diversification

“Although we are number twelve in the world in order of assets under management, we are a relatively unknown player. Come to think of it, we’re probably the biggest asset manager people have never heard of,” said Simon England-Brammer (pictured), senior managing director EMEA and APAC of Nuveen. 

Investors are often men, and they usually invest in companies run by men. A vicious circle that the investment fund We Are Jane wants to break. Founded by serial entrepreneur Conny Vandendriessche (centre of the picture) and Gimv veterans Muriel Uytterhaegen (left) and Eline Talboom (right), they invest only in companies led by women, or where the shareholders or management are mostly women. A choice that is anything but philanthropy, because We Are Jane wants to achieve a nice return.

Every day, Natixis IM’s head of multi asset James Beaumont and his team wonder how much higher the equity markets can go. Yet, according to him, the issue that is keeping multi asset investors awake at the moment is something else. What should they do with government bonds? 

Institutional investors are increasingly turning to hedge fund strategies in response to low bond yields and high-priced equity markets. Some investors are building hedge fund allocations for the first time, while a second group is refining and improving existing hedge fund allocations, according to international independent investment consultancy bfinance in a recent report. 

The research firm notes that hedge fund portfolio construction has changed against a backdrop of increased uncertainty, given the pandemic and its macroeconomic consequences.