IML partners with US firm to launch SMID fund


US-based investment manager Vaughan Nelson has partnered with Investors Mutual (IML) to launch a global small and mid-cap (SMID) fund for Australian retail investors.
This would be an actively-managed global SMID exchange traded fund (ETF) available on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX).
IML would be the responsible entity for the ETF and the managed fund, the two firms were both affiliates of Natixis Investment Managers.
Vaughan Nelson chief executive, Chris Wallis, said: “Vaughan Nelson is uniquely designed to add value in a global strategy because the process goes beyond simply providing market exposure. The team trades time for value by seeking investments that it believes will deliver a high targeted return in a three-year window. The process has three different avenues by which to earn returns, allowing it to generate alpha in a myriad of market environments”.
Damon Hambly, IML chief executive, said: “We chose to bring Vaughan Nelson’s Global SMID Cap strategy to Australian retail investors for two main reasons: the first is that they have a first-rate investment team that has a long history of strong performance in global equities. The second is that it’s very difficult for Australians to invest in global SMID caps.
"This is the only active global SMID cap ETF on the ASX, and one of only a handful of global SMID cap managed funds available in Australia”.
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