Liontrust Asset Management PLC has acquired the fund management business of Occam Asset Management. This achieves Liontrust’s publicly stated objective of expanding into the fast growing Asia and Emerging Markets asset classes to complement its existing UK and Europe fund management capability.
Occam brings the management of four Dublin-based funds and two Cayman Islands-domiciled hedge funds to Liontrust, with the funds being rebranded and three of them being renamed.
The Dublin funds are: Liontrust Asia Absolute Return (formerly Occam Asia Absolute Return), Liontrust Asia (Occam Asia Focus), Liontrust Pan European (Occam Europe Focus) and Liontrust Emerging Markets Absolute Return (Occam Emerging Markets Opportunities). The Cayman Islands funds are: Liontrust Sorbus and Liontrust Diversity.
Acquiring Occam’s fund management business increases Liontrust’s assets under management and enhances other areas of Liontrust’s business. Jonathan Hughes-Morgan and David Sheppard, co-founders of Occam, have many years of experience of running businesses and identifying and recruiting fund managers. Jonathan, David and their sales team strengthen the distribution capability at Liontrust, notably in continental Europe, the Middle East and other international markets.
"This is the next step in the development of Liontrust," said John Ions, Chief Executive of Liontrust. "The business now has the foundations from which to grow following the restructuring of the business, developing the brand, raising awareness and returning to net inflows.
Jonathan Hughes-Morgan, Chief Executive of Occam, added: "There is a good fit between Occam and Liontrust. John and I have known each other for many years and have like-minded views on the investment management industry. There is a can-do attitude at both companies and bureaucracy is minimised so decisions can be made quickly and be rapidly implemented.
"Liontrust is attractive because it is a business with positive momentum, has an increasingly strong brand and has excellent fund management teams. Liontrust provides greater resources and infrastructure for us, giving us a broader base from which to move forward."
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