Alternative fund managers demonstrated resilience in adapting to the new COVID 19 reality; however, navigating investor priorities beyond performance presents challenges and opportunities

NEW YORK, Nov. 10, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Despite extreme levels of market volatility, increased trading volumes and disruptions to society due to COVID-19, alternative fund managers persevered, and even exceeded, performance expectations from investors. Nonetheless, managers continue to face challenges in addressing important areas of focus, including environmental, social and governance (ESG) products, and diversity and inclusion (D&I), according to the 2020 EY Global Alternative Fund Survey - In times of change, does accelerated adaptation present obstacles or opportunities?

The 14th annual survey (formerly the EY Global Hedge Fund Survey) found that total allocations to alternative investments remain relatively unchanged; however, the competition between asset classes continues to intensify. Following a multiyear trend, allocations to hedge funds shrunk again to just 23% in 2020, compared to 33% in 2019 and 40% in 2018. Investments in private equity and venture capital remained stable at 26%, while investments in private credit increased from 5% to 11% as many market participants anticipate COVID-19 initiating a credit cycle that will create opportunities for these managers.

A shift in alternative products is not the only change this year. Hedge funds have been expanding their offerings, or tapping into new markets, such as private asset classes in particular, via a variety of unique structures. More than 40% of hedge fund managers are currently offering co-investment vehicles or best-idea portfolios, and, additionally, almost 20% of managers are creating side pockets, which allow investors an election to participate in illiquid investments within a broader portfolio.

Another area of explosive growth is special-purpose acquisition companies (SPACs), with a nearly threefold increase in the amount raised in SPACs compared to 2019. Managers have found these types of permanent capital structures to be an attractive way to raise capital, acquire companies and fast-track them toward the public markets. While a number of managers are sponsoring these deals, traditional activist managers have been particularly represented in these transactions.

Hedge fund managers expect that COVID-19 market volatility will drive a significant interest in active management, with over half of hedge fund managers (52%) surveyed believing that the impact of COVID-19, and the related market volatility, will increase investor interest in active management. To note, nearly one-third (30%) of investors responded that the COVID-19-related market volatility has, in fact, increased their interest in actively managed alternative investments.

Alternative funds demonstrated resilience as they dealt with, and continue to grapple with, the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, with technology being a significant driver of this success.

The alternative funds industry rose to the occasion surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic in terms of investors' expectations and managerial performance. Investors generally felt that their alternative fund managers either met or exceeded their performance return expectations, with 58% of hedge fund investors and the majority (81%) of private equity investors noting that their managers met or exceeded performance expectations during the market volatility that occurred as a result of the pandemic.

Investor marks were even higher when they assessed the operational aspects and client service functions of their alternative fund managers during the pandemic. Over 90% of allocators stated that their managers met or exceeded their client service expectations across a variety of dimensions, including risk management, business updates and investor reporting. Further, 80% of allocators said that the remote environment resulted in minimal or no disruption to the engagement and due diligence of existing and prospective manager relationships. On the heels of the success of this remote working environment, alternative fund managers expect that one-third (32%) of back-office and middle-office professionals will work remotely after conditions normalize and that 28% of front-office professionals will as well. This speaks to the efficiency and resiliency that each group has demonstrated, but also to the evolving expectations of employees wishing for greater flexibility in their work locations.

Ryan Munson, Wealth and Asset Management Partner at Ernst & Young LLP, also notes that, given everything that has transpired in 2020, it is a testament to the alternative fund industry that managers were able to quickly pivot operations, minimize disruption to investor engagement and deliver performance during periods of extreme market volatility. These actions and results highlighted the value of alternatives in preserving and growing investor capital in the most challenging of markets.

COVID-19 has accelerated many of the digital trends that we've seen over the past several years, which have become critically important for alternative managers. Investors are reasonably satisfied with their managers' efforts to embrace technology and data. Hedge funds, in particular, were reviewed favorably, since over half (53%) of investors surveyed felt that the hedge fund industry was ahead of the curve from a technology perspective relative to other financial services. When considering credit and private equity, this number drops to 30% and 28%, respectively. For example, one-quarter (24%) of hedge fund managers are using, or plan to use, advanced data to predict investor behavior, and one-third (35%) are doing so to analyze their own internal operations.

Despite these advancements, there is room for improvement when it comes to automating certain functions. Similar to advanced technologies, hedge funds are further along in the automation journey in all key functions, including fund accounting, treasury and valuation.

The marketing and investor relations functions have largely maintained their status quo as a manual-intensive process. Although a high-touch personal experience is needed, that experience can be enhanced by technology and meaningful investor reporting. Particularly given the challenges that this environment has posed with creating new relationships, and the acknowledgment that existing relationships are becoming more bespoke and expecting of an enhanced client experience, managers cannot afford to neglect the transformation needed.

"COVID-19 has served as a catalyst in the alternatives industry, especially in terms of how firms use technology to facilitate remote working and to create efficient systems that enable productivity," said Alex Birkin, EY Global Wealth & Asset Management Consulting Leader and EY EMEIA Wealth & Asset Management Industry Leader. "Hedge funds are the clear frontrunners as they were early adopters of outsourcing and continue to leverage next-generation tools such as machine learning, robotics and blockchain technology to keep up with their evolving, complex business operations."

With nearly double the number of investors saying that they invest in ESG products, alternative fund managers must determine a path forward for offering socially responsible products and simultaneously managing their own internal ESG policies.

Allocators are increasingly focused on ESG products and socially responsible investing, but they also wish to partner with managers who prioritize their own internal ESG policies. As the survey shows, almost half (49%) of investors are currently investing in ESG products, which is almost double the number of investors including ESG products in their portfolios in 2019 (26%). Further, over a quarter of allocators are required to allocate to socially responsible products, nearly double from the prior year. Much of this trend is being driven by investors outside of the US, with the majority (84%) of all investors in Europe either currently being required or expecting to be required to invest in ESG products in the next two years.

As a result, socially responsible investing continues to prove to be a promising avenue for growth. However, as the survey shows, alternative managers are not keeping up with the demand. Just one in five managers offer ESG products, which remains unchanged from 2019, and just under half of managers have been able to systematically include ESG risk factors in their investment process. Those who can mobilize and launch products in the ESG space will have a competitive advantage, since nearly all investors (88%) ask managers how ESG is incorporated into their investment decision-making.

Separate from products, nearly three-quarters (70%) of investors reported that an alternative manager's internal ESG policy is critically important when deciding whether to invest. This is a tremendous increase from 2019, with just 27% reporting this as critically important. Private equity funds are further than their hedge fund peers, since almost 64% of private equity managers currently have an ESG policy, while only half of hedge fund managers have one.

"Much of the initial historical progress we've seen from an ESG standpoint has been outside of the US, but with increased investor demand for these products and for their managers to be good corporate citizens, we believe this is a tipping point moment where all managers irrespective of geographic location will step up to address this issue," said Natalie Deak Jaros, EY Americas Wealth & Asset Management (WAM) Co-Leader and WAM Assurance Leader. "We are seeing some response to these expectations, particularly with the emergence of ESG frameworks and scoring, as well as broader inclusion of ESG risks into the investing process."

Talent management remains a top concern for alternative fund managers, while continued focus on social justice and equality shine a light on D&I.

Despite both prioritizing talent management, hedge funds and private equity firms have different approaches. Both say that improving productivity and engagement is a top priority, with 42% and 31%, respectively, ranking this as the number one priority. From here, priorities diverge.

Private equity firms have prioritized increasing gender representation, with more than half (56%) reporting this as a top three priority and one quarter (24%) placing it as a top priority. Additionally, more than half (52%) of managers reported increasing ethnic minority representation as a top three priority. Implementing strategies to increase gender and ethnic diversity were ranked lower on hedge fund managers' list of priorities, with 26% of managers reporting increasing gender representation and 18% reporting increasing ethnic minority representation as a top three priority.

Investors, on the other hand, are keenly aware of the need for more diversity. Nearly all investors note that a manager's D&I policies play a role in their decision to invest. Coupled with the fact that 69% of investors believe that increased diversity leads to positive performance, it's not surprising that 57% of allocators specifically ask to review the actual diversity composition of their managers' workforce.

While awareness is important to achieving more diversity, there's significant room for growth, given that the majority of alternative fund managers (68%) have informal, or no, D&I policies and that, when comparing hedge funds and private equity firms, 42% and 26%, respectively, have no formal plan. Almost two out of three managers (62%) promote awareness and provide training on bias and inclusion (59%) as part of their D&I initiatives. From there, there are large drop-offs, with a minority of managers reporting sponsoring diversity groups, interview training, setting diversity targets and other initiatives. Additionally, front-office roles continue to have a significant lack of diversity. More than half of hedge fund managers (56%) and 39% of private equity firms have less than 10% of women in front-office positions, which is almost entirely unchanged from 2019 (53% for hedge funds and 35% for private equity).

An ethnically diverse organization is also critical to an organization's success, and an area of focus for investors. Compared to gender diversity, underrepresented minorities make up an even smaller percentage of alternative fund managers' workforces. Two-thirds of hedge fund managers (65%) and more than three out of four (78%) private equity firms reported less than 10% of front-office employees that are underrepresented minorities. The back office proves to be slightly further along than the front office for both hedge fund and private equity managers, but the vast majority of managers indicated that they have back-office teams with 30% or less minority representation.

"There are a number of reasons that diversity at alternative fund managers is critical, but investor behavior and expectations are near the top of the list," said Dave Racich, Partner, Ernst & Young LLP and Co-leader, EY Global Hedge Fund Services. "As this year's survey shows, most investors feel that their own organizations are more diverse than their fund managers', and virtually all (96%) investors want to allocate more to female- and minority-led firms. Now is the time for alternative fund managers to step up and critically examine how they are thinking about talent attraction, development and retention to ensure a more diverse workforce. The experiences and knowledge from these individuals will prove to be fruitful in generating new ideas that ultimately benefit the manager and its investors."

The complete survey is available at ey.com/altssurvey.

Notes to editors

About EY

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About the EY Global Alternative Fund and Investor Survey

The purpose of this survey is to record the views and opinions of alternative fund managers and institutional investors globally. Managers and investors were asked to comment on the impact of COVID-19 on the industry and other pertinent industry trends. Specific topics included the shift to remote work, strategic priorities, ESG, fundraising, new product development, technology advancements, the changing talent management landscape, cost management and future views on the industry. From July to September 2020, Greenwich Associates conducted 110 interviews with hedge funds representing over $1.8t in assets under management and 127 interviews with private equity firms representing nearly $2.7t in assets under management, and 73 interviews with institutional investors (funds of funds, pension funds, endowments and foundations) representing over $1.4t in assets under management.

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