Natixis Investment Managers expands its global equities offering with the creation of Thematics Asset Management
Natixis Investment Managers announces the creation of Thematics Asset Management, a new investment company1 based in Paris, that joins the firm’s global lineup of investment affiliates and will provide investors with access to a wide range of high conviction and active global thematic strategies, including, Safety, Water, Artificial Intelligence & Robotics, starting in Q2, 20192.
Thematics Asset Management will be led by Karen Kharmandarian, Chairman & CIO, and Mohammed Amor, Managing Partner and Head of Development. The investment team will also include Arnaud Bisschop, Frédéric Dupraz and Nolan Hoffmeyer, who joined Natixis Investment Managers in November 2018, and Simon Gottelier who joins as a senior portfolio manager on the Water strategy.
The management team consists of the above-named partners, specialized in global thematic investing, with a high-conviction, long-term approach and an emphasis on integrating Environmental, Social and Governance
(‘ESG’) considerations throughout the investment decision-making process.
Prior to joining Natixis Investment Managers and over the past 11 years, the team has developed and launched a range of thematic funds and were together involved in the management of more than $21 billion of assets. The investment managers have a strong expertise in bottom-up stock picking, identifying the companies exposed to long-term secular growth themes that should deliver risk-adjusted returns superior to those of broader global equity markets. The team’s robust investment process will rely on broad investable universes and the building of portfolios based solely on the merits of the individual stocks. The result is a range of portfolios that reflect high levels of conviction and are global, unconstrained, benchmark-agnostic and socially responsible.
“The long-term structural changes underway across all sectors of the global economy pose unique challenges for our clients as for us. The launch of Thematics Asset Management, as part of our multi-affiliate asset
management model exemplifies Natixis’ response turning a long-term trend from a challenge into an opportunity,” said François Riahi, Chairman of Natixis Investment Managers’ board and CEO of Natixis.
One of the world's largest asset managers with €802b in AUM3 and powered by the expertise of 24 specialized investment managers, Natixis Investment Managers offers access to highly active, high conviction managers, each of whom concentrates on the investment styles and disciplines in which they have proven expertise, the ultimate objective is to help investors to build stronger and more diversified portfolios over the long term.
“The addition of Thematics Asset Management to our lineup of affiliated managers makes a substantial contribution to our global equity range and provides our investors around the world with access to distinctive thematic strategies. The team’s strong expertise, proven track record and highly-active investment approach fit perfectly within our multi-affiliate model,” commented Jean Raby, CEO of Natixis Investment Managers.
“Thematics Asset Management’s partners share an entrepreneurial spirit combined with an active management approach. Our edge lies in our focus in identifying, developing and managing multi-decade investment themes fueled by four global primary forces that are transforming our world: demographic changes, globalization, innovation and scarcity. We are long-term by design in our investment style and in close alignment with our clients’ interest,” explained Karen Kharmandarian, Chairman & CIO, Thematics Asset Management.
“Natixis Investment Managers’ multi-affiliate model offers tremendous growth opportunities, and we are pleased to become an affiliate of one of the world’s leading asset managers. It allows us to access a truly global distribution network and to benefit from the support of a large financial services group while retaining our autonomy and focusing on what we do best: capturing investment opportunities and delivering sustainable returns for our investors,” said Mohammed Amor, Managing Partner and Head of Development, Thematics Asset Management.
The team recently launched a range of thematic strategies - Safety, Water, AI& Robotics, Meta strategy - under the Luxembourg-domiciled Natixis International Funds (Lux) I SICAV and new strategies will launch, including one over the course of the year.
Arnaud Bisschop is one of the founders and owners of Thematics Asset Management1. He will be the co-manager of the Thematics Water strategy. He has more than 11 years of experience and he began his career as a consultant at Ernst&Young, before joining the firm Suez, where he developed his expertise in French Water utilities. He joined Pictet Asset Management in 2007. Arnaud holds a master degree in engineering and economics from ‘Ecole Polytechnique’ and ‘Ecole Nationale du Genie Rural des Eaux et des Forets’.
Frédéric Dupraz, CFA, is one of the founders and owners of Thematics Asset Management1. He will be the manager of the Thematics Safety Strategy. He began his investment career at Pictet in 2004 and has 10 years’ experience managing long-only global thematic equities. Before, he was a consultant in the Financial Services industry with PricewaterhouseCoopers. Frédéric holds a master degree in econometrics from the University of Geneva and a bachelor degree in engineering from the HES Geneva. He is also a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charterholder.
Karen Kharmandarian is one of the founders and owners of Thematics Asset Management1. He will be the Chairman & CIO of the company. Karen will also be the co-manager of the Thematics Artificial Intelligence & Robotics strategy. Karen has 25 years of industry experience, both on the sell-side and on the buy-side, of which 12 years of managing global thematic equity funds. He notably created and managed the first of its kind Robotics active fund in 2015. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and a Master’s degree in Banking and Finance from the Sorbonne University, as well as a business degree from the Institut d’Études Politiques (Paris).
Mohammed Amor is one of the founders and owners of Thematics Asset Management1. He will be the Managing Partner & Head of development of Thematics Asset Management. Mohammed has 9 years of experience. He began his career in 2010 as a Sales Representative at Derivatives Capital, a brokerage firm specialized in structured products. He joined Turgot Asset Management in 2013, as Head of retail. In 2014, he joined Pictet Asset Management, where he covered retail, banks and networks in France. Mohammed holds a Master degree from Ecole de Management de Grenoble.
Nolan Hoffmeyer, CFA, is one of the founders and owners of Thematics Asset Management1 . He will be the co-manager of the Thematics AI & Robotics and Thematics Safety strategies. He has 6 years of experience. He was previously with Pictet Asset Management (since 2012). Nolan graduated from the University of St. Gallen with a bachelor in business administration and he holds a master in financial engineering from the University of Lausanne. He is also a CFA charterholder.
Simon Gottelier is one of the founders and owners of Thematics Asset Management1. He will be the co-manager of the Thematics Water strategy. Simon has 20 years of experience. He began his career as an Investment Banker in London and also worked at Veolia Water UK before spending 12 years between London and New York at the specialist Environmental Investment Company Impax Asset Management, where he managed the Impax Water strategy, the BNP Paribas Investment Partners ‘Aqua Fund’ and a range of broader Environmental and Thematic equity products. In 2016, he joined Pictet Asset Management. Simon holds a BA in modern languages from the University of Bristol.
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About Groupe BPCE
Groupe BPCE is the second-largest banking group in France. Through its 100,000 staff, the group serves 35 million customers – individuals, professionals, companies, investors and local government bodies – around the world. It operates in the retail banking and insurance fields in France via its two major networks, Banque Populaire and Caisse d’Epargne, along with Banque Palatine and Oney. It also pursues its activities worldwide with the asset & wealth management services provided by Natixis Investment Managers and the wholesale banking expertise of Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking. The Group's financial strength is recognized by four credit rating agencies with the following senior preferred LT ratings: Moody's (A1, stable outlook), Standard & Poor's (A, stable outlook), Fitch (AA-, negative outlook) and R&I (A+, stable outlook).
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