U.S. proposed tax changes lead to interest in cross-border migration

Montreal-based Fiera Capital Corp. announced on Wednesday that its affiliated U.S. division, Fiera Capital Inc., has entered into an agreement that will bring the entire team of Rye Brook, N.Y.-based Larch Lane Advisors LLC to Fiera.

The Larch Lane team, which creates customized and commingled alternatives portfolios, emphasizing early stage investing through its fund of hedge fund portfolios and hedge fund seeding platform, is expected to join Fiera on Sept. 1.

The Larch Lane team will complement Fiera’s existing capabilities in alternative investing and add expertise to its U.S. division in alternative investment management, risk management, fund accounting and firm operations. Fiera will become the adviser for Larch Lane’s existing investment strategies.

“Bringing the Larch Lane team on board is an ideal way to develop our alternative investment capabilities in the U.S. and add a distinguished team of professionals to our U.S. division,” says Jean-Guy Desjardins, Fiera’s chairman and CEO, in a statement. “The addition of Larch Lane’s investment offerings and talented team will provide a strong foundation for Fiera’s non-traditional investment strategies in the U.S”

Specifically, the Larch Lane team and its strategies will enable Fiera’s U.S. division to offer clients a range of alternative investment solutions previously provided by Larch Lane and its joint venture partners, including a liquid alternatives mutual fund, traditional funds of hedge funds and hedge fund seeding strategies.

“Larch Lane brings a 23-year fund of hedge funds track record and a 15-year track record of hedge fund seeding. We are pleased to be able to begin leveraging Larch Lane’s talented team on behalf of our clients,” says Benjamin Thompson, president and CEO of Fiera’s U.S. division. “This will add complementary expertise, investment offerings and organizational depth that we believe our clients will benefit from tremendously.”

Larch Lane’s strategies are expected to add approximately US$500 million in assets under management (AUM) to Fiera’s U.S. division, which has total AUM of US$17.7 billion as of June 30.

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