Multi Manager Investment for a Diversified Portfolio

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A diversified portfolio is key to managing risk and increasing potential returns, and multi manager investment can help you achieve this goal. By pooling funds from multiple investors, a multi manager investment can tap into the expertise of various managers, reducing reliance on a single investment strategy.

This approach can provide a wider range of investment options, including stocks, bonds, and alternative investments. A multi manager investment can also offer greater flexibility, allowing you to adjust your portfolio in response to changing market conditions.

Broaden your view: Vanguard Multi Asset Funds

What is Multi-Manager Investment?

Multi-manager investment is a strategy that involves hiring multiple fund managers to oversee different parts of an investment portfolio. This approach recognizes that no single manager can be an expert in all asset classes or markets.

By leveraging the skills of multiple managers, investors can achieve a more balanced and diversified portfolio. This can help reduce risk and increase potential returns.

The choice of how to implement a multi-manager strategy depends on the investor's risk tolerance, investment goals, and the available fund managers. Some investors may choose to hire different managers for different asset classes, while others may divide their portfolio based on geographical regions or investment styles.

Portfolio management is a key concept in multi-manager investment, involving the selection, monitoring, and control of investments in a portfolio. The goal is to achieve the investor's financial goals.

Benefits and Advantages

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Risk diversification is a key benefit of multi-manager investment, as it allows investors to spread their investments across different asset classes, geographical regions, or investment styles, reducing the risk of significant losses if one area performs poorly.

By diversifying investments, investors can protect their portfolios from market fluctuations and ensure a more stable return on investment. This is particularly beneficial in volatile markets.

Having multiple managers can also provide access to specialized expertise, as each fund manager brings their own unique skills and knowledge to the table.

This can lead to better investment decisions and potentially higher returns. With multiple managers, investors can tap into a pool of expertise and knowledge that might not be available to individual investors.

Here are some benefits of a career in multi-manager hedge funds:

  • The earnings potential is very high at the Senior Analyst and PM levels.
  • There’s a logical advancement path that depends on your performance rather than office politics.
  • There are many job openings due to the high turnover.
  • You get brand-name recognition since everyone knows Citadel, Bridgewater, Millennium, Point72, etc.
  • Multi-managers are “hot” as of the early-to-mid 2020s, so there are even more opportunities than usual.

Drawbacks

Multi-manager investment may sound like a great way to diversify your portfolio, but it's not without its drawbacks. One of the main challenges is the potential for higher costs, as hiring multiple fund managers can lead to higher management fees.

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Higher management fees can eat into the portfolio's returns, reducing the overall performance. In fact, coordinating multiple managers can be complex and time-consuming, requiring a significant amount of oversight and administration.

Over-diversification is another potential pitfall, where spreading the portfolio too thinly across too many asset classes or regions can dilute potential returns. This can make it difficult to achieve investment goals.

Portfolio Management and Strategy

Portfolio management in a multi-manager investment strategy requires careful coordination and oversight to ensure each manager is performing their role effectively and the overall portfolio is achieving its intended goals.

Effective portfolio management involves regular performance reviews and adjustments to the portfolio as necessary. This ensures the portfolio remains aligned with the investor's goals and risk tolerance.

A multi-manager investment strategy involves employing multiple fund managers, each with their own area of expertise, to manage different parts of an investment portfolio. This approach is based on the belief that no single manager can be an expert in all asset classes or markets.

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By leveraging the skills of multiple managers, investors hope to achieve a more balanced and diversified portfolio. This can be achieved by hiring different managers for different asset classes or dividing the portfolio based on geographical regions or investment styles.

Portfolio management involves the selection, monitoring, and control of investments in a portfolio, with the aim of achieving the investor's financial goals. This includes choosing the right asset allocation, which significantly impacts the portfolio's risk and return characteristics.

The choice of asset allocation will depend on several factors, including the investor's risk tolerance, investment goals, and the available fund managers. Some investors may choose to allocate their assets based on the expertise of their chosen managers, while others may base their decision on market conditions or their own investment preferences.

Northern Trust creates customized multi-manager investment programs that are tailored to the investor's specific needs and goals. These programs feature individualized services, innovative products, and cutting-edge technology to meet the investor's evolving needs.

Manager oversight is a crucial aspect of multi-manager investment, and Northern Trust offers Implementation and Oversight services to help investors outsource key elements of their investment program. This can result in significant cost savings and a more efficient investment process.

Northern Trust's Emerging Manager Programs have been offered for over ten years, providing a platform for emerging managers to gain exposure and grow their business. This program can help investors access new and innovative investment opportunities.

If this caught your attention, see: Venture Capital Trust

Risk Diversification

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Risk diversification is a key element of multi-manager investment that helps reduce the risk of significant losses if one area performs poorly.

By spreading investments across different asset classes, geographical regions, or investment styles, investors can achieve this reduction in risk.

In volatile markets, certain asset classes or regions may experience significant fluctuations, making risk diversification particularly beneficial.

Over-diversification can dilute potential returns and make it difficult to achieve investment goals, so it's essential to strike a balance.

While diversification is important, it should not be pursued at the expense of potential returns.

See what others are reading: Managing Investment Risk

Fund Management and Selection

Fund management and selection are crucial components of a multi-manager investment strategy. Effective portfolio management requires careful coordination and oversight, ensuring each manager is performing their role effectively and the overall portfolio is achieving its intended goals.

Each fund manager brings their unique skills and knowledge to the table, making a multi-manager strategy more balanced and diversified. Regular performance reviews and adjustments to the portfolio as necessary are essential to maintain its intended goals.

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Investors should consider several factors when selecting fund managers, including the manager's track record, expertise in their chosen asset class or market, investment style, and fee structure. This careful and thorough process is critical to the success of the multi-manager investment strategy.

Investors should also consider how well the manager's approach fits with their own investment goals and risk tolerance. This ensures the chosen managers align with the investor's objectives, increasing the likelihood of success.

Fund Manager

Choosing the right fund managers is crucial to the success of a multi-manager investment strategy. It's a careful and thorough process that requires considering several factors, including the manager's track record, expertise in their chosen asset class or market, investment style, and fee structure.

The manager's track record is a key factor in selecting a fund manager. Investors should research the manager's past performance and assess whether it aligns with their own investment goals and risk tolerance.

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Effective portfolio management requires careful coordination and oversight. The investor or an appointed overseer must ensure that each manager is performing their role effectively and that the overall portfolio is achieving its intended goals. This can involve regular performance reviews and adjustments to the portfolio as necessary.

Investors should consider how well the manager's approach fits with their own investment goals and risk tolerance when selecting fund managers. This is a critical step in implementing a multi-manager investment strategy.

Fund managers should be regularly reviewed and replaced if necessary to ensure the portfolio continues to meet its goals. This is a key aspect of effective portfolio management in a multi-manager investment strategy.

The Top Funds

D.E. Shaw is traditionally viewed as more of a quant fund, but it has diversified significantly over time.

You could add names like Renaissance Capital and Two Sigma to the list, but they're in the "quant fund" category, even if they're technically multi-managers.

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The majority of top hedge funds by assets under management (AUM) will be multi-managers, even if they're not labeled as such.

You could also add lesser-known funds with huge AUM, such as Artisan Partners, Arrowstreet, and Mariner, to the list.

Farallon, Schonfeld, Surveyor, and Pine River are better-known funds with lower AUM that could also be included.

Funds Defined

A multi-manager hedge fund is a platform that allocates capital to dozens of individual Portfolio Managers, allowing each team to independently generate solid risk-adjusted returns while minimizing volatility.

These funds are usually multi-strategy, which means they employ various investment approaches to achieve their goals. They can borrow at the fund level to take the initial capital to $50-$100 billion, and then allocate this capital to dozens of internal teams.

Each team at a multi-manager hedge fund is given strict rules and requirements to follow. For example, they aim for 1-5% annual returns at the team level, but these gains get amplified much higher at the fund level due to leverage.

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Here are some specific requirements teams at MM hedge funds must adhere to:

  • Performance Targets: 1-5% annual returns at the team level
  • Beta-Neutral Portfolios: move by ~0% if the S&P 500 goes up or down by 5%
  • Pair Trades: long one company and short another to achieve market neutrality
  • Maximum Drawdown Limits: no tolerance for drawdowns due to fund-level leverage
  • Factor Requirements: structure portfolios based on factors like quality, momentum, and value
  • Up or Out: be fired if you do very poorly and lose 10% from your peak AUM

Career and Compensation

Advancement in a multi-manager hedge fund is very objective, meaning if your ideas make money, you'll move up, and if they don't, you'll get fired.

The biggest disadvantage is that turnover and burnout are quite high, and some funds, such as Citadel, are known for churning through their staff.

Compensation in a multi-manager hedge fund is tied almost 100% to your team's performance, with bonuses ranging from $0 to hundreds of thousands (for Analysts) or millions (for PMs).

The #1 Misconception of the Buyside

Practically everyone in banking believes that life is significantly easier and less stressful than their two years as an analyst.

People with high expectations often end up surprised once they start their new gigs.

Working at a multi-manager is a very stressful job with one of the worst work life balances amongst finance careers.

I had high expectations before starting at a large multi-manager hedge fund and ultimately quit after just one year.

Understanding what the work and lifestyle is actually like is extremely important when determining if this is the right career path for you.

Fund Careers

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Fund careers in the multi-manager hedge fund industry can be a thrilling and challenging experience. You'll start as a Hedge Fund Analyst, analyzing catalysts, evaluating investor sentiment, and poring through data and analytics.

Expect to spend a lot of time on quarterly financial projections, quick public comps, and simple DCF models linked to specific catalysts. Your returns targets are in the low single-digit percentages, so you'll need to find incremental gains.

As you gain experience, you'll move up to Senior Analyst, then Junior PM or Sector Head, and finally, a full Portfolio Manager. The biggest advantage of an MM fund is that advancement is very objective: If your ideas make money, you'll move up, and if they don't, you'll get fired.

Turnover and burnout are quite high in the MM fund industry, and some funds, such as Citadel, are known for churning through their staff. If you account for the high turnover and the lapses between jobs, the compensation may not be as great as it first appears.

What About Compensation?

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In the hedge fund industry, team-level compensation can be quite complex. Hedge funds traditionally followed the "2 and 20" model, with a 2% management fee on assets under management (AUM) and a 20% performance fee.

Most multi-manager hedge funds now charge pass-through fees, which means they pass through their expenses to their Limited Partners and then take a percentage of the profits. This results in LPs paying significantly higher fees, equivalent to 3-10% in management fees rather than 2%.

A team managing $500 million might earn 4% on it for the year, resulting in $20 million. Expenses may or may not be deducted from this amount depending on the pass-through structure.

Assuming a deduction of $2 million in fees, the team's profit-and-loss (P&L) would be $18 million. A team like this might have a PM, one Senior Analyst, and one Junior Analyst.

The team might earn 10-20% of the $18 million, depending on the firm's policies and fees. Let's say they earn 15%, which is $2.7 million.

See what others are reading: Fee Only Investment Manager

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Bonuses for the team members would be awarded on top of their base salaries, which might be in the $150K-$200K range. The Junior Analyst might receive a $150K bonus, the Senior Analyst a $450K bonus, and the PM $2.1 million.

However, if the team lost money for the year, they'd earn nothing and be fired shortly. A much worse result, such as a 1% return, would result in a bonus pool of only ~$450K.

For your interest: Managed Team

Investing and Funds

Choosing the right fund managers is perhaps the most critical aspect of a multi-manager investment strategy. Their skills, experience, and performance can make or break the strategy's success.

The manager's track record is a crucial factor to consider. It's essential to evaluate their past performance to gauge their ability to deliver returns in the future.

Investors should also consider the manager's expertise in their chosen asset class or market. This expertise can lead to better investment decisions and more informed risk management.

A fund manager's investment style is another key consideration. It's essential to ensure their approach aligns with your investment goals and risk tolerance.

Is Investing Right for You?

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Investing can be a great way to grow your wealth over time, but it's not suitable for everyone.

You should consider investing if you have a stable income and can afford to put aside a portion of your earnings each month.

Investing can be a long-term commitment, often requiring a minimum of five years to see significant returns.

Research has shown that the earlier you start investing, the more time your money has to grow.

Investing in a diversified portfolio can help spread out the risk, making it a more stable option.

A study found that 70% of investors who started with a diversified portfolio saw positive returns over a five-year period.

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Do Funds Deliver?

Multi-manager hedge funds have been growing at a rapid rate, outperforming the larger hedge fund universe by about 6 times.

Some of these funds have performed exceptionally well, with Citadel's Wellington fund delivering 19% annualized returns between 1990 and 2022.

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That's a remarkable feat, with some saying it's "almost impossible" to achieve such returns.

The main reason for their success is scale, which allows them to invest heavily in data and analytics teams.

This enables them to get better terms on their trades and manage risk more comprehensively than others.

Few other multi-managers have come close to matching Citadel's performance, but their success has attracted a lot of money to the space.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is multi-manager real estate?

A multi-manager real estate fund invests a single mandate in multiple property funds, rather than pooling funds from multiple investors. This approach allows for diversified investment and tailored strategies.

Adrian Fritsch-Johns

Senior Assigning Editor

Adrian Fritsch-Johns is a seasoned Assigning Editor with a keen eye for compelling content. With a strong background in editorial management, Adrian has a proven track record of identifying and developing high-quality article ideas. In his current role, Adrian has successfully assigned and edited articles on a wide range of topics, including personal finance and customer service.

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