Ariel Investments launches new emerging market strategies

By Penny Pryor

Global value-based asset manager Ariel Investments has launched its new Ariel Emerging Markets Value portfolios to Australian institutional investors.

Ariel is launching two concentrated portfolios - the Ariel Emerging Markets Value and Ariel Emerging Markets Value ex-China - in Australia.

The strategies are led by Ariel Investments chief investment officer of Emerging Markets Value Equities, Henry Mallari-D'Auria, who joined the asset manager in April to head up the Emerging Markets team. For the past two decades he was Alliance Bernstein's chief investment officer of emerging equities.

He has also brought with him a team of five experienced analysts and portfolio managers from AllianceBernstein to help manage the strategy.

"The launch of these portfolios will offer Australian institutions an opportunity to access the expertise of Ariel's Emerging Markets Value Team, who have a proven ability to identify compelling opportunities to capitalise on valuation dislocations,Ariel Investments senior vice president, institutional marketing, head of Asia Pacific & MENA, Ian Webber said.

"This skill can only be gained after years of experience successfully investing in some of the globe's most inefficient markets, and it's a capability we're proud to be able to offer to Australian institutions,"