Equities manager Explorer Group has taken a strategic stake in boutique fund manager Above the Index Asset Management (ATI) and gained the services of industry stalwart David Bleakley.
The move comes after the launch of Explorer’s new separately managed account (SMA) wrap product ShareInvest II and ATI will join the company’s other boutique manager investment SMA Funds Management.
ATI was established in 2004 by former Tyndall portfolio manager Simon Burge and is an Australian equities value manager.
The fund manager will manage equity portfolios using a bottom-up stock picking approach and plans to launch two new products, ATI Value and ATI High Yields, in the first quarter of next year.
Burge said the Explorer investment would enable the boutique manager to launch into the Australian marketplace.
“ATI sees its competitive advantage as being a low-cost manufacturer capable of adding value for clients by portfolio outperformance arising from adding alpha,” he said.
“Given our disciplined investment process, in-built risk controls and dedicated client management platforms, ATI can now produce and manage portfolios to suit the specifications of individual clients.”
Explorer director Paul Bray said the ATI investment would enable the company to expand its product offerings into the wholesale market and provide an additional investment alternative to an existing SMA client base.
Meanwhile, high-profile industry identity David Bleakley has joined the Explorer board.
He will also become a non-executive director of Explorer associate company Direct Portfolio Services.
Bleakley, who was also managing director of Bridges Financial Services, is currently a non-executive director of Absolute Capital and chairman of RetireInvest.
