Asset Managers

Amundi, Europe’s biggest asset manager, on Wednesday confirmed that it has agreed to acquire Alpha Associates, a Swiss-based specialist firm in private equity, private debt and infrastructure investments, boosting its presence in the European private markets sector. Financial details were not disclosed.

Those who make money in Luxembourg’s real estate sector are still in shock after the arrival in this country of the long-ago predicted 2023 global real estate correction.

Experts from Schroders, Robeco, and Franklin Templeton advise maintaining a cautious stance on the valuation of US equities, highlighting that key interest rates are likely to decrease more slowly than market expectations.

Annually, Schroders, Franklin Templeton, and Robeco host their Investment Forum in Brussels. At this event, specialists from these three asset management firms shared their projections for the newly commenced financial year and offered insights on strategic portfolio positioning.

Not only the US commercial real estate market is struggling with historically low prices due to interest rate hikes and the trend of working from home. Europe, too, is in trouble.

Luxembourg funds continued their recovery from a slight decline in October 2023 by amounting at year-end to 5.285 trillion euros, up 5.1% over the past year,

Only one in five management companies in Europe are publishing a legally required statement detailing how investment decisions may negatively affect sustainability factors. This encompasses aspects like environmental, social, and employee matters, human rights, and anti-corruption.

The Bank of England (BoE) this week reiterated its concerns about the risks of higher interest rates and limited data disclosure in private credit markets. Harvey Schwartz, CEO of The Carlyle Group with some 380 billion dollars under management, believes those concerns are exaggerated.

Investment specialists are singing from a common hymn book in predicting the world is on a path to lower inflation and treasury yields, though they carefully call attention to possible transitional effects, Investment Officer heard while covering two recent investment events in Luxembourg hosted by J. Safra Sarasin and Capital Group.

This week’s overview of transfers, appointments, promotions and other people news includes updates from Fidelity, Alma LED Luxembourg, Fundcraft and Better Finance.

Christine Baalham and Tom Record

Christine Baalham and Tom Record have been appointed as co-portfolio managers in the global equity team at Fidelity International. Veteran portfolio manager Jeremy Podger will transition to a senior advisory role in March 2024. 

M&G Investments has appointed Emmanuel Deblanc as chief investment officer to lead its 86 billion euro private markets business. Deblanc, most recently at Allianz Global Investors, brings two decades of experience in investing in private credit, structured credit, impact and private equity, real estate and infrastructure.