Julian Rogers-Coltman (pictured), chief executive of Fleming Family and Partners Capital Management, says the absolute return asset manager’s two surviving funds are well set to capitalise on the continuing market volatility, but he acknowledges that fundraising will remain difficult until fears of a double dip recession dissipate and it becomes clearer how weaker European countries can escape the sovereign debt trap. »

Alternative Advisors’ William Kitchin (pictured), portfolio manager of the Castillon Diversified Fund, a Ucits absolute return fund of funds, says that while the fund is constrained in its selection of underlying managers by the need to match the liquidity it offers to investors, this is not a particular disadvantage in the short term given the current macro economic conditions. »

Alistair MacDonald, co-manager of the newly-launched Merrion European Absolute Return Fund, argues that Ucits III hedge funds are benefiting from the current uncertainty over the final form and substance of the European Union’s AIFM Directive as well as concerns over the costs of implementing its requirements. »

Merchant Capital directors Chris Day (pictured) and George Cadbury say the firm, which last year launched the first Dublin-domiciled Ucits umbrella fund created specifically for Ucits absolute return funds, is looking to launch up to 10 funds over the course of 2010 following the debut of the long/short Merchant European Equity Fund in January. »

Spike Hughes, chief executive of Insynergy Investment Management, says that building on the existing success of its initial retail fund run by Crispin Odey and new absolute return funds targeting India and China, the firm will seek out further world-class investment teams with proven strategies that can be adapted to a Ucits structure. »

Fred Sage, managing partner of Decision Analytics Advisory Partners, says the Next Generation Absolute Return Ucits Sicav and Ucits Fund of Funds will offer investors a unique selection of hedge fund strategies with all the protection offered by a Ucits umbrella fund structure, backed up by a broad range of internal and third-party sophisticated Ucits funds expertise. »

Richard Sherwin, partner and head of investment research at Blacksquare Capital, says the newly-launched IFSL Blacksquare Multi-Manager Absolute Return Fund, of which he is portfolio manager, is accessible and affordable to a large majority of investors thanks to a minimum investment of GBP1,000 for its UK retail share class and the absence of a performance fee – a unique characteristic for a multi-manager absolute return fund. »

Manager Richard Hodgetts says the newly-launched Collins Stewart Alternative Strategies Fund, a Ucits III fund of absolute return funds that draws on the firm’s extensive experience as a manager of funds of hedge funds, is set to capitalise on increasing interest in absolute return strategies as investor confidence returns. »