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The ideas and conclusions within these blogs are the authors' own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Octopus. They are for general interest only and should not be taken as investment advice or as an invitation to purchase or sell any investment. For our full terms and conditions, please click here.

Octopus multi manager funds

Simon Rogerson - 29 November 2010

At Octopus, the range of solutions we offer has continued to evolve in response to customers' needs. For this reason, multi manager funds - portfolios of funds investing across the globe in many different underlying assets - are now our core offering. Our multi manager team now runs 11 different multi manager funds, including the four Foundation Funds within our own discretionary management service Octopus Portfolio Manager. Multi manager funds work at theoretical and practical levels. They have the flexibility and durability to be a long-term investment solution for investors and advisers.

At the theoretical level, multi manager funds are important because they offer a route to diversification, a cornerstone of investment theory which, in layman's terms, means not putting all your eggs in one basket. In contrast to traditional single manager funds, which are generally mainly invested in one asset class or geographical region, multi manager portfolios achieve greater diversification through being multi-asset, investing across the globe in many assets including equities, bonds, gilts and cash. They're also multi-structure, mixing actively managed funds with passively managed tracker funds, further increasing the potential range of investments. Finally, they're multi manager, combining the best fund managers from around the globe. By housing such a wide range of assets, managers and styles, diversification is amplified.

At the practical level, multi manager funds are proving more attractive to investors than traditional single manager funds, because of the advantages they offer. The higher level of diversification in portfolios reduces risk, and return potential is optimised due to the range of assets and strategies that can be used. These funds can meet the basic needs for capital protection and growth, and bring peace of mind that money is invested in the right place, working hard to provide consistent returns. This is especially important in the current environment. Customers are far less trusting and tolerant of the financial services industry than previously and when it comes to investing, many are more risk averse.

Multi manager funds also appeal to financial advisers. They need services that enable them to meet new regulatory criteria (such as that in the forthcoming Retail Distribution Review), run successful businesses, and focus on what they do best - advising their clients. In particular, discretionary management services, underpinned by multi manager funds, which have been designed and put together with these needs in mind, can aid them and their clients.

All the multi manager funds we run have together attracted nearly £900 million of assets since launching in 2008 or 2009, growing by around £1.5 million per day. This growth reflects not only skilled fund management but how multi manager funds can meet customers' needs for effective, affordable, and lower risk investment solutions.

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