KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA - Media OutReach Newswire - 24 June 2024 - Kenanga Investors Berhad ("Kenanga Investors") has announced the launch of its latest product suite, the Kenanga Alternative Series ("the Series"), marking another milestone in the asset manager's commitment to providing unique and differentiated investment solutions. This new series aims to cater to investors' tactical needs while seizing emerging opportunities within dynamic market segments. With the launch, the Series' two new funds have been introduced; the Kenanga Alternative Series: Income Opportunities Fund ("KASIOF") and the Kenanga Alternative Series: Structured Opportunities Fund ("KASSOF"). Each Fund offers unique benefits, allowing investors to diversify and hedge their portfolios.

Datuk Wira Ismitz Matthew De Alwis, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Kenanga Investors Berhad.

The KASIOF is an open-ended wholesale fund that seeks to generate stable and attractive returns by investing into the Helicap Income Opportunities Fund ("Target Fund"). The Target Fund is an open-ended Asian private credit fund specialising in the alternative lending sector managed by Helicap Investments Pte. Ltd ("Helicap Investments") to achieve stable and strong risk-adjusted investment returns by providing investors with access to private credit investment opportunities across geographies and industry sectors throughout Asia.

The KASSOF is designed to provide capital growth through strategic investments in structured products such as certificates, credit-linked notes, equity-linked notes or other similar products while preserving investors' capital. Acting as a tactical component within investors' portfolios, the KASSOF aims to capture opportunities emerging from prevailing market conditions and future expectations.

"We are glad to have positioned ourselves at the forefront of the emerging alternatives investments movement. Recognising the brewing storm in pre-pandemic markets, we foresaw the shift in investor sentiment towards risk aversion. Since 2017, we have strategically diversified our product offerings by introducing alternative investment vehicles with fixed returns and lower risk compared to equities. Private credit, in particular, has increasingly played a crucial role in the financial system by providing loans to businesses that may otherwise be unable to secure financing through traditional banks or public debt markets. As such, we have observed lending activities by non-bank entities picking up after the global financial crisis in 2008-2009, reaching nearly USD1.7 trillion as of year 2024. With KASIOF, we can offer investors a stable and consistent return profile and diversification from traditional investment portfolios", said Datuk Wira Ismitz Matthew De Alwis, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Kenanga Investors.

"Regarding the KASSOF, a mixed-asset closed-ended Fund, we will integrate our deep understanding of equity and fixed income markets, interest rate forecasts, and global market trends to capture the best opportunities for our investors," Datuk Wira De Alwis added. "This approach ensures that the KASSOF can effectively navigate and capitalise on prevailing and future market conditions."

On the collaboration between Kenanga Investors and Helicap Investments, the latter's co-founder and Chief Investment Officer, Quentin Vanoekel said "We are thrilled to partner with Kenanga Investors to develop the adoption of private credit offerings in Malaysia. For the past six years, our investment program has consistently generated stable returns, delivering positive returns for 24 consecutive quarters. Mirroring the key attributes of evergreen private credit offerings, the Target Fund has historically demonstrated low annualised volatility, diversification and low correlation with public markets. We believe this partnership aligns perfectly with Kenanga Investors' ambition to bolster financial inclusion throughout Southeast Asia. Furthermore, it will further amplify Helicap Investment's mission to enhance institutional lending capital to the micro, small, and medium enterprises sector in the region through our borrowing partners."

The Hong Kong-based Asia Asset Management's 2024 Best of the Best Awards has awarded Kenanga Investors with the Malaysia Best House for Alternatives title for five consecutive years. This recognition underscores the asset manager's excellence and innovation in the alternatives investment space, reaffirming its position as a trusted leader in the industry. Both Funds are suitable for Sophisticated Investors with short to medium term investment horizons.

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