18/01/2012 Author: Elana Margulies

PineBridge considers Japanese class launch

PineBridge Investments, a $70bn asset manager, is considering rolling out a Japanese unit class of its PineBridge Merger Arbitrage Fund, a Ucits offering, just a year after the fund launched, HFMWeek has learned.

Demand from Japanese retail and institutional investors is said to be behind the possible move, said a source familiar with the plans.

If it goes ahead, the move will follow on from the launch of Euro-hedged unit class for both retail and institutional allocators, in November and September 2011, respectively.

Since its launch, the PineBridge Merger Arbitrage Fund has seen substantial commitments from European banks and private wealth managers.

Lan Cai manages the merger arbitrage Ucits offering. Before joining PineBridge in 2000 she was director of financial product research and development at the CME Group.