The rush to adopt a boutique approach

Continuing to gain in popularity, a true definition of a boutique is getting harder as some boutiques are now quite substantial

The stampede by leading fund managers to join smaller set-ups or strike out on their own shows no sign of abating. Big brand, established names claim they are adopting a boutique approach but it is the hands-on, manager-owned houses that are hitting headlines. Investment Week research revealed 18 new fund launches out of a total of 60 in 2004 came from boutique firms. As the industry moves towards high alpha and less benchmarking, advisers believe it is inevitable more managers will want to throw off the shackles of big established asset management groups. But deciding what classifies ...