Capital appreciation and significant inflow have lifted Robeco Absolute Return above EUR 100 million (ca. USD 118 million). The euro-denominated fund of hedge funds invests globally in 19 different hedge funds and is also diversified with respect to hedge fund strategies. Since its launch in June 2002, Robeco Absolute Return (Class B Shares) gained 5.3%, whereas the CSFB/Tremont Hedge Fund Index gained 5.1%, the HFRI Fund Weighted Composite Index was down 0.1% and the MSCI World Index in EUR fell 28.3%. Class A Shares gained 5.6% since inception in July 2002.
Robeco Absolute Return is managed by the hedge fund group at Robeco Alternative Investments in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The group manages approx. EUR 230 million (ca. USD 272 million) of fund of hedge funds products for, primarily, the European and Asian markets. The hedge fund group is headed by Bob Galesloot, who explains the growth in assets as being "the result of the fund's ability to preserve capital and produce positive returns in a very difficult market environment." The continuing positive performance is expected to attract more interest from European pension funds and private banks, next to its growing retail investor base. According to Galesloot, "So far, every investor in Robeco Absolute Return has made a positive return on his or her investment in the fund, and, with the exception of the outflow of initial seed capital, no investors have had any of their investments redeemed."
Robeco manages in excess of EUR 9 billion of alternative assets, EUR 2.2 billion of which are in hedge funds. Robeco's total assets under management are approx. EUR 100 billion.
Visit http://www.robeco.com/hedgefunds for more information on Robeco Absolute Return. (Click on 'Hedge funds' and then on 'Robeco Absolute Return'.)
About Robeco
Robeco provides discretionary asset management products and services, as well as a complete range of mutual funds to a large number of institutional and retail clients worldwide. Robeco's product range encompasses fixed-income and equity investments, as well as balanced accounts, money-market funds and alternative investments.
Robeco distributes its funds for the retail market directly, and through other financial institutions. Several of its mutual funds, including the flagship Robeco N.V., are listed on major European stock exchanges such as Amsterdam, Paris, Frankfurt and London.
As well as from its head office in Rotterdam, Robeco services its clients from its European offices in Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Germany and Spain. In the United States, Robeco has offices in New York, Chicago and San Francisco (Weiss, Peck & Greer), Boston (Boston Partners), White Plains (Sage Capital Management) and Toledo (Harbor Capital Advisors).
Robeco is the center for asset management with full operational independence within the Rabobank Group. The combination of the highest credit ratings from the major international rating agencies and the highest Sustainability Cluster Score within the banking sector reflects the high added value Rabobank has always offered its investors, members, clients and employees.