The Asia/Pacific hedge fund industry has been given a huge boost and a taste of global exposure following the release of a hedge fund directory by Eureka Hedge Advisors.
The directory includes details of 162 existing hedge funds managed in nine countries in the Asia/Pacific region, including Australia. It also includes 24 new funds that have been slated to launch in the first half of this year.
Eureka joint-principal Richard Armstrong says the driver behind the publication is the “the opaque nature” of the region’s hedge fund industry, which demands a comprehensive directory.
He says the directory should help bridge the gap between hedge fund managers and investors and will be an essential reference guide for anyone with an interest in the Asia/Pacific hedge fund industry.
According to Eureka, approximately US$14 billion is invested in Asian hedge funds and this number will grow by 35 per cent this year. January and February saw substantial inflows into Japanese long short strategies, the company added. The group also expects an estimated 50 new Asian strategy funds will be launched this year.
The principal sponsor of the directory is UBS Warburg, which has recently expanded its international prime broking operation into the Asia/Pacific region.
Eureka is focused exclusively on the Asia/Pacific hedge fund industry. It began operating in 2001 and is headed up by veterans of the Asian stockbroking industry, Richard Armstrong, Desmond Tan, Niall Shiner and John Hetherington.
The group is headquartered in Singapore and is gearing up to provide a comprehensive range of services that will include marketing assistance to existing hedge funds and advice to prospective managers looking to establish their own funds.
