Hedge Fund Awards 2015

Hedge Fund Awards 2015 www.acquisition-intl.com 46 Most Innovative Hedge Fund - Bermuda Phoenix Legal Financing Fund I The Phoenix Legal Financing Fund I is Centaur Asset Management’s Bermuda-domiciled, open-ended mutual fund investing in legal claims and disputes. Nicolas Angio, Group CFO, Centaur Asset Management, gives us an overview of the fund Centaur Asset Management is a subsidiary of Centaur Holdings Ltd, a global investment holding company with interests and investments rang- ing from asset management, wealth management, private equity, ven- ture capital, mining and natural resources and agricultural investments. Centaur Asset Management is the ‘boutique’ asset management and investment advisory division of Centaur, providing investment solutions for individuals, advisors, fund sub-advisory clients and institutions. Our clients are a mix of professional investors, HNW individuals and institu- tions on the asset management side of the business. The Phoenix Legal Financing Fund I (PLF1) is a Bermuda-domiciled, open-ended mutual fund which makes investments in legal claims and disputes using a variety of structures, such as purchases of disputes, loans, contract based funding arrangements, and other bespoke financial funding which may include direct and indirect investment structures. PLF1 was established in November 2012 so has a little over two years track record and has achieved a return for investors of over 23% since inception. Our clients and services We have a relatively small number of clients compared to some of our competitors which means we can still spend time getting to know our clients on a personal basis and can focus directly on our clients’ needs. We have had constant requests during 2014 for a fixed income/debt type product and have hopefully satisfied this demand with the recent launch of the Centaur Natural Resources Bond which has a three-year term and a 12% annual coupon paid monthly. Centaur Asset Management has recently supported Centaur Group Finance (CGF), a wholly owned subsidiary of Centaur which provides intergroup financing for Centaur projects and investments, with the structuring, issuance and promotion of a USD denominated fixed cou- pon bond. The Centaur Natural Resources Bond launched in December and is the first of a number of fixed coupon bonds planned by CGF. The team at Centaur Asset Management quickly identified the best structure and jurisdiction for the bonds to be listed and managed the process from start to finish. Working in the UAE and GCC markets We and our placement agents have both a blessing and a curse market- ing a litigation fund from the Middle East region. The blessing is we have no competition whatsoever and most investors have never come across the asset class (i.e litigation). The curse is we have no competition what- soever and most investors have never come across the asset class (i.e litigation)! PLF1 can offer investors a secure, uncorrelated asset class with a two-year proven track record and we don’t really need to go out of our way to distinguish ourselves as the product itself is distinct enough to do this. There is a huge amount of capital and liquidity in the UAE and GCC markets and the constant feeling and reassurance that people in the region are ready to do transactions and make money. For us, this access to a diversified client base via local placement agents is the main reason we have focused our marketing plans on the region and recently agreed to new larger office accommodation for our back office for 2015. Success in the Hedge Fund Awards We are truly honoured to be recognised for this award, as the Investment Advisor of the fund. For us, an award for innovation is the best award category we could have won as Centaur is at the forefront of innovation when it comes to structuring investment products and solutions As several of our peers, service providers and clients will know, the structuring of PLF1 consisted of a culmination of 12 months research, negotiation, structuring and some good old fashioned sweat and tears to bring to market a product that is a highly technical investment strategy but also available to investors from a low minimum investment of $10,000. We had always strived to win some sort of recognition for PLF1 but we feel that this category describes perfectly what we set out to achieve… innovation. n Address: Centaur Asset Management Trinity Hall, 43 Cedar Avenue, Hamilton HM12, Bermuda Tel: +1 441 296 2211 Fax: +1 441 296 2212 Email: [email protected] Web: www.centaurasset.com Fact File Most Innovative Hedge Fund - Bermuda