Fund Manager of the Year 2014: Global Equities (Broad Cap)

Winner

Arrowstreet Global Equity Fund 

Finalists

MFS Global Equity Trust 

Blackrock Scientific International Equity Fund 

The Lonsec/Money Management Fund Manager of the Year award for Global Equities (Broad Cap) has gone to Arrowstreet’s Global Equity Fund. 

The actively managed fund has a strong academic pedigree including ties to Harvard, and combines investment intuition with rigorous quantitative research to identify attractive stocks globally. 

Adrian Stewart, division director of Arrowstreet distributor Macquarie Investment Management, said the fund had a demonstrated commitment to ongoing research and the quantitative investment process it employed. 

“Arrowstreet’s ability to draw on a range of quantitative signals meant they have been able to adapt their positions to the changing market dynamics, which has ultimately rewarded investors,” Stewart said.  

MFS Investment Management has returned as a finalist this year with the MFS Global Equity Trust, having won this category in 2013.  

MFS senior managing director, head of Australia Marian Poirier said a long-term focus and global collaboration between 60 analysts had been key drivers of its consistent success. 

The fund is stock-specific and uses a bottom-up investment approach to uncover quality companies across the globe that offer sustainable earnings growth over a long-term investment horizon.  

“Turnover in the portfolio is 10 per cent, illustrating that we do hold on to these companies for the long term,” Poirier said. 

Also short-listed by Lonsec as a finalist is Blackrock’s Scientific International Equity fund, which has a 16-year track record and has returned 51 per cent (unhedged) over the 12 months to December 2013. 

Blackrock chief investment officer Mike McCorry attributed the ability to deliver alpha from international equities to using a systematic and disciplined approach to active portfolio management. 

“Our research process is structured to ensure only the best ideas are used. We aim to make a large number of independent investment decisions, with the goal to maximise the opportunities for adding value while diversifying risk,” McCorry said.