Richard Pease, head of European equities at New Star and manager of the Dublin OEIC New Star European Growth Fund, was recently awarded the highest possible rating, ‘AAA’, by Citywire, for his management of the UK based Open Ended Investment Company equivalent. Richard Pease has delivered top quartile performance for the Dublin OEIC New Star European Growth fund since it launched in August 2002.

Citywire Fund Manager Ratings identifies the individual managers who have the best risk adjusted personal performance track records over three years and highlights the funds they are currently managing. Of the 1,000+ active fund managers in Citywire’s UK database, less than five per cent receive an ‘AAA’ rating.

New Star Global Investment Funds, represented in Malta by Jesmond Mizzi Financial Services, is a Dublin-based open-ended investment company designed, with its selection of funds, to provide investors with access to the world’s financial markets. It employs a number of fund management performers such as Mr Pease, fund manager of New Star European Growth Fund.

New Star European Growth Fund invests in a vast number of companies with around two thirds of the portfolio invested in small and medium-sized companies. These are the companies Richard Pease believes will provide the greatest long-term growth opportunities in continental Europe.

The New Star European Growth Fund aims to provide investors with long-term capital growth principally through investment in the securities of European companies (excluding the United Kingdom).

This latest accolade comes hot on the heels of the New Star European Growth Fund (UK OEIC) receiving an ‘AAA’ rating from Forsyth OBSR. The Forsyth-OBSR ‘AAA’ rating is awarded to a fund which demonstrates a disciplined investment process, which, it is believed, will translate into exceptional long-term performance. The Forsyth-OBSR ‘AAA’ rating is an indication of excellence.

From 16 August 2002 to 31 January 2005, the fund has returned 47.1 per cent (EUR€ class)( annualised performance 16.40 per cent), compared with a rise of 23.1 per cent in the FTSE World Europe ex-UK Index (EUR€) (source: Datastream at 31 January 2005). The Fund, which has a primary listing on the Malta Stock Exchange, is authorised pursuant to the EC (UCITS) regulations and can be marketed in Malta.