Monday, February 28, 2005
Good Overview of ABN Amro HF Biz
ABN AMRO Asset Management sees significant opportunitites in hedge fund sector
ABN AMRO Asset Management ('AAAM') is anticipating further expansion within the hedge fund sector, and believes hedge fund assets are likely to grow globally by as much as 40 percent annum over the next two years.
United Arab Emirates: Saturday, February 26 - 2005
ABN AMRO Asset Management has seen strong growth in its own hedge fund business, adding more than $500m to its total hedge fund assets in 2004, and in the space of just three years has seen total assets under management across all AAAM hedge fund products grow from just $40m to more than $2bn.
On the eve of the 'Hedge Funds World Middle East 2005 Conference', Gary Vaughan-Smith, Head of Alternative Investments, ABN AMRO Asset Management commented on the Group's plans for 2005: '2004 represented a landmark year in the development of the Alternative Investment Group. We saw significant growth in assets under management in our funds of hedge funds products, coupled with the launch of our first single-strategy funds - in Emerging Markets and in Currency. We will be looking to build on that success, launching products in both the funds of hedge funds and single strategy arenas, and have set ourselves the target of having hedge fund assets in the region of $3bn under management by the end of 2006.'
With an extensive private banking and institutional distribution network, the Company is experiencing significant client demand for hedge fund products. Vaughan-Smith sees ABN AMRO's strength as a distributor as key in building its hedge fund presence, and in attracting new fund management talent but is also keen to exploit the home-grown talent already present within the Company. Vaughan-Smith sees the hedge fund sector at an early stage in its development, and believes ABN AMRO is capable of becoming a dominant force within it.
Commenting, Vaughan-Smith said: 'ABN AMRO has always enjoyed a reputation for nurturing talent and we will be looking to incubate and develop some of our finest talent over the next 24 months, and, on the back of that, bring some exciting new products to the market.
'Hedge investors are looking for quality people and company pedigree, and these are attributes that ABN AMRO has in abundance. We believe we can become a growing force.'
Gary Vaughan-Smith will be speaking under the banner of 'Incubating hedge funds: the opportunities' at the 'Hedge Funds World Middle East 2005 Conference' in Dubai, from 28th February - 2nd March.
Related Information:
Press enquiries:
Pooja Rajani Tel: 9714 5062447
Notes to Editors:
1. ABN AMRO Asset Management ('AAAM')
AAAM is the separately organised investment unit of ABN AMRO Bank N.V. With history dating back to 1824, ABN AMRO is among the largest banks in the world and ranks among the biggest European banks. ABN AMRO has more than 3,000 branches in over 50 countries and regions, with strong regional networks throughout Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, South East Asia and Australia. ABN AMRO holds a position of financial strength and stability in Euroland.
AAAM is headquartered in London and Amsterdam with other main money management units in Chicago, Atlanta, Hong Kong and Singapore. It has significant experience in managing money for over 2,000 institutional clients, such as central banks, pension funds and insurance companies. Besides this, AAAM manages money for thousands of private clients around the globe.
It employs over 2,000 people world-wide in over 20 countries, with portfolio managers and analysts located around the world. AAAM manages EUR 156 billion (as at 31 December 2003) in segregated accounts and in over 500 mutual funds.
AAAM offers investment funds in all major asset classes, both fundamentally driven and through more quantitative investment processes. All investment funds benefit from the valuable source of local expertise while portfolios are often managed locally. This local knowledge is used as input for international co-ordination of the investment policy.
AAAM has been a pioneer in sector research and sector investment approach in its investments for over a decade. Its investment groups are supported by internal buy-side and global research analysts, organised after industries.
2. Hedge Funds
AAAM runs six funds of hedge funds, with over $1bn under management, two single strategy hedge funds with $100m under management, and several 'notes' or structured products based on these funds, with approximately $600m under management. Three years ago the Company had just $40m in its hedge fund products.
3. Gary Vaughan-Smith
Gary joined ABN AMRO Asset Management in 2001 as Head of Alternative Investments and Third Party Funds globally. He is responsible for all Alternative Investment products at ABN AMRO Asset Management including funds of hedge funds and single-strategy hedge fund products. As Head of Third Party Funds, he is also responsible for long-only funds of funds products.
Gary began his career in 1986 in the pensions division of Southern Life Association in Cape Town and moved to Sedgwick Noble Lowndes in 1989. He worked in the investment consultancy division, advising pension funds on strategic policy and investment manager selection.
In 1990 he began working for Gartmore, initially heading the quantitative investment and risk consultancy teams, before heading the global portfolio team, where he was responsible for some $26 billion in assets under management. From 1998, he was also a member of Gartmore's six-member Global Policy Group, responsible for asset allocation policy for all actively managed funds at Gartmore.
Born in 1963, Gary holds a Masters degree in Finance from Cambridge University and a BSc (Hons) in Mathematical Statistics from the University of Cape Town (1985). He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries.
ABN AMRO
Netherlands-based ABN AMRO is a leading international bank with total assets of EUR 637.5 bln (as at 30 September 2004). It has over 3,000 branches in more than 60 countries and territories, and has a staff of about 104,000 full-time equivalents worldwide. ABN AMRO is listed on the Euronext and New York stock exchanges.
ABN AMRO operates through three Strategic Business Units, each responsible for managing a distinct client segment. Wholesale Clients provides integrated corporate and investment banking services to corporate, institutional and public sector clients worldwide. Consumer & Commercial Clients focuses on retail and SME clients in three home markets - the Netherlands, the US Midwest and Brazil and in a number of selected growth markets. Private Clients & Asset Management provides private banking services to wealthy clients and investment products to financial intermediaries and institutional clients.
Anosh Ahamath
Senior Account Manager
Bates PanGulf PR
Exclusive Partner in the Middle East
of Burson-Marsteller
Level 6, Lexus Tower
Deira City Centre
Mobile: +971 50 7853956
Tel: + 971 4 295 3456
Fax: + 971 4 295 1027
P.O. Box 3294, Dubai.
© 1996-2005 by AME Info FZ LLC. All rights reserved.
This story was posted by Lara Lynn Golden, Assistant News Editor
Saturday, February 26 - 2005 at 15:01 UAE local time (GMT+4)
Print Date: Tuesday, March 01 - 2005 - 01:07:41 GMT+4
Find this article at:
http://www.ameinfo.com/news/Detailed/54659.html
ABN AMRO Asset Management ('AAAM') is anticipating further expansion within the hedge fund sector, and believes hedge fund assets are likely to grow globally by as much as 40 percent annum over the next two years.
United Arab Emirates: Saturday, February 26 - 2005
ABN AMRO Asset Management has seen strong growth in its own hedge fund business, adding more than $500m to its total hedge fund assets in 2004, and in the space of just three years has seen total assets under management across all AAAM hedge fund products grow from just $40m to more than $2bn.
On the eve of the 'Hedge Funds World Middle East 2005 Conference', Gary Vaughan-Smith, Head of Alternative Investments, ABN AMRO Asset Management commented on the Group's plans for 2005: '2004 represented a landmark year in the development of the Alternative Investment Group. We saw significant growth in assets under management in our funds of hedge funds products, coupled with the launch of our first single-strategy funds - in Emerging Markets and in Currency. We will be looking to build on that success, launching products in both the funds of hedge funds and single strategy arenas, and have set ourselves the target of having hedge fund assets in the region of $3bn under management by the end of 2006.'
With an extensive private banking and institutional distribution network, the Company is experiencing significant client demand for hedge fund products. Vaughan-Smith sees ABN AMRO's strength as a distributor as key in building its hedge fund presence, and in attracting new fund management talent but is also keen to exploit the home-grown talent already present within the Company. Vaughan-Smith sees the hedge fund sector at an early stage in its development, and believes ABN AMRO is capable of becoming a dominant force within it.
Commenting, Vaughan-Smith said: 'ABN AMRO has always enjoyed a reputation for nurturing talent and we will be looking to incubate and develop some of our finest talent over the next 24 months, and, on the back of that, bring some exciting new products to the market.
'Hedge investors are looking for quality people and company pedigree, and these are attributes that ABN AMRO has in abundance. We believe we can become a growing force.'
Gary Vaughan-Smith will be speaking under the banner of 'Incubating hedge funds: the opportunities' at the 'Hedge Funds World Middle East 2005 Conference' in Dubai, from 28th February - 2nd March.
Related Information:
Press enquiries:
Pooja Rajani Tel: 9714 5062447
Notes to Editors:
1. ABN AMRO Asset Management ('AAAM')
AAAM is the separately organised investment unit of ABN AMRO Bank N.V. With history dating back to 1824, ABN AMRO is among the largest banks in the world and ranks among the biggest European banks. ABN AMRO has more than 3,000 branches in over 50 countries and regions, with strong regional networks throughout Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, South East Asia and Australia. ABN AMRO holds a position of financial strength and stability in Euroland.
AAAM is headquartered in London and Amsterdam with other main money management units in Chicago, Atlanta, Hong Kong and Singapore. It has significant experience in managing money for over 2,000 institutional clients, such as central banks, pension funds and insurance companies. Besides this, AAAM manages money for thousands of private clients around the globe.
It employs over 2,000 people world-wide in over 20 countries, with portfolio managers and analysts located around the world. AAAM manages EUR 156 billion (as at 31 December 2003) in segregated accounts and in over 500 mutual funds.
AAAM offers investment funds in all major asset classes, both fundamentally driven and through more quantitative investment processes. All investment funds benefit from the valuable source of local expertise while portfolios are often managed locally. This local knowledge is used as input for international co-ordination of the investment policy.
AAAM has been a pioneer in sector research and sector investment approach in its investments for over a decade. Its investment groups are supported by internal buy-side and global research analysts, organised after industries.
2. Hedge Funds
AAAM runs six funds of hedge funds, with over $1bn under management, two single strategy hedge funds with $100m under management, and several 'notes' or structured products based on these funds, with approximately $600m under management. Three years ago the Company had just $40m in its hedge fund products.
3. Gary Vaughan-Smith
Gary joined ABN AMRO Asset Management in 2001 as Head of Alternative Investments and Third Party Funds globally. He is responsible for all Alternative Investment products at ABN AMRO Asset Management including funds of hedge funds and single-strategy hedge fund products. As Head of Third Party Funds, he is also responsible for long-only funds of funds products.
Gary began his career in 1986 in the pensions division of Southern Life Association in Cape Town and moved to Sedgwick Noble Lowndes in 1989. He worked in the investment consultancy division, advising pension funds on strategic policy and investment manager selection.
In 1990 he began working for Gartmore, initially heading the quantitative investment and risk consultancy teams, before heading the global portfolio team, where he was responsible for some $26 billion in assets under management. From 1998, he was also a member of Gartmore's six-member Global Policy Group, responsible for asset allocation policy for all actively managed funds at Gartmore.
Born in 1963, Gary holds a Masters degree in Finance from Cambridge University and a BSc (Hons) in Mathematical Statistics from the University of Cape Town (1985). He is also a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries.
ABN AMRO
Netherlands-based ABN AMRO is a leading international bank with total assets of EUR 637.5 bln (as at 30 September 2004). It has over 3,000 branches in more than 60 countries and territories, and has a staff of about 104,000 full-time equivalents worldwide. ABN AMRO is listed on the Euronext and New York stock exchanges.
ABN AMRO operates through three Strategic Business Units, each responsible for managing a distinct client segment. Wholesale Clients provides integrated corporate and investment banking services to corporate, institutional and public sector clients worldwide. Consumer & Commercial Clients focuses on retail and SME clients in three home markets - the Netherlands, the US Midwest and Brazil and in a number of selected growth markets. Private Clients & Asset Management provides private banking services to wealthy clients and investment products to financial intermediaries and institutional clients.
Anosh Ahamath
Senior Account Manager
Bates PanGulf PR
Exclusive Partner in the Middle East
of Burson-Marsteller
Level 6, Lexus Tower
Deira City Centre
Mobile: +971 50 7853956
Tel: + 971 4 295 3456
Fax: + 971 4 295 1027
P.O. Box 3294, Dubai.
© 1996-2005 by AME Info FZ LLC. All rights reserved.
This story was posted by Lara Lynn Golden, Assistant News Editor
Saturday, February 26 - 2005 at 15:01 UAE local time (GMT+4)
Print Date: Tuesday, March 01 - 2005 - 01:07:41 GMT+4
Find this article at:
http://www.ameinfo.com/news/Detailed/54659.html
# posted by Tom @ 2:07 PM 
