Platforms offer route to Ucits hedge fund investment, marketing and distribution

Ucits hedge fund platforms like those offered by Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Deutsche Bank and Northern Trust are beginning to attract substantial institutional investor interest.

Setting up a Ucits fund involves a considerable amount of work. For some managers the effort and expense required may just be too great. For those based outside the EU the requirement to have a European management company can be a real obstacle.

But some companies are offering a helping hand by setting up platforms to host these funds. Admittedly the move is hardly based on generosity – the platform hosts take a portion of the fees. Nevertheless, many managers think it is worth the cost.

Perhaps