Henderson Global Investors has launched the Henderson Horizon Global Currency Fund. The Luxembourg SICAV, managed by Bob Arends and his team, gives institutional, wholesale and retail investors access to Henderson’s proven quantitative investment approach in developed and emerging market currencies.

Bob Arends, head of currency, and his five strong currency team joined Henderson last year from Fortis and launched the Cayman domiciled hedge fund, the Henderson Global Currency Fund, in May 2009. The Henderson Horizon Global Currency Fund is a sophisticated UCITS III version of the strategy.

Bob Arends, head of currency at Henderson said: “The liquidity and transparency of currency as an asset class, combined with a strong focus on risk management embedded in our investment process, lend themselves perfectly to a sophisticated UCITS III fund.

“In addition, currency should certainly be part of a well diversified portfolio as it has a low correlation with other asset classes.”

The team employs a quantitative approach that has been developed to participate in the most attractive carry currency pairs in combination with proprietary risk-filters to reduce downside risk.

Arno Kitts, head of global distribution said: “Bob and his team have built up an excellent track record of participating in market upside and limiting exposure to market downside, proving the importance of having a sophisticated approach to global currency. A year after their hedge fund was launched we are in an excellent position to launch a sophisticated UCITS III product.

“We are witnessing a rising demand from pension funds and other institutional investors for these types of hedge fund strategies which provide the security of being wrapped into transparent, liquid, highly regulated vehicles.”