Liontrust, the specialist fund management group, has recruited Antonio Forte for its international sales team; he has joined from Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken, having previously worked at Luxgest Asset Management (Intesa San Paolo Group) and Philip Morris International; Antonio is also a CAIA holder.
Antonio Forte is based in Luxembourg and is working with James Beddall and Jonathan Hughes-Morgan to expand the distribution capability of Liontrust’s Dublin range of funds, with a particular focus on Italy and Spain.
“Italy is attractive for fund management groups because of the large savings market and the recent and ongoing move away from bonds and property into equities and alternative investments,” said Antonio Forte.
“We will be marketing Liontrust’s funds through various distribution channels in Italy, including financial advisory networks, banks, private banks, funds of funds and other institutional investors. Liontrust is building a strong and diverse fund range in Dublin, notably through alternative investments across equities and bonds. We are confident these will appeal to intermediaries and their clients in Italy and Spain given the current uncertainty about markets.”
James Beddall added: “Antonio is a key hire for us as we continue to expand our distribution across continental Europe. He has excellent contacts and experience of selling funds in Italy and will enable us to grow our presence in this thriving market. We have been building an attractive range of alternative UCITS funds at Liontrust, and will continue to diversify our teams and fund range in the future.”
Liontrust launched the Dublin-based GF Global Strategic Equity fund, which is managed by Patrick Cadell and Kristof Bulkai, on 17 July 2015 to add to the existing GF Global Strategic Bond fund, which is managed by Michael Mabbutt and Felix Martin, and the GF European Strategic Equity fund, which is managed by James Inglis-Jones and Samantha Gleave. All these funds are UCITS funds with daily liquidity, and deploy differentiated long/short strategies.
From the start of 2015 to 31 August, the GF European Strategic Equity fund (Euro share class) delivered a return of 6.3% while the GF Global Strategic Bond fund (USD Accumulating) has returned 8.6%. (Source: FE as at 31.08.15). Past performance is not a guide to future performance.
Liontrust Asset Management, which was launched in 1995, is an independent fund management group whose shares are quoted on the London Stock Exchange. Liontrust manages £4.6 billion (as at close of 20 July 2015) in UK, European, Asian and Global equities, Global Credit and Multi-Asset. Liontrust has been named by the London Stock Exchange Group as one of the 1,000 companies to inspire Britain in 2015. These are the “UK’s most exciting and dynamic small and medium-sized businesses”.
