Julius Baer Investment Management Plans Four Funds

Best known for private banking, Zurich-based Julius Baer plans to bring four mutual funds to the masses, according to The Wall Street Journal.

"For years, their only real recognized funds were their international equity and one or two bond funds," said Greg Wolper, a senior fund analyst at Chicago fund-tracker Morningstar, "It was a very small shop."   Now, Julius Baer is "trying to expand its mutual funds to be more like what you might call a normal fund shop in the U.S.," said Wolper.

Recently, Swiss banks have been trying to attract foreign clients, as the European Union increases its scrutiny of foreign accounts in an attempt to subvert tax evaders and terrorists.

Last year, the Swiss bank paid $4.56 billion to snag fund-of-fund manager GAM from UBS AG in a deal that also included Julius Baer's acquisition of three private banks to make it the largest private bank in Switzerland.

The proposed funds include the Julius Baer U.S. MicroCap Fund, the Julius Baer U.S. Smallcap fund, the Julius Baer U.S. Midcap Funs and the Julius Baer U.S. Multicap Fund.

The proposed mico-cap fund will invest in companies in the Russell 2000 small stock and Russell Micro-cap indexes, and be managed by Julius Baer Investment Management newcomer Samuel A. Dedio.  The small and mid-cap funds will pick from the Russell small and mid-cap indexes. Dedio, who spent seven years heading small- and mid-cap management at Deutsche Asset Management, and Deputy Chief Investment Officer Brett Gallagher will manage the multi-cap fund, which, as proposes, would invest in funds that offer long-term gains, regardless of size.