Sunsuper, the $19 billion fund, has boosted its investment in emerging markets by allocating $600 million to three equity fund managers from the U.S. and the U.K.
Brisbane-based Sunsuper awarded a $200 million mandate to San Diego-based Brandes Investment Partners L.P. London-based Hexam Capital Partners LLP also received a $200 million mandate.
Sunsuper also invested $200 million in Boston-based GMO LLC’s emerging domestic opportunities fund, a co-mingled fund.
“We are looking for opportunities in the internal growth of emerging markets,” says David Hartley, the Sydney-based chief investment officer of Sunsuper. “Over the last year the value has become more compelling.”
Sunsuper has invested 8 percent of its portfolio in emerging markets as defined by the MSCI Emerging Index. Hartley believes the index does not capture all investment opportunities.
Brandes and Hexam oversee value-oriented fundamental strategies for Sunsuper. GMO invests in companies it believes will profit as per capita gross domestic product in emerging markets rises from “poverty to $10,000-plus,” says Hartley.
The Brandes emerging markets shares fund has made an annual gross return of 13.2 percent over the last five years to September 30. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index has risen 6.6 percent during the same period. But the GMO fund’s return is minus 4.82 percent since its March 31, 2011 inception.
