Bennelong boutique launches new retail fund

The boutique fund manager, which was co-founded by former Wingate portfolio manager Alastair MacLeod, has launched its global equity income fund to retail investors.

The fund's underlying portfolio is based on Morningstar's Developed Markets Ex Australia Wide Moat Index. It has been available to wholesale investors since Wheelhouse was launched by Bennelong Funds Management in May 2017.

Mr MacLeod said the fund has been set up to address the dual concerns of longevity risk and market risk.

"Large investment losses, particularly in the five to 10 years immediately preceding and after retirement, can be devastating for retirees," Mr MacLeod said.

"This well-documented issue is known as sequencing risk. It’s particularly relevant for retirees and pre-retirees due to the large sums of money involved, the relative lack of time that retirees have to recover from losses, and the necessity for retirees to draw down income during these periods."

"The fund’s investment philosophy is based upon three pillars: investing in global equities as a growth asset to address longevity risk; shaping returns to be retiree-friendly with lower volatility, better capital preservation and consistent income; and delivering a lower-cost solution to help improve outcomes," said Wheelhouse.