(January 5 – 10:45 ET) – Great-West Life and the Freedom 55 Financial division of London Life are introducing a mutual fund dealer, Quadrus Investment Services Ltd., along with 40 mutual funds under the Quadrus Group of Funds, a new mutual fund family.

This move marks Great-West’s entry into the mutual fund market. It also builds on London Life’s presence in the market. Together, Great-West and London Life have the leading market share in individual segregated funds, managing $9 billion in assets for Canadians.

The Quadrus Group of Funds includes 18 new mutual funds, plus 22 funds formerly available as the LFC Group of Funds(TM). The Quadrus funds include Canadian and foreign funds with specialty offerings, including emerging markets, socially responsible investing, emerging industries and clone funds.

The Quadrus Group of Funds is available exclusively through Great-West and Freedom 55 Financial investment representatives registered with Quadrus Investment Services Ltd.

“The Quadrus mutual funds will offer our clients the choice of funds which invest in domestic or international markets, the experience of powerful fund advisors, a range of investment styles and objectives, and the flexibility to build a diverse portfolio,” said Murray Taylor, Senior Vice- President, Retirement & Investment Services for Great-West and London Life.

The Quadrus Group of Funds is being offered in conjunction with Scudder MAXXUM Co.

The funds will have six fund advisors and sub-advisors, including MAXXUM Fund Management Inc., Scudder Kemper Investments Inc., Janus Capital Corporation, Franklin Templeton Investment Corp., London Life Investment Management Ltd. and GWL Investment Management Ltd.

Quadrus already has over 2,000 licensed representatives and is a member of the FundServ network.
-IE Staff