Nikko AM buys stake in US investment adviser
Nikko Asset Management has announced an acquisition of a minority stake in a US-based private investment firm, ARK Investment Management, to enhance its innovation investment solutions.
Under the terms of the deal, Nikko AM would obtain exclusivity to offer ARK products and investment strategies in Japan and the Asia-Pacific while its investment team would work closely with ARK’s analysts.
ARK, which uses an open research ecosystem to develop insights into disruptive innovation spanning different sectors and geographies, derives alpha by investing in leaders and enablers of disruptive technologies, with low overlap to broad-market indices.
The firm also launched five exchange traded funds (ETFs), including four active ETFs, investing in themes such as deep learnings and mobility-as-a-service.
Additionally, the company served as an adviser to Nikko AM’s Global Fintech Equity Fund, which was launched in Japan in 2016.
Nikko AM’s president and chief executive, Takumi Shibata, said: “We are extremely excited to welcome ARK to the Nikko AM family”.
“The established expertise of our in-house investment team combined with ARK’s strategies focused on disruptive technology and innovation enable progressive solutions for our clients.
“Our Global Fintech Fund is an example of the success we have already achieved together, and we are confident of more to come with this deepening of the connection,” he said.
As far as the shareholders’ structure was concerned, ARK’s founder and chief executive, Catherine D. Wood would continue to own a majority stake while the company’s strategic US partner, Resolute Investment Management would remain its minority shareholder.
Recommended for you
There is one specific risk that is a significantly higher concern for financial services directors compared to companies overall and is impacting their risk appetite, according to the AICD.
Global fund managers are shunning bonds, with the asset class seeing the largest drop in allocations in more than 20 years.
Australian Ethical has seen its funds under management reach $10 billion, driven by organic customer growth and superannuation contributions.
Financial advisers will have access to private equity investments run by WTW for the first time as it launches a pooled fund to provide savers with access to traditionally institutional assets.
