AI Fund Awards 2017

Acquisition International - International Fund Awards 2017 27 S.E.A. Asset Management Pte Ltd SFPI-FPIM Best Fund Management Boutique - South East Asia Best State Development PE Portfolio: Federal Holding & Investment Company S.E.A. Asset Management Pte Ltd SFPI-FPIM S.E.A. Asset Management is a Singapore based working with family offices, external asset managers, independent financial advisors and high net worth clients. We caught up with Alexander Zeeh to find out more. The Federal Holding and Investment Company was created on 1 November 2006 as a result of a merger between the Federal Participation Company and the Federal Investment Company (SFPI-FPIM). They centrally manage the federal government’s shareholdings, cooperates with the government on specific projects and pursues its own investment policy in the interests of the Belgian economy. We recently spoke to Koen Van Loo to tell us more about the firm. Company: S.E.A. Name: Alexander Zeeh Email: alexander.zeeh@ seagroup.com.sg Web: www.seagroup.com.sg Address: 230 Orchard Road, #10-232 Faber House, Singapore 238854 Telephone: + 65 6732 4864 Company: Federal Holding and Investment Company (SFPI-FPIM) Name: Koen Van Loo Email: [email protected] Web: www.sfpi-fpim.be Address: Avenue Louise 32/4, B-1050 Brussels (Belgium) Telephone :00 32 2 548 52 11 IF17010 IF17023 Founded in 2007, S.E.A. Asset Management is an independent financial services firm providing customised asset and fund management solutions to a range of private and institutional clients. Alexander discusses the firm’s core strength; its innovative product offering. “Here at S.E.A. Asset Management, we differentiate ourselves on a product level. All our funds are completely unconstrained and benchmark free. Through this approach we avoid the overcrowded “me-too” areas of the market that tend to become overvalued eventually from the standard product suite offering of the mainstream fund houses. Contrary to these houses we can seek out market niches and find and invest in hidden gems. “Our unique niche flagship product, the S.E.A. Asian High Yield Bond Fund is the only fund of its kind that invests exclusively into Asian short duration high yield bonds with a UCITS SICAV structure providing daily liquidity. The bottom up, buy to hold strategy of this fund ensures low transaction costs and maximise sharp ratio. Investing in short duration high yield bonds gives SFPI-FPIM is a Belgian state-owned investment company targeting amongst others the new economy, strategic assets and infrastructure, the aeronautical sector, in the interest of the Belgian economy. SFPI invests over 100 million EUR per year, mostly through equity stakes, sometimes in combination with (mezzanine) loans. Smaller companies are usually targeted through fund of fund investments. As Koen explains, the state of the finance industry within Belgium is growing, allowing for a number of exciting opportunities. “At the moment, financing sources seem to be sufficient in Belgium for early stage companies and start- ups, however, there is less funding available for growth financing. As an open economy, Belgium is very closely linked to all major international developments (US, China, India, and so on).” Working within such a fast-paced industry, it is important for a firm to ensure they remain on the cutting edge of developments, as Koen emphasises. “One of the ways in which we remain at the forefront of emerging developments in the industry is by being visible within the network. investors best fixed income return and optimal protection from rising interest rates.” Operating in Singapore offers S.E.A. Asset Management a number of great opportunities, as the market still offers tremendous chances for independent asset managers. Moving forward, the increasing regulatory burden on private banks will only drive the departures of more relationship managers from private banks to start their own asset management firm. Overall the fund, and the firm itself, look set to go from strength to strength, as Alexander proudly concludes. “Looking ahead, our aim is to increase the AUM of the S.E.A. Asian High Yield Bond Fund to more than 50 mln USD in 2017. The fund will have completed its first three years of track record in March 2018 after which we will start road showing in Europe and Asia. In 2017 we will be at Funds Excellence in June in Frankfurt and we are planning to attend Fund Selector in Singapore in October. All of these exciting plans will provide us with great opportunities which we look forward to taking advantage of.” SFPI wants to position itself as “solution-minded, patient (long term) and flexible investor”, constantly extending its external reputation and network and its internal expertise.” Behind every successful company is a powerful ensemble of innovative individuals, and helping Federal Holding and Investment to achieve these ambitions are the dedicated team that they employ. Koen informs us of the qualities that they look for within their employees. “The values that we favour the most are loyalty, flexibility and commitment. There is no individual compensation based on success: flexibility and team spirit are therefore very important. We are a small team and the complementarity of the profiles is essential.” Looking ahead, Koen envisions that future will see the company continue to grow and develop in accordance with the Belgian economy. “The main goals we aim to achieve for Federal Holding and Investment is to intensify our presence within the target sectors and grow profitably, building upon a strong balance sheet. Ensuring that these goals are achieved is our small team of dedicated individuals.”