Swita ramps up distribution efforts with new hire

Richard Borysiewicz has filled a newly created position as director of strategy and distribution with boutique investment manager, Swita Investment Management.

Borysiewicz will be responsible for engaging and educating clients, raising capital and providing strategic direction and expertise for the fund's distribution strategy.

Previously chief executive of Credit Agricole Asset Management (renamed Amundi Asset Management in 2010), Borysiewicz has also held executive roles with Skandia, Principal Global Investors/BT and Rothschild.

Swita chief operating officer Tim Baker said the manager had reached a point in its evolution where it required a distribution head for its core offering and two internal funds, an Asian strategy and an X20 Australia strategy, that it plans to launch in due time.

VIEW ALL

View all

"We were looking to increase our exposure and we felt like we were at a point in our evolution where we had sufficient demand and interested parties to push out to a wider audience," he said.

Investors were just now catching on to more dynamic strategies after the failure of strategic and tactical asset allocation strategies, Baker said.

Swita's core offering invests in different country indices using exchange-traded funds with the ability to switch to up to 100 per cent bonds in a risk-off environment.

"We've been running this strategy for a number of years, but it seems to be starting to resonate in terms of investors recognising the benefit of being able to step out of the market in times of crisis," he said.

Baker said he could not see a reason why Swita would not soon replicate the success of fellow boutique investment manager, Magellan Group.