Following strong growth and sustained performance in its multi-asset business, Insight Investment, Valletta Fund Management’s investment arm has further strengthened the team with the appointment of Stephen Waddington as a director of the multi-asset investment selection and James de Bunsen as investment analyst.
Insight Investment is a shareholder of Valletta Fund Management Limited and is appointed as Sub-Investment Manager for the Valletta Fund Management range of investment funds
Valletta Fund Management’s link to the Multi-Manager concept started off in 2004 with the introduction for the first time in Malta of the Multi-Manager concept through the launch of the Vilhena European Multi-Manager Fund, the Vilhena UK Multi-Manager Fund and the Vilhena US Multi-Manager Fund.
Multi-manager funds predominately invest in units of collective investment schemes thereby allowing wider diversification in terms of industry, sector exposure and investment management expertise.
Stephen Waddington joins Insight from Australian investment and wealth management Group, BT Financial, where he was co-founder of the investment solutions multi-manager operation, and responsible for due diligence, investment allocation and portfolio construction decisions relating to the Group’s outsourced investment management capabilities. He holds an MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management and a BSc in Valuation and Estate Management from the University of West of England, Bristol.
James de Bunsen has also joined the multi-asset group as investment analyst. James has been with Insight since 2005, and holds a BA honours degree from Manchester University.
Patrick Armstrong, co-head of Insight’s multi-asset group said: “We are extremely pleased to welcome Stephen and James to the multi-asset group. Stephen’s expertise, particularly within equity and property manager selection, further strengthens our capabilities and enables us to push ahead in developing dynamic and diverse multi-asset portfolios.
“We expect to be able to leverage his experience to allow us to capitalise on the flexibility that UCITS III affords to our Absolute Return family of funds.”
Another important development for VFM within the Multi-Manager concept took place in 2006 when Valletta Fund Management added Absolute Return Funds within the range of investment funds under its’ management. An Absolute Return Fund seeks to achieve positive returns in all market environments.
These funds have greater investment flexibility and offer strong diversification benefits when compared to traditional investments, aiming for stable performance in all market conditions.
Valletta Fund Management offers investors a choice of two Absolute Return Funds namely, the Vilhena Dynamic Multi-Manager Fund, a Fund which aims for capital growth and the Vilhena Diversified Multi-Manager Income Fund which aims to distribute income twice a year.