The latest news in investment offerings, financial products and other services relevant to wealth advisors and their clients.

Rathbones Asset Management
Rathbones Asset Management has launched a new Asia ex-Japan fund – Rathbone SICAV Asia Equity Fund. The fund broadens the Rathbone Luxembourg Funds SICAV range and aligns with the firm’s international growth strategy.

The Rathbone SICAV Asia Equity Fund, managed by Lisa Lim, is a high conviction and concentrated, actively managed portfolio of typically 25 to 35 holdings, the firm said in a statement.

The sub-fund also makes disclosures in accordance with the requirements under Article 8 of the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation.

“Asia represents not only the fastest growing region in the world but also acts as a centre of innovation and technological leadership,” Lim said. “We believe now is an inflection point in the region as its focus on innovation matures and becomes a true engine of growth for the long-term.”

Lim joined Rathbones in March 2025, bringing long corporate and investing experience in Asia ex-Japan. Previously, she worked at Prusik Investment Management where she was a partner and portfolio manager. Prior to this, Lim was a fund manager at Columbia Threadneedle for over a decade and led several Asia equities institutional portfolios.

“The launch of this fund marks an important step forward in our growth strategy, as we look to bring in world-class expertise and launch strategies in new parts of the market for Rathbones Asset Management,” Tom Carroll, CEO, Rathbones Asset Management, added.

The Rathbone Luxembourg Funds SICAV Company is an open-ended investment fund with multiple compartments governed by Luxembourg law.

Aberdeen
Aberdeen, which provides a large UK advisor platform, has launched a new and enhanced Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP), and a free Junior SIPP.

Clients can grow, enjoy, and pass on wealth tax-efficiently in a rapidly evolving pension landscape, the firm said in a statement. The Junior SIPP plugs a gap in the market because there are few tailored industry options.

Aberdeen’s automated drawdown price lock is available with the flexible income solutions the SIPP offers; flexi-access, capped and tailored drawdown, and complete choice on drawdown dates and prefunding as standard. Family linking, to support intergenerational planning, means that charges are reduced across SIPPs, individual savings accounts (ISA) and the new Junior SIPP for family members, the firm added. The new Junior SIPP also offers market-leading pricing, with no platform charges until the age of 18.

“In a rapidly-growing market projected to increase by £100 billion ($132 billion) in the next five years, advisors need the best tools and features to deliver for their clients,” Noel Butwell, chief executive officer, Aberdeen Adviser said. Aberdeen's drawdown price lock means that once a client enters drawdown they can lock the annual platform charge based on their total platform-eligible assets (PEAs) at that moment, so even if their pot subsequently declines (because of withdrawals or market falls) the charge won’t automatically revert to a higher tier.  And because the drawdown lock is automatically reviewed monthly, if the client’s portfolio increases, the lock will be re-set to secure them at the new better rate, the firm continued.

The Aberdeen SIPP is available on the Aberdeen Wrap platform. It will be available to new policies first, with existing policies moving over next year. “This SIPP is the ultimate intergenerational financial planning tool that allows families to grow, enjoy and pass on wealth in a tax efficient manner in a rapidly-evolving pension landscape. Having the right SIPP can make a tangible difference to client outcomes in retirement,” Verona Kenny, chief distribution officer, Aberdeen Adviser added. 

BNP Paribas AM
BNP Paribas Asset Management has announced that its Global Megatrends strategy has reached €1 billion ($1.15 billion) in assets under management, which it said was driven by “strong investor appetite and to a lesser extent market effect.”

The strategy seeks to capture four megatrends: demographics, innovation, environment and geopolitics. 

“These megatrends are creating transformation across economies, sectors and industries that, while causing disruption, are also fostering innovation and creating potential new areas of growth within the global investment universe. Across these megatrends, we have identified seven categories of investable themes: clean energy, natural capital, social equality, digital transformation, healthcare innovation, consumer and sovereignty and security,” the firm said. 

The "megatrends" approach is an example of what is called thematic investing, in which an asset manager seeks to track drivers of return that cut through traditional classifications of geopgraphical location of a firm and market size. 

In other developments at BNP Paribas, the French bank said in late October that its wealth and asset management arm logged €4.2 billion ($4.9 billion) of net inflows in the third quarter of 2025.