AEGON Asset Management Launches Global Opportunities Fund

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Feb 04, 2010, 05:30 ET

LONDON, February 4 /PRNewswire/ -- AEGON Asset Management is launching a Global Opportunities Fund targeting investors wanting global macro exposure.

The AEGON Global Opportunities Fund aims to provide institutional and professional retail investors with competitive absolute returns from a diversified global portfolio.

The AEGON Global Opportunities Fund is a Dublin registered UCITS III fund, which is available to investors in Ireland, the Netherlands, the UK and going forward across Europe.

The launch marks the integration of AEGON's asset management businesses across the world, and this fund brings together the investment management expertise of the teams in the Netherlands and the UK.

The AEGON Global Opportunities Fund will have a discretionary global macro strategy investing in derivative and non derivative assets.

The fund will be managed by Olaf Van den Heuvel. He will be supported by a team of five in the Netherlands and the wider AEGON Asset Management Multi Asset Group in the UK and the Netherlands which consists of 10 investment professionals.

Van den Heuvel has successfully deployed a global macro strategy on behalf of AEGON's insured funds achieving annual returns of 67.8% in 2009, 57.4% in 2008 and 19.4% in 2007 (please note the risk mandate and asset mix in the insured fund differs from the UCITS fund).*

Van den Heuvel says: 'It is our investment philosophy that excessive optimism and pessimism regularly cause over and under valuation of the financial markets. We believe active exploitation of these price anomalies with a process orientated approach in a risk controlled manner will create increased portfolio returns. As such, we add value through our top down analysis, which we use to exploit mis-pricings between asset classes and intra asset class aggregates as well as long only positions.'

AEGON Asset Management head of European distribution Martin Harris says: 'This is a very exciting development for AEGON Asset Management, which we plan to roll out across Europe, starting with our core markets of the Netherlands and the UK. This is an excellent example of how the combined strength of AEGON Asset Management as a global business can really add value to our customer proposition.

'Olaf has clearly demonstrated through the portfolios he has run for AEGON's insured business over the last three years that his global opportunities strategies add real value.'

About AEGON Asset Management

AEGON Asset Management takes an active approach to managing investments, helping retail and institutional clients to maximize available investment opportunities and realize their financial objectives. As part of AEGON, AEGON Asset Management has businesses in over twenty countries in Europe, the Americas and Asia. AEGON Asset Management manages approximately EUR 200 billion on behalf of individual investors, financial institutions, pension funds and insurance companies around the world. The AEGON Asset Management businesses employ over 1,300 staff worldwide.

    Fund Facts


    AEGON Global Opportunities Fund

    Dublin registered VCIC classified as UCITS III

    Managed by Olaf van den Heuvel

    Benchmarked against three month Euribor

    Denominated in Euro and UK Sterling share classes

    Minimum investment is EUR100,000

    Standard fee will be 1% annual management charge

    Performance fee will be 20% out performance above the three month Euribor
    +7.5%


    NOTE TO EDITORS:
    *Source: AEGON Asset Management as of January 31, 2010.

This document is not intended for retail distribution and is directed only at investment professionals. It should not be distributed to, or relied upon by, private investors.

The information in this presentation is based on our understanding of the current and historical position of the markets. The views expressed should not be interpreted as a recommendation or advice. Past performance is not a guide to future performance. The value of investments and the income from them may fall as well as rise and is not guaranteed.

AEGON Investment Company (Ireland) plc is an umbrella type open-ended investment company with variable capital registered in the Republic of Ireland (no: 442106) registered office at 25-28 North Wall Quay, International Financial Services Centre, Dublin 1. AEGON Investment Company (Ireland) plc is regulated by the Financial Regulator.

AEGON Asset Management includes AEGON Asset Management UK plc (no: 113505) and AEGON Investment Management UK ltd (no: 212159). AEGON Asset Management UK plc is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority, (FSA reference no: 144267). AEGON Asset Management is the Investment Manager and Marketing Agent for AEGON Investment Company (Ireland) plc. AEGON Investment Management UK ltd is an appointed representative of Scottish Equitable plc, an AEGON company, whose registered office is 1 Lochside Crescent, Edinburgh Park, Edinburgh, EH12 9SE (FSA Reference no: 165548).

AEGON Investment Management UK ltd provides investment management services to AEGON, which provides pooled funds life and pension contracts.

    This press release is also available on http://www.aegonam.co.uk


    Contact information
    Media relations: Adrian Cammidge
    +44(0)207-200-2510
    [email protected]

SOURCE AEGON Asset Management