Arch Financial Products and its retail distribution partner cru Investment Management have signed three of their absolute return funds up to the UK online investment platform Fidelity FundsNetwork.

The funds joining the platform, the CF Arch cru Income Fund, CF Arch cru Balanced Fund and CF Arch cru Global Growth Fund, are managed by Arch, with cru responsible for their retail distribution through independent financial advisers. Total assets raised by cru exceed GBP400m.

The move allows Arch to market its funds to a broader range of UK investors and IFAs. Fidelity FundsNetwork offers more than 1,100 funds from 69 providers as well as a range of tax wrappers and financial planning tools. The Arch funds will be available for investment within an individual savings account, unit trust, self-invested personal pension or international bond.

All three funds are ranked in the top five of their respective sectors. The funds, which invest in a selection of private finance, real estate, sustainable opportunities and private equity, have all shown good performance in difficult market conditions, Arch says.

'Given the current turbulence in public markets, the wider availability of the CF Arch cru fund range, which offers genuine diversification, will greatly aid IFAs in meeting client needs,' says Arch chief executive Robin Farrell (pictured).

'Our investment track record, and the ranking of these funds within their respective peer groups, has shown our ability to provide steady returns while also preserving investor capital.'

Marc Ainscough, managing director of cru, adds: 'We are delighted to have linked with one of the UK's largest fund platforms, which will allow a whole host of new investors to access our high performing range of private market absolute return funds. We believe absolute return funds should form a core allocation in every client portfolio.'

Established in 2002, Arch Financial Products is a London-based investment management group providing a broad range of specialist asset management and structured investment products and services to both retail and institutional investors.

Arch has more than 70 investment partners and staff, managing just under USD2bn of investments in a wide range of alternative asset classes including private equity, private finance, sustainable and environmental themes, natural resources, energy, real estate, and region-specific investments such as in Africa.