Each business day HedgeCo.Net keeps you informed with the top hedge fund industry news, opinion and insight from around the globe. From the latest hedge fund launches, to the impact of regulation, competition, and investor activism - we track the topics and people that make a difference to you.
New York (HedgeCo.net) – London-based government fixed-income specialist firm, Capula Investment Management LLP, has appointed BNY Mellon as provider of global hedge fund custody services for their flagship hedge fund, the Capula Global Relative Value Master Fund Limited.
“We selected BNY Mellon as a global custodian as in the current economic environment it is important – to both the firm and to its clients – to have a provider with the financial stability to ensure the safekeeping of our assets. Neil McCallum, chief operating officer at the $4 billion Capula Investment Management LLP, said.
“BNY Mellon is committed to helping our hedge fund clients reduce their counterparty risks. Our appointment gives Capula an additional custody option with a custodian of recognized quality.”David Aldrich, managing director and head of alternative investment services EMEA, at BNY Mellon said.
New York (HedgeCo.net) – There has been a continuing decline in global hedge fund industry AUM during the first half of 2009, slipping a further 8.5% during the first half of 2009 to reach a total figure of $1.67 trillion by July, according to the latest research conducted by HedgeFund Intelligence (HFI).
From a peak figure of almost $2.7 trillion reached during the first half of 2008, global hedge fund assets have now fallen by some 38%. In the first half of this year, however, performance was generally robust, with a median return from hedge funds globally of over 5%. This implies that net redemptions from hedge funds were continuing at a fairly rapid rate between January and June – with as much as 15% of investor money being pulled from the industry during the first half, and the further overall decline only partially offset by positive performance.
Neil Wilson, editorial director at HedgeFund Intelligence, said “Following a period of strong performance during the third quarter and plenty of anecdotal evidence that the majority of funds have begun to see net inflows again, we would not be surprised to see industry assets rise from the midyear levels by at least 10% before the end of
2009.”
During the first half, the number of firms that run hedge fund assets of $1 billion or more went down from 395 in the first half of 2008 to 311 at the beginning of 2009 and now to 291 at the mid-year point. The combined assets of these ‘billion dollar club’ firms also shrank further – from $1.46 trillion in January to $1.37 trillion by July.
New York remains by some distance the top global centre for hedge funds. Though New York’s total number of billion dollar firms slipped a little, from 123 to 118, during the first half, its share of assets remained almost unchanged at nearly 47%. London is still comfortably the second biggest centre, but its number of billion dollar firms dropped more steeply in the first half – from 65 to 55, as several UK-based firms slipped below the $1 billion mark. London’s share of the global billion dollar club’s total assets thus slipped from over 17% to under 15%.
Connecticut is still in third place, with a share of assets slightly up at nearly 10.5%. The figures for other global hedge fund centres were largely unchanged, with centres on the increase this year including Hong Kong and Singapore.
Tehran Times – One of London’s top traders is launching a $500m (£307m) hedge fund in a move that signals the industry could be about to make a comeback following a disastrous year of losses in 2008.
Tony Chedraoui, who used to run the The Deephaven European Event Fund, has started up Tyrus Capital, a global hedge fund that will focus on trading events, such as merger deals.
Mr. Chedraoui is expected to attract strong interest from backers and investors, said investment advisers. This is because the Deephaven European Event Fund, which last year won the EuroHedge award for best performance in 2008, managed to weather the financial crisis to rise by around 17.31 percent. The average event-driven fund was down 14.91 percent in 2008, according to the HSBC index. According to well-placed sources, Mr. Chedraoui has already employed 14 former colleagues from the Deephaven European Event Fund and hopes to start actively trading later in the year.
New York (Hedgeco.net) – The Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA) – the global hedge fund industry association – in conjunction with the Irish Funds Industry Association (IFIA) has published the revised edition of the AIMA Guide to Sound Practices for Hedge Fund Administrators.
The revised Sound Practices Guide deals with the main functions typically carried out by hedge fund administrators, and outlines how administrators contribute to the overall management and administration of a hedge fund. It provides guidance to hedge funds, investors and other service providers as to how sound practice has emerged in the field of hedge fund administration.
“>The AIMA Guide to Sound Practices for Hedge Fund Administrators, which was originally published in 2004, has been updated to reflect various industry developments in areas such as valuations, tax and anti-money laundering.
It covers a hedge fund’s start-up phase; how administrators interact with a fund’s investors; how the net asset value is calculated; the additional services that administrators offer; and the support functions they provide. It is not jurisdiction-specific but is relevant to practitioners around the world.
The section on valuation – one of the most heavily discussed subjects in the investment funds industry – includes key extracts from the recent AIMA Guide to Sound Practices for Hedge Fund Valuation. The recommendations outlined represent a significant step forward in providing a roadmap to industry professionals – and comfort to investors – in recommending governance, control and risk mitigation processes in this area.
The Guide to Sound Practices for Hedge Fund Administrators expands AIMA’s substantial, international body of work developed over the last 10 years including guidelines on Managers; Valuation; Administration; Governance; Business Continuity; Due Diligence for Managers and Service Providers; Anti-Money Laundering; and Funds of Hedge Funds.
Andrew Baker, Chief Executive Officer of AIMA, said: “AIMA is very pleased to offer the latest guidance in hedge fund administration sound practices to the global hedge fund industry and all interested parties. The guide also represents the latest contribution by AIMA to the continuous development of industry standards that will benefit the entire investment community.”
Gary Palmer, Chief Executive of the IFIA, added: “As the leading jurisdiction for the servicing of alternative investment funds, the Irish industry, once again, is very pleased to include the industry’s acknowledged expertise and experience in this valuable project whose objective is to contribute to the advancement of hedge fund industry practices.”
New York (HedgeCo.Net) – Global hedge fund group, Nexar Capital Group SCA, announced the launch of an investment from funds managed by Aquiline Capital Partners LLC, a New York-based private equity firm.
The hedge fund firm was founded by industry veterans who built a market-leading hedge fund business at Société Générale Asset Management Alternative Investments, led by Arié Assayag, Chief Executive Officer; Eric Attias, Chief Investment Officer; and Bernard Kalfon, Head of Volatility Strategies.
“As an independent company, Nexar has a long-term approach that aligns our interests with those of our clients and allows us to provide them with superior investment management,” said Mr. Assayag. “Aquiline’s depth of investment management experience immediately gives us the strength and stability of an institutional platform, thus making Aquiline an ideal partner as we build our business.”
“Nexar’s team built its strong reputation in the industry through its success in growing and managing a leading hedge fund business,” said Jeff Greenberg, Chief Executive of Aquiline. “Recent market turmoil has underscored the importance of transparency, liquidity and true alpha generation, which are core elements of Nexar’s approach.”
Nexar has more than 30 investment professionals in New York and Paris and will provide clients the ability to invest in a “variety of hedge fund products,” including funds of hedge funds and volatility arbitrage funds.
Alex Akesson
Editor for HedgeCo.net alex@hedgeco.net HedgeCo.Net is a premier hedge fund database and community for qualified and accredited investors only. Membership on www.hedgeco.net is FREE and EASY. We also offer FREE LISTINGS for Hedge Funds!
West Palm Beach (HedgeCo.net) – Specialist active equity manager, Martin Currie Investment Management Limited, has expanded its global hedge fund arm with two senior hires, Alastair Barrie and Clayton Cheek.
Barrie joins in the newly created role of global head of hedge fund sales and Cheek joins as US head of hedge fund sales. Both bring with them extensive business development experience and join existing sales director, Mike Gibb.
Alastair pereviously worked at RBS where he was director of institutional business. In this new position he will be responsible for growing their global hedge fund business. Prior to RBS Alastair was director of global hedge fund sales and UK wholesale distribution at Henderson.
Clayton joins Martin Currie’s office in New York. Previously he worked for Man Investments in New York where he was head of institutional sales for the US. Prior to Man, he was managing director, head of client development Americas for Ivy Asset Management.
“We are thrilled that Alastair and Clayton are joining our successful and growing hedge fund business.” Allan MacLeod, managing director of sales, marketing and client service at Martin Currie said, “Our hedge fund business is now over nine years old and has over US$1 billion under management across ten funds. It is a clear reflection on the quality of our business that we have been able to attract such high calibre professionals.”
Martin Currie manages £10.7 billion ($18 billion) for clients worldwide, with $1.2 billion of that in absolute return funds.
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West Palm Beach (HedgeCo.net) – US Economic policy continues to sway the global marketplace, says Global Hedge Fund Group Ltd. (GHF), this has been to the benefit of its hedge funds, and the life insurance settlement fund in particular.
Global Economic data is improving, GHF said, but is still being hampered by a weak housing market. Oil prices are rising again as tension in the Middle East continues. The Obama administration is tabling alternative energy initiatives. Healthcare reform has become a major issue, but many questions remain as to how far reform will go and what portions of the economy may be effected. Potential increased regulation within the financial industry and securities markets can be expected to have a wide-ranging impact on investment opportunities.
“All these factors underpin the continued trend of investors turning to our hedge funds. Our invested assets have grown more in the first half of 2009 than the last three years” said Jeremy Long, GHF Group Economic Analyst.
“There is so much uncertainty in the traditional equity markets. Brief periods of good news are still punctuated with minor corrections. Investors are asking tougher questions and looking for better solutions. These investors make up the majority of our new clients in the last two years.” Said Long.
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George Town, Cayman Islands – The increase in value was driven by positive sentiment in the underlying equity markets despite a slow start at the beginning of August. Earnings reports were better than analysts expected and high yielding currencies strengthened on an average of 5.4% over the dollar.
For the third month in a row hedge fund assets have grown, along with other alternative investment options. More investors are realizing the benefits of hedge funds as the major stock indices fall well behind in portfolio earnings.
Regional managers reported consistent gains across most locations as did emerging markets. What has shifted is the life insurance settlement fund, which is responsible for the majority of recent value increases. Originally predicted to show large returns in 2006-2007, these strategy funds are finally starting to show their worth. Managers are forecasting insurance settlement funds to drive earnings far higher than originally expected.
About GHF Group
Global Hedge Fund Group Ltd. (GHF Group) has been developing customized alternative investment solutions and providing corresponding advisory services since 2000. Our priority lies with hedge funds and private equity. All products are designed to provide sustainable and above-average rates of return. Instability and risk are reduced by well-structured investment strategies whose clarity and success are established. Our team of competent professionals has the distinction of reliability, effectiveness and promptness.
GHF Group’s expertise in hedge funds is enhanced by a close association with leading research firms, successful hedge fund managers, and brokerage houses whose macro research gives its research team an edge in understanding world market trends, enabling them to make better hedge-fund allocation decisions.
HedgeCo.net (West Palm Beach) – The Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA), the global hedge fund industry association, has warned that the European Commission’s draft directive on Alternative Investment Fund Managers would hit fund managers and investors around the world if enacted into European law.
The hedge fund assiciation argues that the directive creates potentially major difficulties for non-EU funds and/or non-EU managers in accessing the EU market. Marketing of funds by managers will only be allowed with a special marketing passport that the directive creates. However the directive also delays its introduction by three years and imposes significant obstacles (such as demonstrating regulatory and tax equivalence) to obtaining it.
AIMA suggests that the directive makes it so difficult and costly for non-EU funds and managers to access the EU market that it is clearly protectionist in effect, if not in intent. This will have major consequences for non-EU funds and managers (particularly in North America and Asia-Pacific) who will face a major loss of business in the EU. Investors will face loss of choice, increased costs and diminished returns.
Andrew Baker, CEO of AIMA, said, “Funds and managers outside the EU face being locked out of the EU market with extremely worrying consequences. Global industry centres such as the United States , Canada , Switzerland , Hong Kong , Singapore , Japan , Australia and South Africa , will all be affected by this. This is not just an internal EU matter.
This will also have a very significant impact on investors. EU investors, in particular, face a situation where they can use only EU asset managers of EU domiciled funds investing assets under an EU custodian. And international investors with EU funds or managers will find that their costs will go up and their returns will go down because of the restrictions and compliance costs the directive imposes.
We believe that the provisions of the draft directive with protectionist consequences will not only hit the industry worldwide but weaken the competitiveness of the EU in investment management and make the EU a less attractive destination for international investment. Naturally, we hope that it can be revised to avoid this.”
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Financial Standard – It will take the global hedge fund sector another four years to recover assets lost since 2007, but its year-on-year growth will be faster than that of the managed fund sector, new research shows.
According to Cerulli Edge, global hedge fund assets will grow at a 12.1 per cent compound rate each year between 2009 and 2013.
By 2013, the sector will be back to 2007 levels of US$2.9 trillion. Last year, the sector shrunk to US$1.9 trillion last year versus US$2.9 trillion in 2007.
West Palm Beach (HedgeCo.net) – Global hedge fund industry group, The Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA), has welcomed the principles for hedge fund regulation published by the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) today.
“We are very happy to welcome the publication of this report today because AIMA has already announced its support for several of the high level principles mentioned in it." Andrew Baker, AIMA CEO, said, “In our new policy platform of 24th February, we said that we supported global registration for managers and we are glad that IOSCO has also come out in favour of this.
“We also expressed our support for the reporting of systemically relevant information by managers of large hedge funds to their national regulators, and this is another one of IOSCO’s key principles.
“We are also delighted that IOSCO refers to the ‘development, implementation and convergence of industry good practices’ because AIMA has been extremely active in this area and is continuing a great deal of work on it with the other groups involved. We are following up on a G20 action point in this respect," he continued.
In a note of caution, however, Baker said, "We would stress that it is hedge fund managers, rather than the funds themselves, that should registered. It is also mentioned that hedge funds use derivatives for speculative purposes without stating that exchange-traded and over-the-counter derivatives are principally used by the relevant market participants for risk management purposes."
“Finally, we are concerned that these recommendations may lead regulators to seek quantity rather than quality of data. It is important that regulators have the expertise and resources to deal with the data they receive.”
AIMA has more than 1,100 corporate members worldwide, based in 40 countries, including hedge fund managers, fund of hedge funds managers, prime brokers, legal and accounting firms and fund administrators.
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West Palm Beach (HedgeCo.net) – Global hedge fund manager Cogo Wolf Asset Management has launched the Cogo Wolf Trimaran Liquidity Fund, a highly liquid fund of hedge funds designed to help institutional and private investors navigate the current global investing storms.
Managed by Co-CIOs and Managing Partners Christopher R. Wolf and Giles Conway-Gordon and offering complete transparency, the Trimaran Liquidity Fund targets 16-18% net return with expected volatility of 6-8% without the use of leverage.
“The global financial markets are forever changed. The industry has experienced a kind of ‘perfect storm’ in recent years—the credit contraction, the housing contraction and the overall economic contraction,” stated Christopher R. Wolf. “Trimaran is the first fund of its kind, designed as a remedy for sophisticated institutional and private investors who are ready to redeploy capital but need new assurances to do so.”
The Trimaran Fund has been designed to provide Alpha with non-correlation and liability protection including: Ultra Liquidity (monthly liquidity, 10-day notice with no lock-up, no gate, no redemption penalties and complete transparency); Flexibility (all underlying investments are ultra liquid, permitting rapid, opportunistic responses to global volatility and market uncertainty); and Stability (diversification).
The “three distinct hulls” the Trimaran Fund invests in include:
* Managed Futures, Global Macro, CTAs and other ultra liquid strategies which have low/negative correlation to equity markets; * ETFs enabling narrow and controlled directionality as a proxy for direct hedge fund investing; * Debt-Related Instruments, notably mispriced credit opportunities offering attractive returns and gains.
“A forward-looking, global tactical asset allocation model will be necessary for investors to deliver profit in the new fund of hedge funds paradigm,” commented Giles Conway-Gordon. “Our top-down investment methodology, namely skating to where the puck is going to be, is paramount to nimbleness and adaptability. We are asset allocators first, talent scouts second.”
“It’s not enough to know what instruments one finds compelling; what’s mandatory is to know why you’re there in the first place. What macroeconomic trend does that investment capture? And if so, how effectively and what risks are associated with that decision? Risk management is more than optimization modeling, VAR and stress testing. It’s a holistic understanding of the environment in which these instruments are being used, the opportunity they’re designed to capture and the finesse necessary to know depth and duration – how long and how much does one hold? That’s the art and a talent we’ve honed over 25+ years,” Wolf concluded.
Cogo Wolf has been nominated by Alternative Investment News and Institutional Investor as “Emerging Manager of the Year” given its strong growth trajectory lead by the firm’s President and Partner, Rachel S.L. Minard, its 14-year history delivering 12% net CAR and having never lost an investor since its doors opened, according to the fund manager.
Alex Akesson
Editor for HedgeCo.Net Email: alex@hedgeco.net
HedgeCo.Net is a premier hedge fund database and community for qualified and accredited investors only. Membership on www.hedgeco.net is FREE and EASY. We also offer FREE LISTINGS for Hedge Funds!
