Robeco, the leading Dutch investment manager, today announced a strategic alliance with Russell, global leaders in multimanager investing, to offer a multimanager investment program to Dutch individual investors. With the addition of this innovative offering to its existing range of funds, Robeco now offers an extended suite of high quality investment solutions under one roof. The new multimanager program will be available 3rd quarter this year.
Russell is recognised as the global leader in manager research and multimanager investing with over 30 years of experience. Russell has forged successful strategic alliances with some of the world's premier financial institutions and has experienced uninterrupted cashflow growth into its multimanager funds despite the extended down markets. Investor demand for multimanager solutions is expected to display strong growth going forward, with assets growing by an estimated 10.4% per year until 2007 according to new research by Cerulli Associates.
Robeco will develop a product range that offers access to the best of breed international asset managers with different investment styles, many of which are not directly available to retail investors. Robeco MultiManagers provides 'global choice' in a simple package. For distribution channels the concept is a convenient, transparent and efficient advisory solution.
Robeco is responsible for the product design, legal structuring and ongoing client service for Robeco MultiManagers, bringing clients a sophisticated investment solution from a trusted and innovative organisation. International manager selection, combination and monitoring are delegated to Russell.
Through Robeco MultiManagers, distribution channels will preserve and enhance their valuable relationship with their clients by anticipating the trend towards 'open architecture' which has been supported by clients' growing awareness of the importance of style diversification and specialist management. Robeco MultiManagers will give distributors a strong competitive advantage, enabling them to defend against international competition in their home market.
The new program will bring together over 40 investment managers into Robeco MultiManager funds, both equity and fixed income funds, and will be accessible to all individual investors. The investment managers range from well-known organisations such as Fidelity, Barclays Global Investors and Schroders, to firms that will be less familiar to Dutch individual investors such as Jacobs Levy, Thames River Capital, Turner Investment Partners and Blackrock.
Commenting on the announcement, Géry Daeninck, Chief Executive Officer of Robeco, said:
"We are delighted to join with Russell to offer our customers an easily accessible and truly independent multimanager investment solution. Robeco has a reputation for being at the forefront of innovation and Robeco MultiManagers responds to the growing consumer demand for greater choice and an up-to-date product range. This new investment solution will be designed as a core product intended to grow over the coming years. It is a concrete reflection of our continuing ambition to be a market leader by creating a new investment category for retail clients in the Netherlands. The strategic alliance signed by Russell and Robeco will allow us to capture a sizeable market share in one of the fastest growing areas in the investment industry."
Frédéric Jolly, Chief Executive for Europe, Middle East and Africa, at Russell, added:
"We have high expectations with respect to the success of our strategic alliance with Robeco. Robeco is widely recognised as the most powerful and well-respected investment management brand in the Netherlands. Russell's multimanager approach has already proved successful with Dutch institutional investors. Now, through the Robeco/Russell alliance, this expertise will be extended to Dutch individual investors."
About Robeco
Robeco provides discretionary asset management products and services, as well as a complete range of mutual funds to a large number of institutional and retail clients worldwide. Robeco's product range encompasses fixed-income and equity investments, as well as balanced accounts, money-market funds and alternative investments.
Robeco distributes its funds for the retail market directly, and through other financial institutions. Several of its mutual funds, including the flagship Robeco N.V., are listed on major European stock exchanges such as Amsterdam, Paris, Frankfurt and London.
As well as from its head office in Rotterdam, Robeco services its clients from its European offices in Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Germany and Spain. In the United States, Robeco has offices in New York, Chicago and San Francisco (Weiss, Peck & Greer), Boston (Boston Partners), White Plains (Sage Capital Management) and Toledo (Harbor Capital Advisors).
Robeco is the center for asset management with full operational independence within the Rabobank Group. The combination of the highest credit ratings from the major international rating agencies and the highest Sustainability Cluster Score within the banking sector reflects the high added value Rabobank has always offered its investors, members, clients and employees.
About Russell
Russell, global leaders in multimanager investing,provides investment products and services in more than 35 countries. Russell manages over USD 64 billion in assets, of which over USD 15 billion is managed from Europe, and advises clients representing more than USD 1,600 billion worldwide. Russell has built a series of distribution alliances around the world with leading financial services and banking groups. In Europe, it has alliances with Société Générale and Crédit du Nord in France, Scottish Widows and Schroders Private Bank in the UK, Ahorro Corporación in Spain, ARCA SGR in Italy, Den norske Bank in Norway and BMW Bank in Germany. Further afield, Russell has alliances with other market leaders such as Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi, Development Bank of Singapore, ANZ Bank and Royal Bank of Canada. Founded in 1936, Russell is a subsidiary of Northwestern Mutual and is headquartered in Tacoma, Washington, with additional offices in New York, Toronto, London, Paris, Amsterdam, Madrid, Geneva, Singapore, Sydney, Auckland, Tokyo and Johannesburg.
Frank Russell Company Limited (www.russell.com), is authorised and regulated by The Financial Services Authority