FE Fundinfo has acquired an Australian-based research, ratings, managed accounts and adviser technology provider.
Zenith Group, which includes Zenith Investment Partners and Chant West, has an office in Sydney and has ratings on 1,000 investment and superannuation products, and around 150 investment portfolio solutions. It also manages AUS $3bn (£1.6bn) in assets for advisers on behalf of their clients.
FE Fundinfo said the acquisition was the latest development in the firm’s growth strategy, which was designed to connect the investment industry.
It follows that of CashCalc in May this year, and Danish data firm FundConnect in August.
Hamish Purdey, chief executive at FE Fundinfo, said there was a greater need than ever for advisers and asset managers to have access to the very best data, ratings and research.
He added: “Zenith Group holds an enviable reputation in Australia; not only for the quality of both their research and consulting services, but also for their impressive technology and data capabilities.
“Combined with our own expertise, data, technology and ratings services, we will be able to further support and meet the needs of the global investment industry and deliver new and even more innovative solutions for our clients.”
David Wright, chief executive officer at Zenith Group, said the acquisition presented an exciting opportunity for the firm, which provides services across the APAC region.
He added: “Management are in agreement that there’s excellent alignment of values and purpose across the two organisations, and a belief that together, we can create a really compelling premium service for advisers, fund managers, super funds and institutional clients.”
FE Fundinfo has operations across Europe and Asia, including London, Paris, Frankfurt, Madrid, Milan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Sydney.
It was created in 2018 following a merger between data, research and software provider FE, asset manager service provider Fundinfo, and Luxembourg-based data management firm F2C, which operates the Publifund platform.
sally.hickey@ft.com
