Natixis Global Asset Management Acquires Majority Stake in OSSIAM, a Specialty ETF Start-up

Based in Paris, Ossiam will be the first European ETF start-up in Europe focused on providing a diverse range of specialty ETFs based on quantitative and fundamental data. Ossiam’s four directors, including CEO Bruno Poulin, previously deputy CIO and head of quantitative research at Systeia Capital Management, and Deputy CEO Antoine Moreau, formerly global head of fund derivatives and exotic equity derivatives trading at Calyon, will retain partial ownership..

Ossiam plans to launch its first ETFs in early 2011 in Europe. These products will be available to clients either through French funds, a Luxembourg SICAV structure or via dedicated funds tracking customized indices tailored for specific institutional client needs. Moreover, Ossiam is currently fine-tuning its set-up in order to meet the latest AMF requirements. The appropriate set-up in the U.S. will be determined in the nearer future.

«In Europe the ETF market is rapidly growing; even if it is still lagging behind the US market, the gap is decreasing. We want to position ourselves, not on the plain-vanilla market -an already very concentrated one- but in the specialty ETF market with a double goal: First, complete our range of expertise in order to offer our clients not simple replications of market indices but intelligent solutions with high added-value to diversify further their investments, and second, build an ETF distribution capacity » commented Pierre Servant, CEO of Natixis Global Asset Management. NGAM’s investment in Ossiam is a logical new step in the development of our multi-boutique model. «Personally I am very delighted to see Ossiam’s highly experienced team, led by Bruno Poulin and Antoine Moreau, reinforce NGAM’s teams », according to Mr. Servant

«We are delighted to be backed by a company with the scale of NGAM, one of the largest asset managers in the world, and to be supported by their global distribution network», said Bruno Poulin, CEO of Ossiam. «We have ambitious growth plans for the company both in terms of market reach and range of products and we believe our partnership with NGAM will allow us to achieve those plans.»

«Ossiam aims to provide smart and innovative ETFs at fair prices across a broad range of asset classes. Ossiam will offer their clients long-term investment solutions and tailored products for specific issues. »