European Investors Seek Managers For €575m Across Equities, CTAs, Credit

There are currently five mandates open on IPE Quest, IPE’s dedicated RFP tool for asset owners, covering a range of asset classes and more than €575m in assets.

Invalue, a Swiss investment consultancy, is searching for a CTA manager for one of its pension fund clients, according to search QN-2529.

The global, multi-asset mandate is worth CHF400m (€350.7m). Managers should state performance net of fees to 31 March.

The benchmark for the mandate is the SG Trend index. There is no absolute minimum track record required, but the consultant would prefer to see a five-year performance record.

The mandate must be compatible with Swiss single investor funds, Invalue said, and currency hedging is not permitted.

The client’s preferred investment style is “pure medium- to long-term programmes”, the consultant said, with a target volatility of 12-14%, although a wider range of 8-18% is “acceptable”.

The deadline for submissions is 15 May at 5pm UK time.

Insurer seeks sustainable emerging markets manager

Search QN-2534 is being conducted by a Nordic insurance company. It wants to allocate $100m (€89.3m) to emerging market equities via a pooled UCITS vehicle.

The insurer wants managers to have an active, sustainability-focused approach to the asset class. They must have at least $250m under management in the asset class already, and at least $1bn in assets under management across the company.

Managers will be required to demonstrate integration of ESG factors within their investment process, their dedicated ESG resources, details of ESG-focused roles within their investment teams, and ESG-related performance and transparency.

The benchmark for the mandate is the MSCI Emerging Markets index, and tracking error can be between 2% and 10%.

Managers bidding for mandate should state performance gross of fees to 30 April 2019. The minimum track record required is one year, but the insurer would prefer those with at least a three-year record.

The deadline for submissions is 15 May at 5pm UK time.

University pension fund allocates to alternative credit and low-vol equity

The €708m pension fund for the University of Gent in Belgium is seeking managers for two separate mandates of €67m each.

Pensioenfonds UZ Gent – UGent OFP wants to allocate to alternative credit and global, low-volatility equity.

For each mandate, the pension fund plans to build a shortlist of five managers. 

Information regarding the alternative credit mandate is available here (in Dutch). The deadline is 13 May at midnight Belgian time.

The global low-volatility equity mandate’s deadline is 17 May at noon Belgian time, and more information is available here (in Dutch).

Swiss pension fund eyes convertible bonds

An unnamed Swiss pension fund is using IPE Quest’s Discovery service to collate ideas for a convertible bonds mandate.

According to search DS-2533, the investor is seeking a segregated, global, active mandate but has not specified other details.

Managers wishing to contribute ideas should respond by 14 May at 5pm UK time.

The IPE news team is unable to answer any further questions about IPE Quest, Discovery, or Innovation tender notices to protect the interests of clients conducting the search. To obtain information directly from IPE Quest, please contact Jayna Vishram on +44 (0) 20 3465 9330 or email jayna.vishram@ipe-quest.com.