Shortlisted with BGI Total Return - Australian Equity Market Neutral and Fortitude Capital Absolute Return Trust, BLSEM Principal Richard Fish said "the award was recognition of the boutique approach and solid performance history of the fund. It's an honour to be recognised by your peers for something you've been doing for over 20 years."
BLSEM is a boutique, market neutral manager which manages funds on behalf of both fund-of-funds and private investors. It is one of the original funds management subsidiaries of the Bennelong Group, a funds management and private equity business with interests in Australia, the United Kingdom and the Middle East.
Employing a qualitative stock selection process to construct a diversified portfolio of paired securities based on relative value, BLESM invests primarily in the S&P/ASX 100. The fund has over six years of successful performance history and features nil correlation with the underlying market. It currently has A$63 million invested. Gross returns of 39.52 per cent were achieved over the last 12 months (to end June 2008), and an annualised gross return of 26.06 per cent since inception.
The Australian Hedge Fund Industry Awards have a philanthropic bent, with children's charity Cure our Kids being the ultimate beneficiary of profits raised on the night.
"This is a really positive association for us. The Bennelong Group commits a portion of all Group profits to its own charitable trust, the Bennelong Foundation - they're the ultimate beneficiary of our success," Richard said.
BLSEM was founded as a joint venture between Bennelong Funds Management and Richard Fish in 2001.
Bennelong Funds Management is an investment organisation established to deliver excellence in asset management solutions for a diverse group of investors. It holds equity interests in a number of specialist boutique managers supported by the strength of the Bennelong Group. The business's aspiration is to incubate, support and grow a suite of high performing asset management teams that offer a range of non-correlated, innovative, value adding investment strategies and products.
Media enquiries
Richard Fish, Principal
Call: 03 8611 6566
