Amundi builds a platform for alternative and real assets

Fund manager Amundi has launched a platform for its alternative and real assets capabilities, encompassing real estate, private debt, private equity, infrastructure and alternative multi-management. The platform will cater for both retail and institutional investors and will offer dedicated and collective funds, such as fund-of-funds and multi-asset funds.

The newly integrated unit will bring together 200 investment professionals responsible for €34 billion in assets under management. Amundi said it hopes to double its funds under management in real and alternative assets by 2020, building on its experience in credit management and its work in infrastructure, where it has partnered with energy group EDF. According to Amundi, investors are increasingly seeking to diversify from traditional assets, and are looking for an illiquidity premium in the low interest rate environment, which has dampened returns. It stated that 38% of institutional investors are planning an allocation to private debt, 44% to infrastructure and 51% to private equity. Pedro Antonio Arias, global head of real and alternative assets at Amundi, said: “We have been meticulously building our capabilities over recent years by attracting skilled teams from diverse backgrounds. Our aim is to further develop our capabilities based on the €34 billion we already manage in this area, and to be a leading European player in real and alternative assets.”