As yields in fixed income investments continue to languish near all-time lows, US non-profits are increasingly turning to hedge funds to bolster their portfolio performance, according to TIFF Management, a non-profit sector-focused outsourced chief investment officer.
Though private capital investments remain the firm favourite among non-profit allocators, such investors are also increasingly eyeing hedge funds’ perceived steady returns, liquidity profile and downside protection in the event of an equity retreats, TIFF Management CIO Jay Willoughby told Hedgeweek this week.
Still on the allocator side, new research by alternatives-focused software-as-a-service and data management company Vidrio Financial suggests the switch to virtual networking during the pandemic has optimised investor time and resources – particularly during the key stages of the manager due diligence process. Underlining the far-reaching impact of virtual calls on hedge fund manager-investor relationships, the latest ‘Vidrio Views’ monthly market survey of global allocators and LPs found almost three-quarters of investors have now allocated capital to new managers without meeting in person.
Pioneering credit-focused hedge fund Sancus Capital Management has forged a formidable decade-plus track record in the market since launching in the immediate aftermath of the Global Financial Crisis. The firm, which recently branched out into CLO management, is led by former Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan credit derivatives specialist Olga Chernova, who spoke with Hedgeweek about the firm’s expanding scope, rebounding sentiment towards structured credit following widespread post-crisis investor dyspepsia, and current trading opportunities across the asset class.
Elsewhere this week, fund structuring and governance service provider Waystone discussed how the implementation of the EU’s sustainability-focused SFDR framework remains a “work in progress” for many hedge funds and other asset managers, while in a guest column, Robert Quartly-Janeiro, Visiting Fellow at the Hellenic Observatory, London School of Economics, considers a potential bidding war between hedge funds and private equity firms for Sanne Group, the FTSE 250-listed specialist investment fund services administrator and “alternatives industry plumber”.
With managed futures strategies continuing to withstand the assorted market oscillations in recent months, the Best CTA Hedge Fund category at this year’s Hedgeweek Americas Awards will spotlight how some of the most successful trend-followers and systematic strategies have positioned themselves during the veritable rollercoaster ride of the past year.
The category is one of 29 fund manager awards voted for by participants within the hedge fund industry and announced at an exclusive presentation ceremony and industry networking event hosted by Hedgeweek in New York on 21 October.
To vote in the awards, please click here. For all information about the Hedgeweek Americas Awards, see here.
Hugh Leask
Editor, Hedgeweek