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Best Asset Management Company (Africa)
Oasis Group Holdings was established in Cape Town, South
Africa in June 1997 with asset management as its core
business. It currently manages both conventional and Shariah
compliant funds which are directly available through its South
Africa and Dublin offices. Oasis offers a range of collective
investment schemes, global mutual funds, endowment policies,
retirement funds, pension annuity policies, pooled fund policies
and manages segregated and pooled funds for institutional
clients. All subsidiaries of the Oasis Group are wholly owned,
regulated entities. Oasis was appointed as an investment
manager to its first portfolio in October 1997. Managing over
60 Shariah compliant funds, Oasis has established itself as a
global fund management organization specializing in Shariah
compliant investment solutions. It launched its first Islamic
fund in August 1998. Its Oasis Crescent Global Equity Fund,
launched in October 2000, is one of its largest funds to date
with US$152.4 million in assets under management. In 2010,
the Oasis Group’s total assets under management stood at
ZAR31 billion (US$4.27 billion). Oasis Group’s Shariah funds
are distributed through global platforms such as Citigroup,
Goldman Sachs, AmBank in Malaysia, Emirates Islamic Bank
and Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank. It also has distribution tieups
with insurance and Takaful companies including Salama
and Maybank. In 2002, the group launched the Oasis Global
Management Company (Ireland) in Dublin, Ireland which is
regulated by the Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority
under an established European Union regulatory framework.
Best Asset Management Company (Americas)
Founded in 1989, Saturna Capital Corporation is an
employee-owned investment manager providing services
including retirement planning to the retail segment and to
to high net worth individuals. Saturna Capital manages
mutual funds, separate client-focused equity, fi xed income
portfolios as well as accounts for investment companies,
pension and profi t sharing plans, pooled investment vehicles,
charitable organizations, and corporations. Headquartered in
Bellingham, Washington, US-based Saturna Capital is the
manager of the Sextant, Idaho and the Shariah compliant
Amana funds. In 2011, Saturna Capital reportedly charted
a three year growth of 252% while its 2010 revenue stood
at US$34.4 million. Saturna Capital primarily invests in
domestic and foreign common and preferred stocks;
government, corporate, and municipal bonds; mutual funds;
convertible securities; warrants; exchange traded options
contracts; and partnership interests. Its maiden foray into
Shariah compliant asset management came with the Amana
Income Fund in 1986. Since then it has launched two other
funds: The Amana Growth Fund and the Amana Developing
World Fund. As at the 30 th June 2011, the Amana Income
Fund stood at US$1.39 billion while the Amana Growth Fund
is now US$2.15 billion – making them among the largest
Shariah compliant funds in the world.
Best Asset Management Company (Europe)
BNP Paribas Investment Partners (BNPP IP), the asset
management arm of the BNP Paribas Group, is made up of
several specialist companies – termed as partners – with a
distinct investment philosophy and business scope, whether
that be in terms of asset classes or regions covered. It is
currently the fourth largest asset manager in Europe and
ranked 12 th in the world as at the 31 st March 2011. With
over EUR540 billion (US$720.7 billion) of assets under
management as at the 30 th June 2011 and around 3,800 staff
operating in 44 countries, it offers a full range of investment
management services to institutional clients and distributors
worldwide, ranging from traditional long-only to alternative
investments; from judgmental to quantitative; from active
to ETFs; and covering a vast array of asset classes. Each
is managed by one or more of its 60 dedicated investment
centers.
BNP Paribas Asset Management is the largest partner within
the Group and manages the majority of the mainstream asset
classes operating globally. Several other partners specialize
in particular asset classes or fi elds (mainly alternatives and
multi-management) and operate along the lines of boutique
structures, while other local and regional solution providers
cover specifi c geographical regions and/or client bases.
In 2009, BNPP IP was granted its fi rst license in Islamic
asset management and launched BNP Paribas Islamic
Asset Management Malaysia, subsequently strengthening
its Islamic offering (especially in the Middle East and Asia)
through partnerships such as SAIB BNP Paribas Asset
Management in Saudi Arabia.
26 September 2011