Excel Funds Management Inc. Wednesday announced the launch Excel Blue Chip Emerging Markets Fund, of its 12th mutual fund.
The new invests in securities that derive a portion of their revenues from emerging markets such as Nike, Yum Brands, Unilever PLC and Petrobras.
“At Excel, we offer the greatest number of emerging market funds in Canada and are proud to be the first to launch a product of this kind,” says Bhim Asdhir, president and CEO of Mississauga, Ont.-based Excel Funds. “The new global fund invests in the world’s best blue chip companies while hedging currency and is expected to generate superior returns over full market cycles vis-a-vis the MSCI World Index.”
Excel’s management team is targeting mid and large cap blue chip companies with exposure to both G7 and BRIC nations. The fund uses geographic diversification and currency hedging to spread risk across several markets and lower volatility. Currency hedging is being used to preserve capital while maintaining the ability to make a substantial profit from emerging market outperformance over the longer term.
Under the direction of portfolio manager David Kunselman, the fund is using a blended value-growth investment style approach. Kunselman has over 10 years of investment management experience. Prior to his appointment at Excel Investment Counsel Inc., Kunselman was vice president and portfolio manager at Morrison Williams Investment Management in Toronto where he oversaw more than $3.5 billion in assets.