FE fundinfo's acquisition of the Zenith Group will be completed on 9 December 2021 following the recent approval by the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB).
FE fundinfo is a global fund data and technology leader and a major fund data provider to asset managers, with offices in key financial services centres including London, Luxembourg and Zurich, along with an office in Sydney since 2014.
Zenith Group (including Zenith Investment Partners and Chant West) is a highly regarded fund research, ratings, managed accounts and technology provider in the APAC region with a history spanning over two decades.
Hamish Purdey, chief executive at FE fundinfo, welcomed FIRB's decision. "The global investment funds industry is at a critical juncture in its evolution, as factors such as regulation, the growth in ESG investing and the development of new technology increasingly influencing the sector.
"In this environment, advisers and asset managers need easy access to the highest quality data, research and portfolio solution options to support their clients to make the most of the opportunities available.
"The completion of this transaction goes a long way to delivering on this vision, as it brings together two leading fund data and research providers in Europe and the APAC region, offering a complementary set of asset manager and adviser-focused services," Mr Purdey said.
David Wright, chief executive officer at Zenith Group said: "Our transaction with FE fundinfo presents an opportunity for the broader Zenith Group to expand our current research, consulting, data and technology solutions offering to our clients, while also providing them with improved access to global insights and other potential services.
"A combined FE fundinfo/Zenith Group offering will provide a compelling, premium service for advisers, fund managers, super funds and institutional clients."
Globally, FE fundinfo has 850 staff working with almost 1,000 leading asset managers, fund managers and fund distributors, plus 4,000 financial advisers.
The Zenith Group is a well-established and respected service provider for financial advisers in Australia, supporting advisers with research ratings on over 1000 investment and superannuation funds, and delivering investment portfolio solutions for leading advice practices across the country. As one of the first multi-asset managed account providers in Australia, Zenith now manages in excess of $3.5 billion in assets with advisers, on behalf of their clients.
