· The acquisition will create a significant multi-asset multi-manager proposition with £6.6 billion in assets under management and advice (AuMA)
· The newly combined team will be headed by John Husselbee, with Sheldon Macdonald becoming Deputy Head
· Following the integration of the Architas UK investment business, Liontrust will have AuMA of £25 billion
Specialist fund management company Liontrust today announces that it has agreed to acquire the Architas UK investment business – Architas Multi-Manager Limited (AMML) and Architas Advisory Services Limited (AASL) – from AXA S.A.
The Architas UK Fund Management Team headed by Sheldon Macdonald will join Liontrust and merge with the Liontrust Multi-Asset Investment Team. John Husselbee will be Head of the enlarged Liontrust Multi-Asset team, with Sheldon Macdonald becoming Deputy Head of Multi-Asset.
Architas’ UK Distribution Team will also be moving to Liontrust.
The purchase includes the Architas Multi-Asset (MA) Active, Blended and Passive Multi-Manager fund ranges along with the Specialist and Income funds, and this will bring £5.6 billion in AuMA. The Liontrust brand will be used for all the Architas funds on completion of the acquisition, which is expected to be before the end of the year subject to regulatory and shareholder approval.
Architas’ UK fund ranges are complementary to Liontrust’s target risk portfolios and will create a significant multi-asset multi-manager proposition in the UK by product range and AuMA at £6.6 billion.
John Ions, Chief Executive of Liontrust, said: “The Architas UK investment business is an important strategic acquisition for us to meet the growing demand for investment solutions from advisers and their clients over the next few years. It builds on and complements our existing investment solutions of Multi-Asset portfolios, Sustainable Managed and equity income funds.
“Buying the Architas UK investment business will expand our distribution among financial advisers through the scale of the combined businesses, the strength of the merged investment team, the broad range of multi-asset multi-manager portfolios and funds and enhanced client service.
“Financial advisers are key clients for Liontrust because of the responsibility they have as guardians of people’s savings. By offering both risk profiled funds and target risk portfolios, we will help advisers to meet their suitability requirements by being able to choose the solution that best meets their clients’ individual needs for investment and risk.
“Combining the teams led by John Husselbee and Sheldon Macdonald will give us significant capability in multi-asset multi-manager investments.
“The enlarged proposition will enable Liontrust to provide superior customer service through expanded online tools to our existing and new client base. A key attraction of the acquisition is the ability to strengthen the digital support we can provide financial advisers and their clients.
“The quality of the newly combined investment teams, the broad range of funds and portfolios, Liontrust’s sales and marketing capability, and the power of our brand give me great confidence we will grow the multi-asset multi-manager portfolios and funds over the next few years.”
