Fund managers are responsible for picking stocks, finding the right portfolio mix, and executing trades on behalf of investors of a fund such as a mutual fund, unit trust, or pension fund; they are expected to generate a fair return for their investors in exchange for a fee. Fund managers may specialize in investing in equities, fixed income, commodities, or a combination of asset classes.

Active fund managers rely on analysis, data, and their own judgment to make investment decisions. For active managers, outperforming the market has become tremendously challenging. In the U.S., two out of three actively managed domestic stock mutual funds underperformed the S&P 500 total stock market index last year.   Passive fund managers mirror their portfolio with the components of an index, says the Nigeria ASI Index or the Dow Jones Industrial Average (called “indexing”). The growing exchange-traded fund (ETF) industry, which has an estimated US$1.53 trillion in assets globally, falls under this category.   Fund managers work closely with a team of research/investment analysts that provides them with the financial basis for their investment decisions. One can start as a research analyst in an asset management firm and climb up the ladder to become a fund manager, chief investment officer, or higher. Some successful fund managers also started out in support roles in the middle and back offices.   Other roles in the asset management industry include sales, marketing, product development, and client services, as well as auditing, compliance, and risk management. Meanwhile, demand for talent in the fund management industry is expected to grow in tandem with wealth creation in Africa   Fund Management professionals works with clients, from individual investors to large financial institutions, to develop advanced portfolio management strategies to help them achieve specific goals for their own or their institution’s financial future.

Investment Management teams:

• Develop and manage customized investment portfolios and discretionary funds for institutions, corporations, pension funds, governments, foundations and individuals in countries around the world
• Design and manage families of mutual funds
• Build and maintain lasting relationships with institutional and high-net-worth individual investors and their consultants
• Manage relationships with investors and provide a full range of reporting and accounting services
• Work closely with professionals in other divisions to develop new client relationships and to create new products

  FUND MANAGEMENT NEWS

1. 1.     Hong Kong Genuine fund management plea- http://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/1354304/hong-kong-urged-be-genuine-fund-management-hub
2. 2.     Exit continues at Swip- http://www.efinancialnews.com/story/2013-11-12/swip-fund-manager-calum-bruce?ea9c8a2de0ee111045601ab04d673622
3. 3.     Fears Aberdeen Asset Management could be caught up in expensive bidding war- http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/news/fears-aberdeen-asset-management-could-be-caught-up-in-expensive-bidding-war-29745286.html