Downing’s Simon Evan-Cook has launched a range of multi-asset funds designed for UK financial advisers.
The VT Downing Fox Funds range consists of four funds with different, fixed levels of equity exposure, from 100 per cent to 40 per cent.
The funds will invest globally and will be made up of long-only equity funds, and a mix of developed-market cash and government bonds, designed to cushion the portfolios during periods of stock market volatility.
The range has been designed specifically for UK advisers, and aims to cut complexity, instability and costs from their central investment propositions.
Evan-Cook said he had been “stewing” over the multi-asset industry’s “shortcomings” for a long time.
“Downing offered me a clean sheet of paper to design and run a new multi-asset suite that’s simple, reliable and easy to use,” he said.
Evan-Cook added that the funds can have “significant” exposure to cash if it is the best defensive option.
“This was a huge advantage last year,” he said.
“But most multi-asset portfolios won’t do this, largely because clients don’t like paying management fees on cash.”
Downing will not charge management fees on the non-equity parts of its funds.
Evan-Cook has run this investment model at Downing since the start of April for the VT Johnston Cautious Portfolio and the VT Johnston Growth Portfolio, of which Downing is the appointed investment adviser.
He joined Downing Fund Managers in February 2022 after spending nearly 15 years at Premier Miton Investors, most recently as a senior investment manager.
sally.hickey@ft.com
