Malbec Partners launches alternative investment platform

Date: Monday, November 12, 2007
Author: Hedgeweek.com

BNP Paribas investment management subsidiary Malbec Partners has announced the launch of a global alternative investment business in response to what it says is significant investor demand for this asset class and a growing need for alternative strategies that operate within an institutional platform.

The firm has recruited two experienced investment teams to the platform, each with exceptional records in investing, and is scheduled to launch strategies focusing on emerging markets and quantitative fixed-income investments before the end of the year.

Malbec Partners was established by Fischer Francis Trees & Watts, a specialist manager owned by BNP Paribas through its asset management business line BNP Paribas Investment Partners, which manages single and multi-currency fixed-income investment portfolios for institutional clients worldwide.

'The launch is a significant milestone in the development of our alternative investment business,' says Fischer Francis chief executive Stephen Casper. 'We believe Malbec Partners can achieve leadership as a high-quality segregated platform that will add enormous value for institutions seeking to participate in this asset class.'

Jeffrey Trongone, president of Malbec Partners, says: 'We have a compelling value proposition for investors at a time when they are urgently seeking high quality, experienced investment managers and disciplined, comprehensive risk management within a strong institutional framework.

'We have recruited exceptional teams, developed a best practice risk management and investor communication programme, and built a fully integrated platform. The initial feedback from investors has been extremely positive, and we are looking forward to the launch of our strategies in the months ahead.'

Malbec Partners is based in New York but plans to open an office in London to increase the breadth of its strategies and its geographic scope. Fischer Francis managed more than USD30bn in assets at the end of September from offices in New York, London, Paris, Singapore and Tokyo.