Interviews

R Rajagopal, principal investment manager of the Kotak India Dynamic Fund, says the newly-launched fund is one of the few Indian absolute return equity funds backed by a leading Indian

Fund manager Andy Mantel of Pacific Sun Investment Management in Hong Kong outlines his approach to running the USD50m China Mantou Fund.

Brian McCarthy discusses the systematic processes that drive Alder Capital's absolute return-focused currency investment strategies.

Frederic Desage-Bonnet outlines the thinking behind the F&C Citrine Fund, which was launched in May 2004.

F&C Citrine Fund is managed by Desage-Bonnet, assi

Dino Fuschillo, Lead Manager, outlines the strategy and investment process that underpins the performance of Martin Currie's European-fo

John Monnelly describes Martin Currie's investment processes and the use of the 'Dynamic Stock Matrix'.

Neal Goyal, chief investment officer of Blue Horizon Asset Management, outlines his firm's strategy to capitalise on the volatile market environment and continuing fall-out from the sub-pr

Petek Kutucuoglu says emerging market hedge fund manager GEM relishes extracting value from complex or obscure opportunities overlooked by the market.

Tim Gascoigne has nine years experience in the hedge funds industry and joined HRIL in 1996 after spending three years as an equity researcher and member of the strategy team with Mercury Asset Man

The five-year-old Julius Baer Absolute Return Bond Fund managed by London-based Augustus Asset Managers has delivered euro-denominated returns of 3.8 per cent over the past three

Alistair MacDonald, co-manager of the newly-launched Merrion European Absolute Return Fund, argues that Ucits III hedge funds are benefiting from the current uncertainty over the final form and substance of the European Union’s AIFM Directive as well as concerns over the costs of implementing its requirements.

Frédéric Durr, a principal and fund manager with Shanghai-based Maoming Investment Management, says the firm’s Maoming Fund aims to generate returns while preserving capital through an intense focus on the companies it invests in, with liquidity the key element in risk management.

Richard Sherwin, partner and head of investment research at Blacksquare Capital, says the newly-launched IFSL Blacksquare Multi-Manager Absolute Return Fund, of which he is portfolio manager, is accessible and affordable to a large majority of investors thanks to a minimum investment of GBP1,000 for its UK retail share class and the absence of a performance fee – a unique characteristic for a multi-manager absolute return fund.

Alternative Advisors’ William Kitchin (pictured), portfolio manager of the Castillon Diversified Fund, a Ucits absolute return fund of funds, says that while the fund is constrained in its selection of underlying managers by the need to match the liquidity it offers to investors, this is not a particular disadvantage in the short term given the current macro economic conditions.

Ebullio Capital managing partner Lars Steffensen believes that as the world's economy tips downward again in the second leg of a W-sh

Veronika Hirsch, Chief Investment Officer & Lead Portfolio Manager of Canada's BluMont Capital, outlines the firm's investment approach, products and strategy.

Peter Nicholas outlines the investment strategy and processes that drive EN Asset Management's Japan-focused fund.

Gary West (photo) and James Inglis-Jones say the Liontrust European Long/Short Fund they manage has enjoyed solid growth this year amid the gloom f

Afsin Alp, a partner and portfolio manager with Meadowbrook Capital Management, says the Meadowbrook Beta Neutral Fund, which was officially launch

Managing director Dan Ascani explains Gemini Futures' three-pronged investment approach that incorporates a conservative fixed-income allocation, gold forward or futures and options contra

Ken Murray outlines the single-minded concentration on financial stocks that lies behind the Blue Planet Global Financials Fund, which was launched

Stephen Cohen, chief executive for hedge funds at Troika Dialog Asset Management in London, believes the Troika Russia Fund, which has achieved an annualised return of 28 per cent since it

Stockholm-based Rhenman & Partners Asset Management, a niche player focused on healthcare, has just launched Rhenman Healthcare Equity L/S, a g

Willem de Vlugt and Charles Estourgie, founding partners and fund managers at Amsterdam-based EValuation Capital Management, says the EV Smaller Companies Fund they manage is set to benefit from a favourable environment in the coming year as its core long portfolio of small and medium-sized companies emerge stronger from the crisis.

Michael Kart, manager of the Spectrum funds at Marshall Spectrum, says the firm’s two equity funds are poised to benefit from expected new equity placements, restructuring of the telecoms industry and continued liberalisation of energy markets in Russia and other countries of the former Soviet Union.

Melissa Hill highlights the strategies and plans of Sabre Fund Management Ltd., including the launch of a higher risk/return version of

Ricardo Maxit outlines Copernico's approach to exploiting volatility in Latin America, where a potential decrease in liquidity remains t

Adam Balinsky, president of Stamford, Connecticut-based life settlement investment specialist Caldwell Life Strategies, says the key to his firm’s success in an asset class full o

Anthony Eaton, manager of the six-year-old, GBP54m JM Finn Global Opportunities Fund, says the fund aims to invest in the consequences of globalisation as industrialisation and urbanisation within non-G7 countries create greater global output but also greater capacity, moving pricing power from what is made to what is required to make it.

Ilya Golubovich (pictured), managing partner of specialist clean technology fund manager I2BF and Irakli Menabde, manager of the I2BF-Arbat Technology Fund, say the fund is unique in its field by employing a relative value strategy with a fully systematic investment process based on the notion of consistent outperformance.

James Thornton, fund director at Mayfair Capital Investment Management, says investors with the specialist property fund manager have benefited from the firm’s ability to time the UK market – for example in 2007, when they called the peak of the market and decided to wind up the MC Property Growth Fund early to protect investors’ capital and take profits.

Michael Azlen, founder and executive chairman of Frontier Capital Management, says his firm’s index-based approach to multi-asset investing is modelled on the tried and tested approach of US university endowments, aims to create a globally diversified portfolio through exposure to eight traditional and alternative asset classes or strategies to generate long-term uncorrelated real returns above inflation and cash.

Olaf van den Heuvel, European head of tactical asset allocation at Aegon Asset Management and portfolio manager of the Ucits-compliant Global Opportunities Fund launched last December, expects the fallout following the credit crunch to continue along with further ‘surprises’ like Greece or Dubai.

AIMhedge chief investment officer Richard Bibb says the firm’s combination of a systematic, emotion-free trading approach over a large, well-diversified basket of futures markets and an effective active risk management system is a very powerful argument for investors just starting to look for better-performing investments in the wake of the financial meltdown in 2008.

QIC Global Fixed Interest, part of the investment business originally set up by Australia’s Queensland state government to manage its long-term liabilities and pension obligations, saw its assets under management grow from around USD23bn to USD35bn between mid-2007 and the end of last year. According to managing director Susan Buckley, the key competitive advantage of the business is the strength and quality of its investment research and process.

Tim Gascoigne, global head of portfolio management at HSBC Alternative Investments, says that what is reckoned the third largest alternative business worldwide with more than USD30bn in assets has been built on a combination of bottom-up and top-down research, a focus on diversification and strong approach to due diligence.

Andres Pitchon says that falling interest rates, rising credit quality and strong economic growth make Argentina and Latin America as a whole an attractive target for investment over the n

Nick England, founding director of fund of hedge funds manager CIA, says the firm's Hurdle Funds has continued to deliver positive returns over the

Shaun Port, chiefinvestment officer at fund of hedge funds manager BDO Stoy Hayward
Investment Management, says the firm selects managers with a un

Beach Horizon co-founders Alan Goulding and Dr Paul Netherwood outline the investment ideas and strategies that define Beach Horizon.

Ari Bergmann, managing principal at Penso Capital Markets, says the firm gains access to best of breed managers by bartering its expertise in risk management services for capacity in their

Arne Schmidt outlines the thinking and investment processes that underpin Zurich-based Systematic Absolute Return's new fund of hedge funds, SAR Environmental Fund, and unveils plans to la

Brad Cole discusses the strategy and investment processes driving the Tellus Natural Resources Fund, focused on commodities and natural resources.

Managing director and head of sales Christophe Chouard outlines the strategy and investment processes that are driving performance at fund of hedge funds manager HDF Finance.

Cyril Julliard outlines the strategy and thinking that is driving the performance of Paris-based ERAAM's range of funds, and outlines plans for new launches.

London-based Chaser Capital launched its first currency fund on 14 February.

Chris Jones outlines Key Asset Management's investment thinking and range of funds of hedge fund investment strategies.<

Chief executive Dr Glenn Baggley says Eddington Capital Management aims to offer investors a high-octane fund of funds portfolio through the selection of talented managers capable of achie

Dexion Capital plc has successfully completed the third major fund raising for its London-listed closed ended fund of hedge funds, Dexion Absolute Ltd.

Fred Siegrist provides a compelling insight into the thinking that underpins the investment processes at RMF, the asset management division of Man Group plc.

In this interview Ian Cadby outlines how Liberty Ermitage doubled its assets under management in funds of hedge funds to over US$1 billion over

Julian Mayo outlines the strategy and thinking behind the development of Charlemagne Capital's suite of emerging market funds.

Mehraj Mattoo discusses the investor-focused approach that is shaping the evolution of Commerzbank's funds of hedge funds.

Senior executive officer Omar Kodmani highlights the investment process and thinking behind the Permal FX, Financials and Futures Fund, to which the London-listed fund of hedge funds fund

Peter Ludvigsen, head of institutional business at Nedgroup Investments, argues that mainstream hedge fund strategies have become increasingly correlated to key risk factors and that a maj

Robin Bowie, founder of Dexion Capital, outlines the trend towards listed closed ended investment companies and highlights Dexion's unique position in this expanding sector.<

Brett Hellerman, co-founder of Clinton Group, discusses the emerging manager seeding fund he has launched with MassMutual Insurance.

Hellerman was a co-founder of Clinton Gr

Tim Gascoigne describes the combination of intensive research and market pragmatism driving HSBC Republic Investments' funds of hedge funds.

Tim Haywood outlines the strategies and thinking behind Julius Baer Investments' range of hedge funds.

Tushar Patel outlines the strategic thinking that is driving the development of GAIM Advisors' growing range of index-based funds of hedge funds.

HW: Wh

Virginia Reynolds Parker examines the management of risk in FoHFs and outlines a range of issues central to the concerns of managers and investors.

Together with ma

Yonatan Gozdanker outlines the investment process and strategies underlying Pamplona's newly launched emerging markets fund.

Martin Baxter, portfolio manager of the Collins Stewart Absolute Return Plus Fund, says the hedge fund industry has suffered because managers have

Fabrizio Ladi Bucciolini, senior fund manager and head of alternative funds at Reyl Asset Management, says the Reyl Velocity fund of hedge funds, launched in September with USD15m of seed capital, is active across different asset classes and focuses on realised rather than marked-to-market profits, and hence focuses on traders with short holding periods and high portfolio turnover.

Scott Epstein, Head of Alternative Fund Services at HSBC in San Francisco, and Jackie Tomecek, Director of Sales, outline West Coast investment trends.

Khiem Do outlines the factors that underline the performance of Baring's China-focused long short fund, which has delivered strong returns.

Colin Bugler and Robert Pitt highlight the strategic focus and thinking that is driving the expansion of Scotia Capital's prime brokerage business.

Andrew Collins outlines recent developments at Butterfield Fund Services, including the appointment of a new Director of Marketing for Europe.

HW: What is t

Joost Lobler outlines the strategy and thinking that is driving the global expansion and growth of Equity Trust's alternative fund services business.

Sean Flynn outlines developments at UBS Fund Services, including the opening of a Toronto fund administration operation in 2006 to service the North American market.

London-based IG Markets is the broking subsidiary of IG Group.

Nicholas Roe outlines the reorganisation of London-based Deutsche Bank's Global Prime Services unit, reviews key trends in 2004 and looks ahead at 2005.

Tai Tam Capital'sHui-Wen Shiau (see attached photo) and Jun-Tsiang Lam outline the
thinking that is driving the investment strategy of their new As

Johannes E.

As Bridge Asset Management prepares to launch the Bridge Global Opportunities Fund (BGOF) on 1 November, Nick Corby outlines the background to the fund and discusses its approach to emergi

Magister Ludi Capital Management portfolio manager Anita Ramachandran and chief executive Rajinder Sabherwal (pictured) say that their Global Macro

Managed futures isone of the few alternative investment strategies that tends to
demonstrate negative correlation to traditional investments during

SEAL Capital founders and managing partners R Michael Reveley (pictured) and Toby Chandler believe that in the wake of the Madoff, Galleon and K1 scandals, investors are demanding transparency, liquidity and a highly ethical infrastructure, which their firm delivers through the HFR managed account platform.

Aros Capital Partners has just launched its first investment vehicle, the long-biased global macro Aros Paradigm Fund, with friends and family capital. Chief investment officer and founding partner Nicolai Borcher Hansen (pictured) says the fund’s investment strategy will target value-based investment in equities and corporate bonds as well as exploiting the firm’s expertise in the niche area of Danish mortgage bonds.

Miguel Ramos Fuentenebro outlines the thinking behind Washington Square's recently launched innovative LSE-listed Carador CDO equity fun

Dr Paul Netherwood, a partner with managed futures specialist Beach Horizon, says the strategy is set to increase its appeal not only because of it

Aref Karim, principal of Quality Capital Management, which has just launched its 14-year-old managed futures strategy through an onshore Ucits III fund vehicle, says CTAs stand to benef

SVM Asset Management managing director Colin McLean says the SVM Highlander Fund he manages, which has returned an annualised 15.1 per cent since i

Broadstone Fund Management, part of the Dublin-based Broadstone Capital Group, is preparing to launch

Oslo-based Dag Rosmo outlines Interkraft Capital Management's trading focus on the Nordic power markets and reveals plans to launch a new f

Eric de Sangues outlines the investment process that underpins the hedge funds run by Geneva-based Avendis Capital.

James Bryson and Roland Hass outline the investment process and thinking behind the launch of their new multi-strategy fund focusing on Indonesia.

Kevin Boscher predicts that increasing geopolitical risks and tightening global liquidity could result in a major market correction in 2006.

Brian Gilmore, chief executive of Palatine Asset Management, says the Capitoline Global Media Fund, which aims to exploit capital inefficiencies in the market for asset-based financing

Head of funds Manfred Schrapler says that as one of the few banks with a dedicated hybrid structuring and trading team, Deutsche Bank is able to use unique risk management techniques to

Michael Derks, chief investment officer of Arch Financial Products, says the CF Arch cru Finance Fund launched in November to invest in short- to medium-term private finance deals enjoy

Andreas Koettner, managing director and head of portfolio management at Malta-based Golden Hedge Alternative Investments, says the firm’s multistrategy fund stands to benefit from its specialisation in relatively unusual niche strategies that display low correlation to typical CTA or hedge fund styles.

Direct investment in farmland has outperformed stock and bond returns over various timescales with substantially lower volatility than the US equit

Marc Thiel, chief executive of real estate investor and manager Euro Ejendomme, says the firm’s new hotel fund, which is aiming to close with EUR500m in capital by next June, aims to capitalise upon the relative lack in Germany of the middle-range business hotels common in the UK and France.

Charles Supapodok says that with silver outperforming gold recently and its price set to continue rising in the coming years, the Artemis strategy based on investment in mining companies i

Adrian Owens, manager of the JB Currency Hedge Fund - Discretionary Segregated Portfolio at Augustus, says the strategy has achieved a consistently attractive profile of returns since Janu

Björn Englund explains why, despite the continuing stream of gruesome headlines, Iraq is a land of attractive investment opportunities.

Chris Clarke outlines the investment process of the Westferry Global Markets Fund, which opened to third-party accredited investors in September 2006.

David Baker highlights the investment ideas that are driving the performance of Baker Steel's Genus Natural Resources Fund.

Enrico Angella and Aurelio Matrone discuss the multi-layered investment strategies that define Getraco's Kkienn European Fund.

Gilles Frisch and Gabriel Andraos believe the 'credit market - neutral' feature of their strategy sets Dexia Credit Arbitrage apart from its competitors

Hillary Duckworth outlines the outlook and opportunities for Mukwa Fund in sub-Saharan Africa.

HW: What is the background to your fund?

James Morton outlines the investment thinking that drives the performance of Key Asset Management's new special situations fund.

Kevin Pilarski outlines the investment process and analysis that underlies the performance of Kilkenny's biomedical-focused range of funds.

Lahrs Buhl of Swiss-based Capricorn Asset Management outlines the investment thinking behind the company's currency programs.

Melissa Hill outlines recent developments at Sabre, including new hire Matthew Isherwood and expansion into new markets such as Japan.

Nick Mann discusses Oberon Asset Management's strategies in its area of key competence, the Japanese markets.

Peter Halloran, founder and chief executive of specialist Russia and CIS manager Pharos Financial Group, says the firm's presence in Russia and its network of local contacts are the key to

Ron Senator outlines the investment thinking behind the new Puma Sphera fund, a joint venture between Shore Capital of London and Sphera Fund Management of Tel Aviv.

Shahid Ikram identifies the opportunities and developments in the market cycle that will influence the future growth of Morley G7 Fixed Income Fund.

Stephen Cohen discusses the impact of changes in Russia's political economy on Troika Russia Fund's future plans. 

Todd Voigt, manager of Cohen & Steers' Global Real Estate Long-Short strategy, which differentiates itself through bottom-up fundamental resear

Tony Zucker discusses the strategies behind Thames Rives Kingsway Fund in the current volatile markets.

New Zealand-based quant manager Pure Capital is about to launch its first pooled fund, the Guernsey-based Pure Protection Fund, alongside its range

Giovanni Pennetta, chief executive of Goldwinds Asset Management, investment adviser to the KPR Diamond Fund, says that in times of market turbulen

Katherine Buck, a managing director and portfolio manager for small-cap core equity strategies at Chicago-based Wayne Hummer Asset Management, beli

Miriam Mascherin, managing partner of Luxembourg-based Elite Advisers, says the firm's combination of investment management expertise and deep know

WestSpring Advisors principals Ralph Nacey (pictured) and Eric Phillipps, who launched the FRM-backed firm’s first family of fixed-income funds last month, believe that the curren

Sheriden Hure, a senior portfolio manager at Sydney-based market neutral multistrategy manager Fortitude Capital, says the firm is currently seeing great opportunities in the pricing of

Michael Wexler, who founded Maple Leaf Capital LLP in 2002, outlines recent developments within the company's flagship volatility tra