The fund has been offered in order to provide Australian investors with diversification away from domestic assets, a BNP Paribas-issued statement said.
BNPP IP Australia chief executive David Grybas said: “We are pleased to be introducing this emerging market equity expertise to our Australian clients.”
“Our ambition and our unrivalled strength in the emerging markets space should enable us to achieve our goals and also allow us to guide our clients’ journey as they seek opportunities offered by the RMB internationalisation and the economic growth in emerging markets.”
The fund is managed by the global emerging markets equity team, which utilises a bottom-up, fundamental investment approach, with stock selection that results in a concentrated portfolio, the statement said.
According to the statement, the team places emphasis on “quality, market differentiation and sustainable productivity and their straightforward approach involves keen assessment of risk/reward and valuation in the context of growth potential”.
“They have an all-cap orientation and high active share, maximising the full breadth of the investment opportunity set and investing in high potential small and mid-sized companies,” the statement said.
The global emerging markets equity team is headed by Donald Smith, with Rick Wetmore as deputy chief investment officer and senior portfolio manager.
