The Focused Global Equity Fund will be driven by a conviction-based focus on stock selection while basing its portfolio construction around an active risk management strategy which aims to reduce volatility and downside risk.
The Luxembourg-domiciled UCITS fund’s investments will be managed by Driehaus Capital Management, a US-equities boutique and partner of VAM Funds. Josh Rubin will be its lead manager supported by an analyst team with an average of 13 years’ experience.
It will have a long-bias with average net exposure of 60-90% ex-cash.
Nigel Watson, sales director at VAM, said the fund has arisen from a strong demand from advisers for a global equity fund that combines capital appreciation with reduced volatility relative to the MSCI All Country World Index.
“In today’s uncertain and volatile markets there is clear demand from international advisers for a fund that can operate as the core global equity element within client portfolios while providing reduced volatility and downside risk,” he said.
“Many advisers are also attracted by a concentrated ‘best ideas’ approach to stock selection within a fund, as this may be able to consistently outperform traditional global equity offerings.”
He added that the company’s partnership with Driehaus has allowed non-US investors to gain access to high growth strategies via its UCITS fund structure.
Earlier this year, VAM announced that it had obtained a licence to begin operating in South Africa and had launched 11 funds in the region.