Natixis Investment Managers has announced the creation of Thematics Asset Management, a new investment company based in Paris, to expand its global equities offering.
The new entity would offer investors access to high conviction and active global thematic strategies, including safety, robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, the firm said.
It would be headed by Karen Kharmandarian as chair and chief investment officer (CIO), with Mohammed Amor assuming the roles of head of development and managing director. Additionally, the investment team would include Arnaud Bisschop, Frederic Dupraz, Nolan Hoffmeyer and Simon Gottelier.
Natixis said that prior to joining it, the team managed to develop and launch a number of thematic funds which jointly managed of more than $21 billion of assets, leveraging a bottom-up stock picking approach to identify companies exposed to long-term secular growth themes.
Francois Riahi, chair of Natixis Investment Managers’ board and chief executive of Natixis, said that the launch of Thematcs was a part of the firm’s multi-affiliate asset management model exemplifying Natixis’ response ‘turning a long-term trend from a challenge into an opportunity’.
“Our edge lies in our focus in identifying, developing and managing multi-decade investment themes fuelled by four global primary forces that are transforming our world: demographic changes, globalisation, innovation and scarcity,” Kharmandarian said.
“We are long-term by design in our investment style and in close alignment with our clients ’interest.”
