To an institutional investor, a fund manager can be a key ingredient for success. Offering insight, expertise and added value, the manager will oversee the portfolio on the investor’s behalf, maximizing its potential, and tailoring their services to specific needs. Alignment between the investor and the manager is necessary in order for the relationship to prosper, with the manager understanding the investor’s aims, and the investor appreciating the capabilities of the manager.

Jan Mende, a senior vice president and consultant in Callan’s Real Assets Consulting group, explains what her company offers in terms of management. “We help clients to understand the differences between strategies, and we generally have broad client exposure in a sector, which allows us to have additional insight about trends, opportunities and issues,” she says.

For Sid Vittal, a portfolio manager with many years of experience, it is a matter of the manager not only having the right