A new international investment data firm has been created after FE joined forces with fundinfo, a provider of services for asset managers and distributors in Europe and Asia, and F2C, the Luxembourg-based business which runs fund data management platform, publiFund.

The combined firm ─ which followed the completion of specialist technology investor Hg’s investment in FE ─ will be led by FE chief executive officer Neil Bradford, with a new executive team comprising FE, fundinfo and F2C staff. 
 
A joint statement this morning revealed the three firms will “fully integrate to create a single business with international reach, market leading products and services, a greater level of scale and a continued focus on operational excellence and quality service.”

Combined, the firm will connect around 800 asset managers with over 3,000 fund distribution firms, including a majority of Europe’s wealth managers, platforms, private banks and UK financial adviser firms. 
 
Neil Bradford, CEO of FE, said: “Today marks the birth of a new international force in investment data. 

“Our combination will create a larger network of asset manager and distributor data partners across Europe and beyond. 

“This will hugely benefit our clients by simplifying data flows, reducing complexity, improving transparency and communication and, ultimately, making investing easier. 

“We look forward to announcing more details about our combined offering in early 2019.”
 
Philipp Portmann, CEO of fundinfo, said: “It’s been a busy two years since our own Hg investment. 

“Earlier this year, the team at F2C joined us to expand our client offering and this latest move is a step change in creating a global group at scale. 

“The three companies complement each other in expertise and geographical coverage while sharing similar values in terms of premium client service and operational excellence, so make a natural combination. 

“I, along with my fellow co-founders at fundinfo and F2C, are all excited to be continuing the journey within the enlarged company.”
 
Laurent Halbgewachs, CEO of F2C, said: “After joining forces with fundinfo earlier this year, I’m excited that the combination with FE will enable us to further increase the services that we can offer to our clients, while maintaining the level of service and operational excellence our clients have come to expect.” 
 
Sebastien Briens, partner at Hg, said: “This deal is a major step in creating a global player in the fund information industry.

“The entire industry is undergoing massive changes. 

“As well as evolving their own business models, asset managers and distributors also expect their partners to adapt to a new reality by offering more efficient, higher quality and integrated services along the full-service value chain. 

“Bringing together these three leading players creates a business which can meet these requirements head on.”