AXA Investment Managers announces the launch of an ETF platform (“AXA IM ETF”) focused on active strategies and Responsible Investing (RI) to provide investors looking for enhanced liquidity with access to its strengths across responsible, thematic and quantitative investing.
The platform will initially launch with two actively UN SDG (United Nations Sustainable Development Goals) aligned ETFs, classified as Article 9 funds under SFDR regulation , which have dual objectives of seeking to deliver long-term financial growth and a positive and measurable impact on the environment, the firm says.
The first two ETFs launched will focus on climate and biodiversity themes.
Commenting on the launch of the new platform, Marco Morelli, Executive Chairman of AXA IM, said: “To meet the changing demands of investors we must continue to innovate and enhance our investment offering, and through the launch of this new platform we do this by combining our active investment insight with the flexibility of an ETF.
“With the support of AXA and leveraging our key strengths, primarily within active management and responsible investing strategies, this platform will complement our existing fund range while answering client demand for ETF structured vehicles and offering them a better trading experience as well as easy access to such strategies, high liquidity, and enhanced transparency due to the nature of these products,” Morelli adds.
Hans Stoter, Global Head of AXA IM Core, added: “We are observing long term trends such as blockchain technology, banking disintermediation and the emergence of online brokerage platforms which can transform the way funds are distributed. In that regard, we believe active ETFs will play an important role in the evolution of the asset management industry and we believe we are well placed to embrace such an evolution.
“Even though ETFs are often viewed as passive investments, historically replicating the portfolio holdings and performance of broad market indices, the ETF market has evolved to now offer a range of non-traditional custom-built portfolios. Today’s ETF can be actively managed, further expanding investor choice. In that regard, our new ETF range will complement our wide range of mutual funds.”
In the context of this launch, Brieuc Louchard has joined AXA IM as Head of ETF Capital Markets, joining from Euronext where he was Head of ETF.
