The selection of appropriate investment vehicles within each asset class is a very important step in the investment process. What we are looking for with a fund is a strong track record which has been achieved without excessive risk taking and which is repeatable. It requires a thorough analysis of many factors including, though not limited to, the following.
Risk adjusted performance track record
Investment team
Investment philosophy and process
Risk controls and compliance/governance structures
Charges
On a quarterly basis we access a comprehensive report on all funds which provides a quantitative assessment of the best funds across each of the asset class categories. The analysis uses a range of risk adjusted performance metrics (Sharpe ratio, Sortino ratio, information ratio, drawdowns and volatility) to identify the funds which have achieved the best returns while taking account of the risk taken. Qualitative factors are important also, and we overlay a subjective assessment of the fund manager (in terms of style, team, investment process) on top of the quantitative analysis.