Natixis Investment Managers has created Thematics Asset Management, a new investment company based in Paris that will seek to provide investors with access to a range of active global thematic strategies including safety, water, artificial Intelligence and robotics.
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 team specialises 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, the group said in a statement.
Prior to joining Natixis, the team has developed and launched a range of thematic funds over the last decade and were together involved in the management of more than €18.5bn of assets.
“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.
“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,” said 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 fuelled by four global primary forces that are transforming our world: demographic changes, globalization, innovation and scarcity,” said Kharmandarian.
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.
Natixis Investment Managers has €808bn in assets under management.
