IFSL Marlborough Global Essential Infrastructure and IFSL Marlborough Global SmallCap launched yesterday (20 September) and will both be managed by Australian fund house Ausbil in a new partnership between the two firms.
The global essential infrastructure fund will be headed by Tim Humphreys, Ausbil head of listed infrastructure, who will lead a team of four co-managers.
It will invest in 25 to 45 firms that provide facilities essential for society to function, including utilities such as electricity, gas and water, toll roads, airports, energy pipelines and mobile phone towers.
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The fund will typically target regulated industries with long term contracts or track records of stable cash flow. Marlborough said it hoped a focus on essential infrastructure will be a key differentiator, providing long-term returns with reduced volatility.
The estimated OCF is 0.85% and the fund will sit in the Investment Association's Infrastructure sector.
Meanwhile, the global small cap fund will be managed by Tobias Bucks and Simon Wood, targeting "next generation of emerging global titans".
It will invest in between 50 and 80 firms, working to identify expanding firms with strong management teams.
The estimated OCF is 0.89% and the fund will sit in the Investment Association's Global sector.
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Marlborough Group CEO Richard Goodall said: "We have ambitious plans for growth and an important part of our strategy is identifying high-calibre investment managers with whom we can work in partnership to bring innovative new propositions to the UK market.
"We believe the launch of the two funds could be particularly timely for investors. Global essential infrastructure can offer strong embedded inflation protection, because of the nature of these companies, with, for example, regulators enabling utility companies to increase their profits in line with inflation.
"Meanwhile, market volatility has created exceptional opportunities for the global small cap team to invest in outstanding smaller companies with very strong long-term prospects at significantly reduced valuations."