Columbia Threadneedle Investments has announced an agreement for Columbia Management Investment Advisers, LLC to acquire Emerging Global Advisors, LLC (EGA), a New York-based registered investment adviser and a provider of smart beta portfolios focused on emerging markets.
The acquisition will significantly expand the smart beta capabilities of Columbia Threadneedle Investments. Terms of the EGA acquisition were not disclosed. The transaction is expected to close later this year.
Law firm Seward & Kissel LLP represented Emerging Global Advisors in this deal.
With USD892 million in assets, EGA has an established presence in the smart beta marketplace. It is the investment adviser to the EGShares suite of nine emerging markets equity exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that track custom-designed indices.
The Seward & Kissel team that represented EGA in this deal included partner Craig Sklar and associate Gary Anderson, both of the firm’s Business Transactions Group.
“The experience and knowledge of the EGA team and strong emerging markets ETF products will complement our existing actively managed product lineup,” says Ted Truscott, chief executive officer of Columbia Threadneedle Investments. “The EGA acquisition will allow us to reach even more investors and accelerates our efforts as we build our smart beta capabilities.”
Since launching its first ETF in 2009, EGA has had a dedicated focus on providing rules-based, smart beta strategies designed to provide investors with diversification and growth opportunities in emerging markets.
“The team is excited about joining Columbia Threadneedle Investments and building on our complementary strengths to deliver smart beta strategies across asset classes to investors,” says Marten Hoekstra, Chief Executive Officer of EGA. “Now our clients gain access to Columbia Threadneedle’s rich investment expertise, while continuing to benefit from EGA’s experience converting investment insights into rules-based, smart beta strategies.”
“Columbia Threadneedle Investment’s expansive footprint across global markets provides an opportunity to accelerate the growth of our smart beta platform,” says Robert Holderith, President and Founder of EGA.
