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Samir Sikka and Estancia launch Sapience Investments

Samir Sikka, former lead portfolio manager of the Pelican Value Equity team at Wells Capital Management, has teamed up with Estancia Capital Partners launch Sapience Investments, a private, independent investment management firm offering high conviction small and SMID cap value equity strategies. 

Sikka (pictured) will serve as CEO/chief investment officer of Sapience Investments, in which employees have majority equity ownership, while private equity fund Estancia is a minority stakeholder in the new firm. 
 
Sikka brings 20 years of investment expertise to Sapience. At Wells Capital Management since 2006, Sikka directed small and SMID cap value strategies currently representing approximately USD2.5 billion in assets managed on behalf of the team’s prominent list of institutional clients. Under Sikka’s leadership, the small cap value strategy’s annualised returns (gross of management fees) have exceeded its benchmark by more than 400 basis points over the past ten years. 
 
Previously, Sikka was a senior vice president with Trust Company of the West and earlier, he was an associate director with UBS Investment Bank. 
 
The former Pelican team of five research analysts, Alex Alvarez, Pranav Rawal, Raj Subramanian, David Chamberlain III, and Jonathan Jin, along with director of client service/operations Kristen Webster, director of trading Brian Tatro, and administrative assistant Kelly Mitchell, will continue in their respective roles at Sapience.
 
The team joins Sapience chief compliance officer Nate Statler and chief financial/administrative officer Scott Partridge.
 
“We view our clients as partners. As an independent, majority employee-owned investment management boutique, Sapience can ensure that our firm’s values and interests are completely aligned with those of our clients,” says Sikka. “Sapience is composed of an established team, each individually selected, with an excellent long-term track record of performance. Our investment philosophy is distinguished by a deliberate focus on evaluating investments from the perspective of a business owner, applying private equity principles to investing in the public markets. Importantly, as stewards of our clients’ assets, we are committed to generating superior risk-adjusted long-term results while fostering partnerships built on integrity, transparency and results.”
 
Michael Mendez, founding partner of Estancia, says: “Since first meeting Samir six years ago, I have observed in him two key attributes that Estancia believes are essential for an investment management business to evolve from ‘success to significance': First, he employs a well-defined, disciplined ‘institutional quality’ investment process, providing a discernible edge. Further, Samir has proven to be intellectually honest both as an analyst and portfolio manager. We are proud to be the founding member of Sapience, a firm that promotes long-standing client partnerships and investment success.” 

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