Macquarie Group will begin offering hedge fund capital-raising services to external hedge funds through its Alternative Investment Strategies (AIS) division.

The initiative will initially seek to represent three to five hedge fund managers on an exclusive basis. Target managers will ideally have at least USD500 million of assets with an ultimate target of at least USD1.5 billion and at least a three-year track record.

"Our reputation and track record, coupled with our global reach and institutional infrastructure, makes our approach an attractive alternative to any top hedge fund manager looking to outsource fund raising," says Jonathan Hall, Managing Director, Macquarie Funds Group. "This move presents a unique opportunity for high-quality hedge fund managers who are looking to grow their asset base to partner with a proven institution to achieve their goals."

AIS, a division of Macquarie Funds Group, has raised more than USD3.1 billion for 10 different Macquarie strategies since 2005 and most recently raised over USD1.5 billion in assets for Macquarie's flagship Asian Alpha hedge fund. The AIS team, led by Jonathan Hall and Stephen Darke in New York, has established investor relationships globally and also works with affiliated managers to help raise investor capital. The team's reach extends to family offices, funds of funds, private banks, insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds, pensions, endowments and foundations. Capital raising efforts will be led in North America by Scott Brandewiede, in Europe by Mubin Sadikot and in Asia by Jennifer Page.