also look to grow our capabilities in Asia“, she added.
A new Global CIO
After this change, Xavier Baraton, currently Global CIO for Fixed Income, Private Debt & Alternatives, will succeed Munro as Global CIO. Reporting to Moreau, he will join the Management Committee and continue to be based in Paris. He moves into the role with close to 20 years’ experience in investment management. He joined HSBC Asset Management as Global Head of Credit Research in 2002 and has been CIO for Fixed Income since June 2010.
“I am delighted to be appointing Xavier Baraton as Global CIO. Xavier’s outstanding investment track record, commitment to embedding sustainability across our fixed income asset class with innovations such as our real economy EM green bond strategy, REGIO, and more recently his leadership on diversity and inclusion across our investment platform make him ideally placed to lead our investment teams globally”, said Moreau.
The asset manager has revealed that Baraton’s successor will be announced “in due course”.
In 2020, HSBC Asset Management set out its strategy to re-position the business as a core solutions and specialist emerging markets, Asia and alternatives focused asset manager, with client centricity, investment excellence and sustainable investing as key enablers.
Foto cedidaBeatriz Barros, nueva responsable de distribución en el área de Américas de AXA IM.. AXA IM nombra a Beatriz Barros de Lis responsable de distribución en el área de Américas
AXA Investment Managers has announced in a press release the appointment of three senior executive leaders to support “the ongoing robust growth and performance” of the Americas Institutional, Wholesale, and Sub-Advisory businesses. Strengthening the sales and distribution team in the region,Beatriz Barros de Lis -previously Country Head for Spain and Portugal- has been named Head of Client Group Americas.
After 11 years at the helm of AXA IM Spain and Portugal, as part of her new role, Barros de Lis will lead the North America and Latin America Sales and Distribution team, both onshore and offshore, across Institutional, Wholesale, and Sub-Advisory. She will lead an experienced Sales and Client Service team, many of whom have significant tenure both at AXA IM and in the industry overall.
She was previously Country Head for Spain and Portugal, AXA IM, since 2010. Prior to that, she was managing director for the Spanish and Portuguese markets at Alliance Bernstein (AB). She is also currently a director at AXA Funds Management SA in Luxembourg. A graduate in Economics, she has worked in the asset management industry since 1994.
A single structure for Spain, Portugal and Italy
In addition, AXA IM has organized the sales areas to simplify and optimize its structure. As they have explained, the initiative stems from the decision taken last year to integrate the Client Group teams in Germany and Switzerland under what was called the DACH Group. The asset manager has pointed out that the success of this experience has driven this new regional approach for the sales teams.
Thus, the Western Europe area will combine France, Belgium and Luxembourg, while the Northern Europe hub will encompass the United Kingdom, the Nordic countries and the Netherlands. Within this new sales structure, the Southern Europe region will be created and will include Spain, Italy and Portugal, taking advantage of the synergies generated by the combination of skills and resources of the different team. It will be led by Pietro Martorella, until now Country Head of AXA IM Italy.
Other key appointments
Furthermore, Florian Bezaulthas been named Head of AXA IM Americas and Regional CFO Americas, after more than a decade of leadership roles within AXA Group. His primary responsibilities will focus on CFO leadership and strategy, and he will report to Godefroy de Colombe, Global Chief Operating Officer,and Jean-Christophe Menioux, General Secretary and CFO. Bezault assumes the responsibilities of his predecessor, Marcello Arona, who was recently appointed CEO AXA IM UK & AXA IM GS. Bezault has been with the AXA Group since 2008 and has held previous roles in Corporate Finance and Investor Relations at AXA’s Headquarters in Paris before joining AXA Mexico as Deputy Director of their Health Insurance Operations.
Meanwhile, José Manuel Fernández, Senior Sales Manager, joined AXA IM Mexico recently from Grupo Financiero Monex to support the firm’s continued commitment to clients in Mexico. In this role, he will report to Salvador Moreno, Head of Sales, AXA IM Mexico. Fernández brings over 20 years of industry sales experience, joining AXA IM from Grupo Financiero Monex where he was a Director of Sales in their asset management division focused on defined contribution and defined benefit plans.
AXA IM in the Americas is continuing to grow its third-party business across asset-classes and client segments throughout the region. “These new executive appointments support this business momentum throughout the U.S, Latin America and Mexico, with an emphasis on continued future growth and in support of new clients being on-boarded throughout the region”, has highlighted the asset manager. Its investment teams and strategy remain unchanged as a result of these announcements.
Pixabay CC0 Public DomainRotación cíclica. Rotación
U.S. equities were higher in May, as markets hovered around all-time highs. The pro-cyclical rotation continued as much of the outperformance for value stocks was driven by financials, industrials and materials. Rising inflationary fears as well as stretched valuations among growth stocks has investors evaluating what multiples they are willing to pay.
With over 40% of Americans fully vaccinated and COVID-19 cases down precipitously since the start of the year, government restrictions have eased to support the start of the economic reopening. People are longing for the in person connections and experiences that have been so lacking for the last year, and we can see the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel of COVID-19.
Amid concerns about ramping inflation, the Fed hinted that it may soon be time to begin a discussion on tapering the $120 billion/month asset-purchase plan, with indications that the debate could begin as soon as the June FOMC meeting.
The M&A market highlighted the scarcity value of companies with strong market positions. Accommodative capital markets and the easing of COVID-related restrictions are also providing support for would-be acquirers contemplating their strategic direction. Performance was bolstered by overbids and deals that made significant progress towards regulatory approval. M&A Activity remained vibrant with more than $490 billion announced deals globally, bringing year-to-date deal volume to $2.1 trillion, an increase of 90% over 2020 activity.
Recent trends in convertible issuance continued in May. We saw improved pricing with investors pushing back on aggressive terms. Even with better terms for investors, the global convertible market is a fast and inexpensive way for companies to raise capital. We anticipate the current pace of issuance to continue which would make 2021 another year of global convertible market expansion and diversification. Global convertibles were down a bit for the month, driven by the rotation from growth to value and continued underperformance of some of the more aggressively priced issues from January and February.
To access our proprietary value investment methodology, and dedicated merger arbitrage portfolio we offer the following UCITS Funds in each discipline:
GAMCO MERGER ARBITRAGE
GAMCO Merger Arbitrage UCITS Fund, launched in October 2011, is an open-end fund incorporated in Luxembourg and compliant with UCITS regulation. The team, dedicated strategy, and record dates back to 1985. The objective of the GAMCO Merger Arbitrage Fund is to achieve long-term capital growth by investing primarily in announced equity merger and acquisition transactions while maintaining a diversified portfolio. The Fund utilizes a highly specialized investment approach designed principally to profit from the successful completion of proposed mergers, takeovers, tender offers, leveraged buyouts and other types of corporate reorganizations. Analyzes and continuously monitors each pending transaction for potential risk, including: regulatory, terms, financing, and shareholder approval.
Merger investments are a highly liquid, non-market correlated, proven and consistent alternative to traditional fixed income and equity securities. Merger returns are dependent on deal spreads. Deal spreads are a function of time, deal risk premium, and interest rates. Returns are thus correlated to interest rate changes over the medium term and not the broader equity market. The prospect of rising rates would imply higher returns on mergers as spreads widen to compensate arbitrageurs. As bond markets decline (interest rates rise), merger returns should improve as capital allocation decisions adjust to the changes in the costs of capital.
Broad Market volatility can lead to widening of spreads in merger positions, coupled with our well-researched merger portfolios, offer the potential for enhanced IRRs through dynamic position sizing. Daily price volatility fluctuations coupled with less proprietary capital (the Volcker rule) in the U.S. have contributed to improving merger spreads and thus, overall returns. Thus our fund is well positioned as a cash substitute or fixed income alternative.
Our objectives are to compound and preserve wealth over time, while remaining non-correlated to the broad global markets. We created our first dedicated merger fund 32 years ago. Since then, our merger performance has grown client assets at an annualized rate of approximately 10.7% gross and 7.6% net since 1985. Today, we manage assets on behalf of institutional and high net worth clients globally in a variety of fund structures and mandates.
Class I USD – LU0687944552 Class I EUR – LU0687944396 Class A USD – LU0687943745 Class A EUR – LU0687943661 Class R USD – LU1453360825 Class R EUR – LU1453361476
GAMCO ALL CAP VALUE
The GAMCO All Cap Value UCITS Fund launched in May, 2015 utilizes Gabelli’s its proprietary PMV with a Catalyst™ investment methodology, which has been in place since 1977. The Fund seeks absolute returns through event driven value investing. Our methodology centers around fundamental, research-driven, value based investing with a focus on asset values, cash flows and identifiable catalysts to maximize returns independent of market direction. The fund draws on the experience of its global portfolio team and 35+ value research analysts.
GAMCO is an active, bottom-up, value investor, and seeks to achieve real capital appreciation (relative to inflation) over the long term regardless of market cycles. Our value-oriented stock selection process is based on the fundamental investment principles first articulated in 1934 by Graham and Dodd, the founders of modern security analysis, and further augmented by Mario Gabelli in 1977 with his introduction of the concepts of Private Market Value (PMV) with a Catalyst™ into equity analysis. PMV with a Catalyst™ is our unique research methodology that focuses on individual stock selection by identifying firms selling below intrinsic value with a reasonable probability of realizing their PMV’s which we define as the price a strategic or financial acquirer would be willing to pay for the entire enterprise. The fundamental valuation factors utilized to evaluate securities prior to inclusion/exclusion into the portfolio, our research driven approach views fundamental analysis as a three pronged approach: free cash flow (earnings before, interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, minus the capital expenditures necessary to grow/maintain the business); earnings per share trends; and private market value (PMV), which encompasses on and off balance sheet assets and liabilities. Our team arrives at a PMV valuation by a rigorous assessment of fundamentals from publicly available information and judgement gained from meeting management, covering all size companies globally and our comprehensive, accumulated knowledge of a variety of sectors. We then identify businesses for the portfolio possessing the proper margin of safety and research variables from our deep research universe.
Class I USD – LU1216601648 Class I EUR – LU1216601564 Class A USD – LU1216600913 Class A EUR – LU1216600673 Class R USD – LU1453359900 Class R EUR – LU1453360155
GAMCO CONVERTIBLE SECURITIES
GAMCO Convertible Securities’ objective is to seek to provide current income as well as long term capital appreciation through a total return strategy by investing in a diversified portfolio of global convertible securities.
The Fund leverages the firm’s history of investing in dedicated convertible security portfolios since 1979.
The fund invests in convertible securities, as well as other instruments that have economic characteristics similar to such securities, across global markets (but the fund will not invest in contingent convertible notes). The fund may invest in securities of any market capitalization or credit quality, including up to 100% in below investment grade or unrated securities, and may from time to time invest a significant amount of its assets in securities of smaller companies. Convertible securities may include any suitable convertible instruments such as convertible bonds, convertible notes or convertible preference shares.
By actively managing the fund and investing in convertible securities, the investment manager seeks the opportunity to participate in the capital appreciation of underlying stocks, while at the same time relying on the fixed income aspect of the convertible securities to provide current income and reduced price volatility, which can limit the risk of loss in a down equity market.
Class I USD LU2264533006
Class I EUR LU2264532966
Class A USD LU2264532701
Class A EUR LU2264532610
Class R USD LU2264533345
Class R EUR LU2264533261
Class F USD LU2264533691
Class F EUR LU2264533428
Disclaimer: The information and any opinions have been obtained from or are based on sources believed to be reliable but accuracy cannot be guaranteed. No responsibility can be accepted for any consequential loss arising from the use of this information. The information is expressed at its date and is issued only to and directed only at those individuals who are permitted to receive such information in accordance with the applicable statutes. In some countries the distribution of this publication may be restricted. It is your responsibility to find out what those restrictions are and observe them.
Some of the statements in this presentation may contain or be based on forward looking statements, forecasts, estimates, projections, targets, or prognosis (“forward looking statements”), which reflect the manager’s current view of future events, economic developments and financial performance. Such forward looking statements are typically indicated by the use of words which express an estimate, expectation, belief, target or forecast. Such forward looking statements are based on an assessment of historical economic data, on the experience and current plans of the investment manager and/or certain advisors of the manager, and on the indicated sources. These forward looking statements contain no representation or warranty of whatever kind that such future events will occur or that they will occur as described herein, or that such results will be achieved by the fund or the investments of the fund, as the occurrence of these events and the results of the fund are subject to various risks and uncertainties. The actual portfolio, and thus results, of the fund may differ substantially from those assumed in the forward looking statements. The manager and its affiliates will not undertake to update or review the forward looking statements contained in this presentation, whether as result of new information or any future event or otherwise.
