21 May 2008
UK's multi-manager market targeted with the launch of Architas
A new multi-manager investment company under the name Architas Multi-Manager (Architas) is being launched. Architas, a member of AXA Group, will herald what the company believes will be a significant step-change in multi-manager fund construction, design and delivery in the UK investment marketplace.
Architas, which will be launched in late summer 2008, will seek to redefine the way multi-manager or sub-advised funds are manufactured, managed and delivered to clients by using technological innovation to restructure the traditional multi-manager value chain. With the creation of Architas, AXA UK will transform its current multi-manager capability into a new stand-alone investment business with a distinct customer-centric proposition and market leading multi-manager proposition.
The name Architas reflects the vision of the business, with its approach to unbiased and guided architecture, and an architect's focus on the precision thinking and design of the multi manager funds. It researched well with consumers and IFAs - the name represented strength, professionalism and had gravitas.
As part of a number of key senior appointments being made to Architas from across the industry over coming months, it was announced last week that Richard Philbin will be joining Architas as chief investment officer (CIO). Richard will oversee the establishment of the firm's investment proposition. Richard, who starts in his new role later this year, was previously at F&C where he was responsible for increasing assets under management in the range from £100 million to £1 billion.
Those already announced are:
- Nicolas Moreau – chairman
- Mike Kellard – chief executive officer
- Ian Colquhoun – managing director
- Richard Philbin – chief investment officer
Mike Kellard says, "Architas will be a progressive investment business which in time will transform the way we all view the management of investments, with its focus on delivering customer centric multi-manager propositions. This is a hugely exciting development that I believe will deliver outstanding benefits to both intermediaries and their clients."
Nicolas Moreau says, "Architas will provide AXA with the multi-manager offering it needs to open its architecture, including advice, investment propositions and product design. The new multi-manager investment company will deliver superior investment performance from a market leading multi-manager proposition, combining the best of current market offerings with new innovative thinking and investment design.”
-End-
For further information:
Paul Riddell, Press Office, +44 (0)1256 798099
Becky Holmes, Press Office, +44 (0)1256 798310
Christine Wood, FD, +44 (0)20 7269 7253
Notes to Editors
AXA UK and AXA Investment Managers
A member of AXA, Architas will operate as an independent multi-manager provider.
Architas Multi-Manager will be distinct from AXA IM and AXA Framlington.
Architas will complement AXA IM and AXA Framlington by supporting the broadening of AXA's proposition to include a move to an unbiased and guided architecture distribution model.
It will not compete with AXA IM and AXA Framlington in the pure fund management space. AXA IM and AXA Framlington will offer their investment expertises as appropriate to Architas while offering innovative and tailored investment solutions to AXA businesses and third party institutional and retail investors.
Architas and AXA UK
Architas is a member of AXA Group.
AXA Group is a worldwide leader in Financial Protection. AXA's operations are diverse geographically, with major operations in Europe, North America and the Asia/Pacific area. IFRS revenues amounted to EURO;94 billion for the full year 2007.
The AXA ordinary share is listed on Compartment A of Euronext Paris under the ticker symbol CS (ISIN FR0000120628 - Bloomberg: CS FP - Reuters: AXAF.PA). The American Depository Share is also listed on the NYSE under the ticker symbol AXA.
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