Fund Management
Skandia Expands Platform With Swiss Offering
Skandia has enhanced its fund range by adding eight Pictet funds to its Selestiav Investment Solutions platform.
“Pictet is a global business, but has limited exposure in the UK retail market. Skandia therefore becomes one of the first providers to offer Pictet funds in the UK. Their addition will enhance our active and passive range of funds, providing wider opportunities for advisors to construct robust investment portfolios for their clients,” said Graham Bentley, head of investment marketing at Skandia.
Skandia’s range now amounts to more than 900 funds from 77 of the world’s fund management groups. Skandia International will also add a selection of Pictet funds to the Royal Skandia and Skandia Life Ireland platforms by the end of February.
The company has added eight Pictet funds to its platform including: Pictet Water, Pictet Timber, Pictet Clean Energy, Pictet USA Index, Pictet Japan Index, Pictet Pacific Ex Japan Index, Pictet Euroland Index and Pictet Emerging Markets Index.
Index Fund objectives are to replicate the performance of the respective index. The investment team applies a quantitative approach to minimise tracking error and transaction cost which is achieved through an optimised quasi-full replication methodology developed in-house.
The Pictet Water fund will invest worldwide in shares of companies focused on the water related sector. The Pictet Timber fund will invest in companies active throughout the entire timber value chain, with a focus on companies that own and/or manage forests and timberland.
The Pictet Clean Energy fund’s objective is to invest worldwide in shares of companies that contribute to and profit from the world's transition to less carbon-intensive energy.
Pictet & Cie is one of Switzerland’s largest private banks and is wholly owned by seven managing partners. The bank specialises in private and institutional asset management. Pictet has offices in 19 cities worldwide and employs more than 2,800 people, including over 500 investment professionals.
Launched in 1979, Skandia has funds under management of £36.3 billion (about $52.2 billion) as at 30 September 2008.