QFS specialises in currency, global macro and fixed income strategies and has around $1bn of assets under management, including discretionary, non-discretionary, absolute return and risk advisory overlay mandates.
GAM will acquire a minority stake of about 30% in the boutique. The partnership will see GAM handle the global distribution and marketing of existing and new strategies managed by QFS.
In addition, a Ucits product based on QFS’s flagship currency strategy will be added to the GAM Star range in the next few months. This strategy has made net returns of 10.75% a year since inception in March 1993 to the end of December 2012.
David Solo, chief executive of GAM, said: “The partnership with QFS is consistent with our strategy of expanding our leading offering of single manager alternative strategies.
“We are delighted to work with such a high calibre investment manager with demonstrated investment capabilities over such a long period of time, delivering exceptional returns through differing market cycles.”
Karlheinz Muhr, chairman and chief executive of QFS, added: “GAM’s global client base and its skills in delivering unique absolute return strategies to clients make them an ideal partner for us. We are excited about this partnership, which will benefit our current investors and expand our reach into new client segments.”
