Despite being a growing reservoir of funds under management, this critically important pool of capital is confronting mounting problems collating and disseminating key data in a timely manner.
The ratings house is pinning its growth strategy on a revamped methodology that increases the emphasis on governance to 25 per cent – a timely move considering APRA’s proposed reforms.
Heuristic to talk to former van Eyk team
(Pictured: Rob de Silva)
Heuristic Investment Solutions expects to eventually start talking to former members of the van Eyk research team in their new ventures, after the collapse resulted in the loss of one of their major platform clients.
“We did some work for them for about seven years,” Heuristic co-founder Damian Hennessy said.
Heuristic, which was established in 2003, now has a large industry fund and fund manager client base, for which it supplies investment strategy and asset allocation research.
“We haven’t had any sort of formal contact [with the van Eyk analysts] but I guess we will at some point,” Hennessy said.
“The focus for us is really very much on industry funds and managed funds.”
Hennessy indicated that van Eyk business did not account for a significant percentage of the Heuristic’s overall revenue at the time of its collapse.
Three former van Eyk executives Jonathan Ramsay, Jonathan Tolub and Fil Andronaco – started up a consultancy called InvestSense in October, winning at least one former van Eyk client – The Sentry Group.
Lonsec Research has acquired the van Eyk iRate technology and client base and former van Eyk deputy chief investment officer and head of research Robert de Silva (pictured) has just joined SQM Research as head of alternatives and fixed income.
One of Heuristic’s most recent industry fund clients is the Energy Industry Super Scheme (EISS), which will subscribe to its Investment Strategy Bureau service. Heuristics is providing EISS with tailored investment strategy and asset allocation resources and an interactive platform to analyse markets, scenarios and events for the portfolio construction process.
