SLI launches FunDChoices DC investment platform

Standard Life Investments, one of the largest institutional fund managers in the UK, has announced the official launch of FUNDCHOICES, its new ‘investment only’ fund platform for defined contribution (DC) pension schemes.

FUNDCHOICES offers DC clients the ability to access – via Standard Life Investments’ Trustee Investment Plan – a wide range of funds covering a broad spectrum of asset classes and investment styles. Clients can invest in funds provided by Standard Life Investments, its ‘Manager of Manager’ range and funds from other external fund managers.

In order to provide added flexibility, FUNDCHOICES also offers DC trustees the ability to create their own bespoke funds, which cover core investment options, bespoke multi asset options and the white labelling of funds. All FUNDCHOICES schemes can also request a bespoke client website. Through this website, individual DC members can access scheme and fund information including fund fact sheets.

The minimum initial investment required for investment through FUNDCHOICES is £10m.

The platform has been developed over a number of months and has already accumulated in excess of £1.1bn in assets under administration, including an £840m mandate from Citigroup to provide an investment platform for four defined contribution schemes.

George Walker, Head of UK Institutional Business, Standard Life Investments, said:

“We have created FUNDCHOICES in response to growing demand from DC pension clients for a flexible and efficient investment platform. We will work in partnership with the key institutional consultants to provide DC clients with the opportunity to invest in an exceptional fund range supported by a broad selection of key benefits.

“Standard Life Investments believes that effective communication is key to building long-term relationships with all of our DC clients. Our specialist client fund managers will ensure clients receive professional attention from a single point of contact in relation to fund performance and service, keeping them fully up to date with all that is going on with the world’s financial markets.

“DC clients will also have access to our dedicated and experienced client service team and will receive regular statements in relation to scheme activity, as well as quarterly fund reports describing market activity and the impact on a scheme’s investments.

“We’ve already attracted more than £1.1bn in assets to FUNDCHOICES – and all this before the official launch. The fact that we are hitting the ground running suggests that there is real demand out there for a top quality ‘investment only’ DC platform.”

For more information on the services Standard Life Investments offers DC Pension Schemes please visit: fundchoices.com.