Sarasin & Partners, a global thematic investment manager which invests responsibly on behalf of charities, private clients and institutions, has seen its assets under management (AuM) rise by 5.4 per cent (from GBP14.7 billion at the end of 2019 to GBP15.5 billion as at 9 September, 2020) over the course of a highly volatile 2020. This follows a period of significant growth for the Sarasin Group in the prior year, when a GBP338 million net investment inflow, coupled with strong market performance, which helped grow Sarasin & Partners’ AuM by 19 per cent over the course of 2019.
Managing partner Guy Matthews attributes the robust performance and AuM growth to its strong foundations, solidified by the completion of a four-year restructuring and reinvestment programme and the maintenance of a commitment to continue investing in people, processes and technology.
“While much of our immediate focus has turned to the pandemic and addressing operational continuity and client service excellence, we want to take this success and build it out even further,” says Matthews.
A primary factor behind the AuM growth has been strong investment performance for its thematic global equity and multi-asset capability – successfully enhanced under head of global equities Jeremy Thomas and head of multi-asset Phil Collins respectively.
Sarasin’s global thematic approach to investing, which has underpinned the group’s equity selection process since 1996, along with its commitment to stewardship, has been further refined to both capitalise on long-term secular megatrends shaping the global economy such as ageing, digitalisation, automation, evolving consumption and climate change, and all the while integrating responsible stewardship principles such as embedded ESG analysis and active ownership.
Sarasin & Partners’ balanced multi-asset portfolios helped navigate clients through the turbulence created by the coronavirus crisis, with a number of solutions building on already robust track records. Dedicated responsible and sustainable thematic products have also continued to construct impressive track records as this market segment increasingly attracts investor attention.
Despite the current challenging backdrop, business development remains a top priority for the Group. This includes the continuation of development projects launched in 2019 within the US charities space and UK private client market, as well as expanding its presence in the institutional market and abroad.
In 2019, Sarasin & Partners cemented its position in the charities and private client segments – maintaining its industry leading position in the not-for-profit and charities sector in the UK, while also expanding into the US. This led to a 15 per cent increase in AuM for the division, which reached GBP7bn at the end of 2019. Sarasin & Partners’ respected private client division also saw strong organic growth, with AuM increasing 33 per cent to end the year with GBP4 billion.
In recognition of Sarasin & Partners’ continued commitment to client service excellence, the group received two PAM Awards in 2019, for Investment Performance – Defensive Portfolios and Client Service Quality – High Net Worth.
Overall, Sarasin & Partners’ Group revenue increased by 5.8 per cent to GBP72.4 million in 2019. Operating profit reduced marginally by 0.8 per cent to GBP24.9 million for the year, following the commitment made to prioritising future growth, with significant investment in technology and talent. This investment has undoubtedly aided the group’s resilience throughout 2020.
Matthews adds: “We will continue to dedicate resources to investing in talent and developing innovative investment solutions to reflect the evolving world we find ourselves in. Never before has the appeal of our thematic and responsible approach resonated with more people, and we intend to capitalise on this as we take the Group into its next phase of growth.
“Our ethos of securing tomorrow also includes planning for uncertainty, and we will continue to minimise the challenge this poses for our clients by ensuring that we are prepared for whatever comes next.”
