Russell/Mellon CAPS says that Kieger AG – an investment consultancy firm based in Lugano, Switzerland – has signed up to use its AMI fund manager database as part of its research process. Kieger has recently expanded its operations into the Italian institutional market, which covers pension funds and banking foundations, and believes AMI will give it a competitive advantage in the region.
Kieger aims to use AMI to help institutional clients understand better what options are open to them in the selection process of external asset managers. Kieger’s strategy is to demonstrate the value of consultants to the Italian market, as well as raising awareness of the huge range of products available from asset managers across Europe.
“We are delighted Kieger has opted to use AMI as its external research resource,” says Mick Brant, Chief Executive Officer of Russell/Mellon CAPS. “We have been marketing the AMI product across Europe and are very keen to make sure we have users in all the key markets. We are very excited about the coverage we are now getting across Europe, with more asset managers signing up to showcase their products and more consultants using AMI. In 2004, we aim to enhance our position as the leading provider of asset manager data in Europe.”
Fabrizio Ammirati, director at Kieger, says the firm wants to offer its clients a structured and thorough selection process,” where the ‘four Ps’ – philosophy, process, people and performance – approach is fully satisfied. Through AMI we are able to achieve this in a transparent and time efficient way. Speed is crucial and by using AMI we save a great deal of time. This means we are able to focus on the added value we bring as consultants.”
AMI is an internet database containing the core company and product information that consultants need for searching and selecting providers of institutional investment services. By participating in AMI, asset managers can in theory promote their products and services to a wide audience of consultants. Asset managers decide which investment products they wish to include and can update AMI online, as necessary.