Twelve months ago Zenith Investment Partners Pty Ltd (Zenith) acknowledged the need to boost its market research offering with the establishment of the Alternatives Research division to be headed by accomplished investment professional Daniel Liptak.
Reflecting on rapid growth and success of the Zenith’s Alternatives Research, Director and Co founder David Smythe said the target market for alternatives research is quite specialised and was (and continues to be) in great demand, particularly from high net worth (HNW) individuals, family offices and superannuation funds.
Initially, it was Zenith’s goal to have 60 to 80 alternative investment products fully researched, together with on-going monitoring by Q3, 2011. Zenith’s Alternatives team surpassed this target last month with 105 funds.
Commenting on the Alternatives Research rapid growth and success, Zenith Head of Alternatives Research Daniel Liptak said, “There are many factors that have contributed to the Zenith’s Alternative success and these include our global industry contacts, marketplace reputation and highly developed quantitative and qualitative screening processes.”
“Additionally, Zenith researchers meet at least five alternative fund managers every week over the course of a year and in doing so, are ideally positioned to capitalize on emerging trends, new fund launches and have the most current macro views of the local and global economies – and in doing so – are able to relay this information onto our clients.”
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Since the beginning of 2011, Zenith’s Alternatives Research division has completed the Australian Equity Market Sector Review that reviewed nine funds. This was followed by the release of 20 CTA / Managed Futures / Global Macro / Commodities and Currency funds – and later by the Australian Long Short Equity Sector review of 15 funds.
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Zenith has also extended its coverage to include a number of Private Equity Offerings that will have appeal to the HNW market.
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Liptak also confirmed that Zenith also covers direct water offerings and is looking at a number of shipping funds.
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The Zenith Alternatives Research team is currently comprised of five specialised analysts dedicated to alternatives research exclusively and if current demand continues, Liptak expects to add additional resources in the very near future.
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“The depth, quality, insight and experience of the Alternatives team clearly reflects Zenith’s commitment to this area and one which we are confident will provide a greater depth of coverage of alternative assets than our Australian based research competitors,” added Daniel Liptak.
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The Alternatives Research is also included on the Zenith website with content, information and fund data updated frequently. Liptak is confident that the website will grow inimportance to Zenith’s client as a valuable source of reference.
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“Since our inception, the hedge funds and other alternative fund managers have readily embraced and welcomed the Zenith offering of deep independent research and personalised service.”
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“Our aim is to continue to build on this foundation in the years ahead and to be acknowledged as an innovative and leading provider of quality research and alternative portfolio advice to our growing base of clients,” concluded Daniel Liptak.
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Liptak also confirmed that in the very near future, Zenith Alternatives will be announcing a number of exclusive alternative consultancy arrangements.