Henderson pitches global strategies to broad base of investors
Henderson Global Investors (HGI) will expand its Australian footprint and offer funds to retail, mezzanine and institutional investors, rolling out its first fund — a high conviction global equity fund — in early 2014.
HGI head of distribution Matt Gaden said the manager had recently been issued with its Australian Financial Services Licence and would aim to launch up to five funds into the Australian market.
Gaden said plans were well advanced for a global fixed interest fund managed from the UK by HGI Head of Interest Rate Strategy Phil Apel, who said demand for fixed interest would continue to be driven by events in the United States and Europe.
"The search for yield and income is a global theme and will be more forceful in Europe than the US as the latter sees yields from equities lift while Europe continues to cut interest rates," Apel said.
"Fixed interest strategies have found their time and as equities return we expect interest to ebb and flow but the focus will be on the diversification and returns offered by fixed interest."
Gaden said the demand for fixed interest would also continue in Australia, with a number of MySuper funds looking at target date funds for people aged 55 and above.
"As these people move down the equities exposure curve they will move into fixed interest, not just in retirement but in the accumulation phase as well," Gaden said.
"The demand is growing for absolute return and fixed interest as people seek to immunise their bond strategies and set target dates for their investments."
HGI is not a new figure in the Australian funds management market, having first been introduced to investors via an alliance with AMP in the mid 1990s. Gaden said that relationship had ended a number of years ago and HGI was operating in the local market as a standalone listed entity.
It had re-entered the local market in 2012 as a specialist global strategy manager, with former Colonial First State and Challenger executive Rob Adams heading HGI in Australia.
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