Mercer’s small caps now boutique-only

Mercer Global Investments (MGI) has redeemed Australian small cap equities mandates with two big institutions in preference for boutique managers.

MGI’s $12 billion multi-manager fund has culled Colonial First State (CFS) and Grantham, Mayo and van Otterloo (GMO) from its Australian small cap shares portfolio and assigned boutiques Northcape and Kosmos in their place. Adam Smith Asset Management, the remaining Australian small cap equities manager in Mercer’s portfolio, retained its mandate. While Adam Smith is a value manager, both Northcape and Kosmos run core/growth manadates for MGI. Kosmos was founded in January by two ex-CFS senior portfolio managers, Anthony Vourdanos and Tom Plodr. MGI’s redemption of its small caps mandate with the duo’s former shop and subsequent funding of Kosmos echoed the recent moves of two super funds for maritime workers, the Stevedoring Employees Retirement Fund and Seafarers Retirement Fund, which withdrew small-caps money from CFS and funded Kosmos in August.

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AustralianSuper pares back bonds in favour of growth assets

The $410 billion AustralianSuper has been dialling back its fixed income allocation in favour of growth assets as it positions for a “constructive” economic environment, but the asset class remains a critical portfolio stabiliser and an important tool in complementing the fund’s risk objectives. Head of fixed income and currency Katie Dean talks scale and internalisation advantages.

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