Horizon Cash Management saw assets under management grow by 27% in the first quarter of this year to USD 2 billion. Diane Mix explains why hedge fund managers are making increased use of Horizon's cash management services.

Michael Roczinski outlines the cost benefits to hedge funds using the Eurex platform and highlights recent additions to the product range.

Stephen Greene, partner and chief investment officer of the multi-manager business at ACP Partners, says that having undergone an unprecedented shock resulting in severe price dislocations, the financial sector offers ideal conditions for sector specialist hedge fund managers to add value.

David Sheasby, a member of the management team for the Martin Currie Omnium Fund, believes the fund of funds, which invests in the firm's range of nine single-strategy absolute return funds, stands to benefit this year as institutional investors returning to the market become increasingly thorough in their due diligence and far more discerning than before.

Army Yan, head of research and managing director with fund of hedge funds manager K1 Group in Hong Kong, says the K1 Fund Allocation System developed by the company's psychologist founder has enabled the flagship K1 Global Fund to achieve consistent and stable returns since the strategy was launched in 1996.

Martin Baxter, portfolio manager of the Collins Stewart Absolute Return Plus Fund, says the hedge fund industry has suffered because managers have not been quick enough to reduce their risks, while his fund justified its focus on capital preservation by losing just 0.61 per cent in 2008.

Nick England, founding director of fund of hedge funds manager CIA, says the firm's Hurdle Funds has continued to deliver positive returns over the past year - unlike most funds of funds - in part because of the experience that enables the team to seek returns outside the equity sector when required.

Robert Milroy, chief investment officer of fund of hedge funds manager Corazon Capital, says that having cut its ties to the fallen Dawnay Day group, the firm is planning to expand its geographic reach and target new platform-based institutional and retail distribution channels, with a target of reaching assets under management of up to USD6bn.

Shaun Port, chief investment officer at fund of hedge funds manager BDO Stoy Hayward Investment Management, says the firm selects managers with a unique, often contrarian perspective, and usually with depth rather than breadth of focus, but only if they are supported by an organisation robust enough to survive and prosper.

Ari Bergmann, managing principal at Penso Capital Markets, says the firm gains access to best of breed managers by bartering its expertise in risk management services for capacity in their funds.

Peter Ludvigsen, head of institutional business at Nedgroup Investments, argues that mainstream hedge fund strategies have become increasingly correlated to key risk factors and that a majority of generic multistrategy styles risk disappointing investors.

In this detailed interview with Hedgeweek, Miguel Abadi outlines the factors that are driving performance across Gems Advisors' USD 6 billion (AuM) family of multi-manager funds.

Chief executive Dr Glenn Baggley says Eddington Capital Management aims to offer investors a high-octane fund of funds portfolio through the selection of talented managers capable of achieving outsize returns, rather than in timing the market or using leverage.

Arne Schmidt outlines the thinking and investment processes that underpin Zurich-based Systematic Absolute Return's new fund of hedge funds, SAR Environmental Fund, and unveils plans to launch a leveraged version by April 2008.

Chief investment officer Chris Jones outlines Key Asset Management's investment thinking and range of funds of hedge fund investment strategies.

Senior executive officer Omar Kodmani highlights the investment process and thinking behind the Permal FX, Financials and Futures Fund, to which the London-listed fund of hedge funds fund Dexion Trading is proposing to become a feeder.

Yonatan Gozdanker outlines the investment process and strategies underlying Pamplona's newly launched emerging markets fund.

Managing director and head of sales Christophe Chouard outlines the strategy and investment processes that are driving performance at fund of hedge funds manager HDF Finance.

Cyril Julliard outlines the strategy and thinking that is driving the performance of Paris-based ERAAM's range of funds, and outlines plans for new launches.

Magnus Olsson, head of funds at London & Capital, says the company is looking to build on the success of its award-winning fund of funds by looking at new opportunities, such as alternative beta products that aim to replicate hedge fund returns and more focused products for investors willing to assume higher risks to achieve higher returns.

Andres Pitchon says that falling interest rates, rising credit quality and strong economic growth make Argentina and Latin America as a whole an attractive target for investment over the next year.

Tracy Pearson outlines the investment disciplines that drive the performance of Forsyth Partners' funds of hedge funds.

Francisco García Paramés and Álvaro Guzmán de Lázaro discuss the characterisitics that distinguish Madrid-based Bestinver, which is preparing to launch a new hedge fund.

Kevin Shames highlights the investment process and thinking that differentiates the Alpha Opportunistic Fund, which provides investors with a full currency hedged entry into South African hedge funds.

Mehraj Mattoo discusses the investor-focused approach that is shaping the evolution of Commerzbank's funds of hedge funds.

Tim Haywood & Paul McNamara believe the continuing focus on absolute returns coupled with a greater volatility of returns will work in favour of their Absolute Return Bond Fund.

William Browder provides a rare insight to the thinking that drives the USD 3.2 billion Hermitage Fund, the world's largest Russia-dedicated investment fund.

Robin Bowie, founder of Dexion Capital, outlines the trend towards listed closed ended investment companies and highlights Dexion's unique position in this expanding sector…

Tim Gascoigne describes the combination of intensive research and market pragmatism driving HSBC Republic Investments' funds of hedge funds…

Fred Siegrist provides a compelling insight into the thinking that underpins the investment processes at RMF, the asset management division of Man Group plc…

Sandra Manzke, Chairman & CEO of MAXAM Capital Management, outlines the thinking behind the Matrix MAX Fund, aimed at the UK market

Paul O'Reilly describes the extensive knowledge of convertible markets, which feeds into IIU Asset Strategies' consistently strong results

Brad Cole discusses the strategy and investment processes driving the Tellus Natural Resources Fund, focused on commodities and natural resources.

Beach Horizon co-founders Alan Goulding and Dr Paul Netherwood outline the investment ideas and strategies that define Beach Horizon

Chris Jones outlines Key Asset Management's investment thinking and range of funds of hedge fund investment strategies

Edward Horner outlines the investment process and stringent risk management procedures driving Eden Rock's investments in asset based lending strategies.

Tim Haywood outlines the strategies and thinking behind Julius Baer Investments' range of hedge funds

Ian Cadby outlines Ermitage's manager selection process and outlines the strategy of its Japan Absolute Fund

Charles Barnick, CEO, Anthony Gibson, Investment Manager & Ken Lewis, Senior Investment Manager, discuss Coronation's investment approach

David Walsh discusses the ideas and strategies that drive performance at Appleton Capital Management

Philippe Bonnefoy highlights the investment strategy and manager selection criteria for the Cedar Fund

Julian Mayo outlines the strategy and thinking behind the development of Charlemagne Capital's suite of emerging market funds

Virginia Reynolds Parker outlines the strategy and thinking that drives Parker Global Strategies in its search for investment opportunities around the world

Barbara Rupf Bee was appointed Chief Executive Officer of HSBC Republic Investments Limited (HRIL), the HSBC Group's dedicated fund of hedge fund investment adviser, in September 2005, replacing Paul Dunning.

Edward Horner outlines the investment process and recent developments at Eden Rock Capital Management, which focuses on asset-based lending funds.

Brett Hellerman, co-founder of Clinton Group, discusses the emerging manager seeding fund he has launched with MassMutual Insurance.

Virginia Reynolds Parker examines the management of risk in FoHFs and outlines a range of issues central to the concerns of managers and investors.

Arié Assayag outlines the thinking and strategy behind the global development of SGAM AI hedge funds and funds of funds business, plus forthcoming launches.

Kevin Arenson, CIO & CEO, and Harry Wulfsohn, Director, of Stenham Advisors Plc, outline their products, strategy and investment philosophy.

London-based Chaser Capital launched its first currency fund on 14 February. David Lavers outlines the fund's strategy and investment process

Tushar Patel outlines the strategic thinking that is driving the development of GAIM Advisors' growing range of index-based funds of hedge funds.

André du Plessis discusses a wide range of topical issues and outlines the background and strategies at the USD 9 billion institutional asset manager.

Andrew Bourne, Chief Executive, and Alan Thomas, Legal & Compliance Advisor at Bourne Financial, outline their services for start-up hedge  funds.

Dexion Capital plc has successfully completed the third major fund raising for its London-listed closed ended fund of hedge funds, Dexion Absolute Ltd. (DAB-AUM 240m GBP). Robin Bowie outlines Dexion Capital's strategy and plans for new products.

In 2002 the two Geneva-based private banks Lombard Odier & Cie and Darier Hentsch & Cie merged to form Lombard Odier Darier Hentsch & Cie. Daniel Penseyres outlines LODH's hedge fund investment strategy.

The Maga Smaller Companies Fund Limited is being launched on 1 April by London-based Gibbs Tyser Capital Management Limited (GTCM). Claire Griffiths outlines the background and investment strategy of the new fund.

In this interview Ian Cadby outlines how Liberty Ermitage doubled its assets under management in funds of hedge funds to over US$1 billion over the past year, and is now expanding into the North American market.

Now in its seventh year, London-based Winton has delivered consistently positive annual returns and an average annual performance of 21%. Founder David Harding outlines the factors behind Winton's success.

Goldmans Sachs operates one of the largest funds of  hedge businesses in the world . In this interview with Hedgeweek, Hugh Lawson outlines the scale of the business and its strategy in Europe.

Erik Jens, chief executive of Fortis Prime Fund Solutions, says the move into public ownership of its Dutch parent has reassured clients and even helped to win new prime brokerage business, and that the organisation is well placed to help hedge fund clients come through the current difficult market environment.

Michael Peters, a member of the Eurex executive board with responsibility for marketing and sales, outlines the various services and incentives offered by the derivatives exchange to its product users, including market-makers and algorithmic traders.

Joost Lobler outlines the strategy and thinking that is driving the global expansion and growth of Equity Trust's alternative fund services business.

Colin Bugler and Robert Pitt highlight the strategic focus and thinking that is driving the expansion of Scotia Capital's prime brokerage business.

Khiem Do outlines the factors that underline the performance of Baring's China-focused long short fund, which has delivered strong returns.

Jon Hitchon outlines recent changes at Deutsche Bank (DB) and reviews the key hedge fund trends tracked by the Global Prime Services business.

Andrew Collins outlines the global development of Fortis Prime Fund Solutions and also highlights some plans for 2006.

Sean Flynn outlines developments at UBS Fund Services, including the opening of a Toronto fund administration operation in 2006 to service the North American market.

Joost Lobler outlines the global development of Fortis Prime Fund Solutions, with funds under administration growing at over 40 per cent this year.

Peter Jones outlines the value-added S&P* fixed income securities evaluation services available to hedge fund managers and institutional investors.

Andrew Collins outlines recent developments at Butterfield Fund Services, including the appointment of a new Director of Marketing for Europe.

Nicholas Roe outlines the reorganisation of London-based Deutsche Bank's Global Prime Services unit, reviews key trends in 2004 and looks ahead at 2005.

Hideki Hashiguchi outlines recent developments in the Japanese hedge funds market, including the size and strategies of new fund launches and investor preferences.

Joanne Murphy, SVP Head of Sales, Asia-Pacific, Alternative Fund Services, HSBC, Hong Kong, outlines manager and investor trends in Australia.

Scott Epstein, Head of Alternative Fund Services at HSBC in San Francisco, and Jackie Tomecek, Director of Sales, outline West Coast investment trends.

London-based IG Markets is the broking subsidiary of IG Group. Tim Morris outlines IG Market's growing range of online trading services for emerging hedge fund managers.

Multi-manager Collins Stewart Asset Management has received an AA rating by Standard & Poor's for six funds of funds it manages. Kevin Boscher outlines the company's investment strategy and success with absolute returns.

Alan R. Taylor, co-manager with his brother Russell of the Vantage Index Trader fund, says they are currently looking for opportunities in the decline of the crude oil price and any signs of stabilisation in the housing market, and expect the FTSE 100 and Dow Jones Industrial Average to hit new lows by April before rebounding for the end of the year.

William Wong, director of Qbasis Capital Management, argues that after a successful year in 2008 while other hedge fund strategies stumbled, the firm's systematic managed futures funds are well placed to attract assets this year from investors looking for diversification to protect their investments.

Robert Hounshell, head of trading at Lexington Asset Management, says the diversification offered by the firm's managed futures trading programme, encompassing 800 systems traded in 40 of the world's most liquid futures and commodity markets, helped it to return 55.25 per cent net of fees last year.

Dr Paul Netherwood, a partner with managed futures specialist Beach Horizon, says the strategy is set to increase its appeal not only because of its standout returns in 2008 but because it offers the transparency and liquidity that investors increasingly demand, and because managers' familiarity with enhanced transparency requirements with leave them better placed to cope with increased regulation than many others in the alternatives sector.

Thaddée Tyl outlines the quantitative and systematic strategies that have shaped Rivoli Fund Management

Miguel Ramos Fuentenebro outlines the thinking behind Washington Square's recently launched innovative LSE-listed Carador CDO equity fund

Fred Siegrist provides a compelling insight into the thinking that underpins the investment processes at RMF, the asset management division of Man Group plc.

Mark Baak, head of portfolio management at Finles Capital Management, says the Utrecht, Netherlands-based firm is well placed to benefit during what is likely to be a difficult period for hedge fund asset-gathering by virtue of its innovative fee structures and experience of managing genuinely hedge portfolios.

Samer M. Nsouli, chief investment officer of Lyford Group International, says the short-term focus of the Lyford Fund stands to benefit this year in an environment where the firm expects global markets to remain in a deep recession for at least the next two years while deleveraging continues and reaccelerates as more funds face redemptions in March and June.

Brian Gilmore, chief executive of Palatine Asset Management, says the Capitoline Global Media Fund, which aims to exploit capital inefficiencies in the market for asset-based financing to distributors and producers of entertainment content, is set to benefit from the lack of liquidity available from traditional lenders.

Michael Derks, chief investment officer of Arch Financial Products, says the CF Arch cru Finance Fund launched in November to invest in short- to medium-term private finance deals enjoys excellent prospects in a time of unprecedented financial and economic duress when traditional lenders do not have the appetite for loans of past years.

Asset managers and investors are starting to awaken to the potential offered by Africa after decades of misgovernment and economic stagnation. Mohammed Hanif, chief investment officer at Insparo Asset Management in London, says the firm's newly-launched Insparo Africa Fund offers investors currently underweight in the Middle East and Africa with focused exposure to an attractive if complicated region.

SVM Asset Management managing director Colin McLean says the SVM Highlander Fund he manages, which has returned an annualised 15.1 per cent since its launch in 1999, has avoided the problems of many long/short equity funds this year because it relies on long and short stock alpha rather a long bias or leverage to generate returns.

Mitsubishi Corporation invested USD39m last month to acquire a 19.5 per cent stake in Aladdin Capital Holdings, an alternative investment manager specialising in fixed-income hedge funds and collateralised debt obligations with USD17.5bn in assets under management. In this interview, Aladdin Capital chief executive Aminkhan Aladin explains why he believes the hedge fund industry is on the brink of another round of expansion.

Managing director Dr Amir Ali Farman-Farma says that Connexion Capital, an alternative investment advisory firm focusing on managers in the energy, resources, and oil-producing regions of the world, picks managers the firm wants to invest with, not those that hold out the promise of the biggest sales.

Horton Point LLC recently announced plans to launch a quantitative multi-strategy vehicle in the fourth quarter of 2007. In this interview CEO Dimitri Sogoloff discusses the investment process and prospects for the new fund.

Eric de Sangues outlines the investment process that underpins the hedge funds run by Geneva-based Avendis Capital.

James Bryson and Roland Hass outline the investment process and thinking behind the launch of their new multi-strategy fund focusing on Indonesia.

Kevin Boscher predicts that increasing geopolitical risks and tightening global liquidity could result in a major market correction in 2006

Jay R Feuerstein describes Xenon Capital's 100 per cent systematic, short-term, multi-strategy, low-volatility approach

Christopher Lee outlines the re-structuring by CFM into multi-strategy and multi manager products producing much higher capacity and more diversification

Erich Bonnet speaks to Hedgeweek at length about ADI's current strategies and future plans

Oslo-based Dag Rosmo outlines Interkraft Capital Management's trading focus on the Nordic power markets and reveals plans to launch a new fund in 2006

Broadstone Fund Management, part of the Dublin-based Broadstone Capital Group, is preparing to launch two hedge fund strategies on the Irish Stock Exchange.

Randy Black, a principal with LandBaron Investments, says the firm's newly-launched Western States Distressed Land Fund aims to capitalise on an unprecedented opportunity to accumulate prime assets with minimal competition before the floodgates open for sideline money that will result in a surge in prices.

Stavros Loizou, chief executive of Lewis Charles Securities, says the Lewis Charles Abu Dhabi Property Fund, to be launched early next month, aims to use so-called cash deals involving unleveraged property to take advantage of huge imbalances between supply and demand forecast for Abu Dhabi over the next three to five years.

David Michelson, an advisor with Three Arch Investors, says the California Distressed Land Fund, which is being launched by sponsors and managers with experience of the last US residential property crisis in the 1990s, is perfectly placed to capitalise on the ongoing fall in the value of real estate to more affordable levels.

Simon Glossop, partner and chief investment officer at CF Partners, a London-based environmental finance firm specialising in carbon advisory and trading, explains why the firm is launching a carbon emissions hedge fund in November to exploit pricing inefficiencies and dislocations in carbon markets.

Miriam Mascherin, managing partner of Luxembourg-based Elite Advisers, says the firm's combination of investment management expertise and deep knowledge and range of contacts in the wine industry gives its Nobles Crus fund an edge in achieving returns from the buying, holding and selling of top-graded wines.

Katherine Buck, a managing director and portfolio manager for small-cap core equity strategies at Chicago-based Wayne Hummer Asset Management, believes that in an environment of rising US personal savings rates, lower-end consumables such as fast food may benefit, while big-ticket durables could languish as consumers take a breather from the leverage used to finance such purchases in the past.

President Stephen Siderow says credit investment specialist BlueMountain Capital Management is planning to launch a series of funds this year to exploit opportunities offered by current dislocations in the market, including a vehicle set to begin trading in June that will encompass various long-only and relative value strategies.

Giovanni Pennetta, chief executive of Goldwinds Asset Management, investment adviser to the KPR Diamond Fund, says that in times of market turbulence, investors are drawn to diamonds as an investment because of their ability to withstand economic uncertainty and financial turmoil and to act a hedge against falling stock prices and inflation.

Carlo Scevola, president of Carlo Scevola & Partners, which is portfolio manager to the Leader Fund, says his firm's model-driven process for investing in currency markets has been successfully based on basic assumptions that the future is unknowable and unpredictable, and that financial markets have a fractal structure.

Brian Kim, president and chief investment officer of Liquid Capital, says the firm has lowered the volatility of its quantitatively-managed funds by employing much less leverage, allowing it to deliver a more consistent level of returns than most of its hedge fund peers so far in 2009 with very limited downside volatility.

Andy Sowerby, managing director of marketing, product development and distribution at Martin Currie, says the firm and its hedge fund strategies have shone over the past year thanks to its equities focus, genuine alignment between the interests of managers and investors, and a prudent approach to asset capacity.

Andy Seaman, a partner and fixed-income portfolio manager at Stratton Street Capital, says the Asia-focused funds he manages with Mark Johns are continuing to hold high-grade sovereign and large corporates in the region, but with proprietary research showing that out it is not until six months after a recession ends that high-yield outperforms government debt.

Charlie Metcalfe, chief executive of First State Investments, says the First State Media Fund has embarked on a fresh round of fundraising after investing virtually all its initial commitments on a diverse range of musical copyrights, and argues that media and entertainment assets tend to be more resilient than other sectors in times of recession.

Jerry Haworth examines the factors and investment thinking that have driven the significant performance of New Zealand-based 36 South's strategies in recent years.

Todd Voigt, manager of Cohen & Steers' Global Real Estate Long-Short strategy, which differentiates itself through bottom-up fundamental research combined with top-down thematic views, says the lack of history and research by other investors in the global real estate markets result in extremely attractive investment opportunities.

Manuel Alejandro Dopazo, managing director of London-based investment manager and corporate advisor Fincere, says that despite the recent impact on emerging markets of global financial turbulence, the world's developing economies are well placed to continue to build on their growth of the past few years.

Adrian Owens, manager of the JB Currency Hedge Fund - Discretionary Segregated Portfolio at Augustus, says the strategy has achieved a consistently attractive profile of returns since January 2004, and expects continued success this year amid high volatility and higher than usual uncertainty.

Shahid Ikram, head of sovereign and G7 at Morley and manager on the G7 Fixed Income Fund, argues that there is a significant risk of equity and credit markets both underperforming this year as a result of the potential for further systemic risk over the coming months.

Peter Halloran, founder and chief executive of specialist Russia and CIS manager Pharos Financial Group, says the firm's presence in Russia and its network of local contacts are the key to a track record of consistent high returns achieved with low volatility.

Managing director Dan Ascani of Gemini Futures, a CFTC-registered futures introducing broker, commodity pool operator, and commodity trading adviser that launched two hedge funds focused on gold futures earlier this year, says Gemini's strategy represents a hedge against global economic risk and equity market risk.

Charles Supapodok says that with silver outperforming gold recently and its price set to continue rising in the coming years, the Artemis strategy based on investment in mining companies is poised to capitalise on growing interest in silver investments and the precious metal itself.

Björn Englund explains why, despite the continuing stream of gruesome headlines, Iraq is a land of attractive investment opportunities.The Hedgeweek Interview: Björn Englund, founder and fund manager, Godvig Capital Management: Managing the risks of investing in Iraq

Kevin Pilarski outlines the investment process and analysis that underlies the performance of Kilkenny's biomedical-focused range of funds.

Hillary Duckworth outlines the outlook and opportunities for Mukwa Fund in sub-Saharan Africa.

Sanjiv Shah and Vijay Krishna-Kumar outline the investment thinking and processes that will drive the performance of their new India-focused fund

James Morton outlines the investment thinking that drives the performance of Key Asset Management's new special situations fund.

George Nianias outlines the investment process and local market strength that drives the performance of the Denholm Hall Russia Arbitrage Fund.

Tony Zucker discusses the investment strategies that drive the performance of the Thames River Kingsway Fund.

Chris Clarke outlines the investment process of the Westferry Global Markets Fund, which opened to third-party accredited investors in September 2006.

Lahrs Buhl of Swiss-based Capricorn Asset Management outlines the investment thinking behind the company's currency programs.

Ron Senator outlines the investment thinking behind the new Puma Sphera fund, a joint venture between Shore Capital of London and Sphera Fund Management of Tel Aviv.

Melissa Hill outlines recent developments at Sabre, including new hire Matthew Isherwood and expansion into new markets such as Japan.

Tony Zucker discusses the strategies behind Thames Rives Kingsway Fund in the current volatile markets.

Peter Brewer previews the investment process for the Cumulus Energy Fund which is scheduled for launch in October 2006.

Stephen Cohen discusses the impact of changes in Russia's political economy on Troika Russia Fund's future plans.  

Steven Solmonson explains how Park Place delivers through its strategy of remaining long-biased, moderating exposures and ongoing diversification…

Nick Mann discusses Oberon Asset Management's strategies in its area of key competence, the Japanese markets…

Cato Brahde discusses Oceanic Energy Fund's innovative strategies in tapping the growing potential in the energy sector…

Shahid Ikram identifies the opportunities and developments in the market cycle that will influence the future growth of Morley G7 Fixed Income Fund…

Gilles Frisch and Gabriel Andraos believe the "credit market - neutral" feature of their strategy sets Dexia Credit Arbitrage apart from its competitors

Enrico Angella and Aurelio Matrone discuss the multi-layered investment strategies that define Getraco's Kkienn European Fund

Martin Duffy discusses the strategies and investment disciplines driving Claremont Europe Fund, which is being re-opened to external investors this year

Michael Wexler discusses the strategies and opportunities that are driving the Maple Leaf Macro Volatility Fund

Robert Macrae outlines the thinking and strategies that go into the Arcus Japan Fund

Kyle McKay outlines the investment discipline that is driving the performance of Leeward Hedge Funds' long/short North American equity fund

Andreas Rialas highlights the ideas and vision behind Argo Capital Management's emerging markets-focused funds

BDT Investment Management co-founders Henry Thornton and Rob Brewis outline the investment thinking that will drive their new BDT Invest Asia Fund

David Baker highlights the investment ideas that are driving the performance of Baker Steel's Genus Natural Resources Fund

Diego Wauters outlines the working of Coriolis Capital Limited, which focuses on strategies for the insurance/reinsurance sector

Ian Lancaster unveils the strategies and ideas that go into the working of the Stockbridge Fund

Paul Sloane, who researches and recommends global insurance and diversified financials stocks as co-manager of the Martin Currie Absolute Returns Fund - Global Financials, argues that the key to overall performance in the sector will be to what extent the real economy gets hit and how quickly mainstream credit - as opposed to exotic asset classes - deteriorates.

R. Rajagopal, principal investment manager of the Kotak India Dynamic Fund, says the newly-launched fund is one of the few Indian absolute return equity funds backed by a leading Indian financial services company.

Neal Goyal, chief investment officer of Blue Horizon Asset Management, outlines his firm's strategy to capitalise on the volatile market environment and continuing fall-out from the sub-prime collapse.

Barings' head of alternatives Paul Graham discusses the investment strategy that underpins the Baring Emerging Market Absolute Return Fund, which was launched in September.

Bryce Markus, a managing principal at BlueMountain Capital Management, argues that many of the problems affecting credit markets, including the housing crisis, institutions' mistrust of the rating agencies and losses built into banks' balance sheets, have still to be resolved.

Fund manager Andy Mantel of Pacific Sun Investment Management in Hong Kong outlines his approach to running the USD50m China Mantou Fund.

Principal Tim Seymour outlines the investment thinking and processes that are driving Red Star's performance in Russia and Eastern Europe.

Petek Kutucuoglu says emerging market hedge fund manager GEM relishes extracting value from complex or obscure opportunities overlooked by the market.

Angus Coupland discusses the investment discipline that drives the performance of the CC Asia Absolute Return Fund.

John Monnelly describes Martin Currie's investment processes and the use of the 'Dynamic Stock Matrix'.

John Innes outlines the investment processes that are driving the consistent performance of the MPC Pilgrim Fund.

Brian McCarthy discusses the systematic processes that drive Alder Capital's absolute return-focused currency investment strategies.

Ramiz Hasan and Simon Donne outline Invicta Chikara Japan Fund's focus on delivering consistent returns with an equity long/short approach

Dino Fuschillo, Lead Manager, outlines the strategy and investment process that underpins the performance of Martin Currie's European-focused fund

Michael Sonenshine outlines the thinking behind the New Europe Fund managed by MT Thaler, whose principals are based in London and Prague

Dino Fuschillo outlines how discipline of process, buy and sell decisions, and a focus on stock-picking are being using to generate results for his European fund

Dino Fuschillo outlines the strategy and investment process that underpins the performance of Martin Currie's European-focused fund.

Tim Gascoigne has nine years experience in the hedge funds industry and joined HRIL in 1996 after spending three years as an equity researcher and member of the strategy team with Mercury Asset Management.

Frederic Desage-Bonnet outlines the thinking behind the F&C Citrine Fund, which was launched in May 2004.

Ex-Trout Trading researcher Aaron Schindler spoke to Hedgeweek about the strategic thinking behind his Schindler Fund

Ben Helm and Alex McKnight, managers of the JB Convertible Bond Fund at Augustus Asset Managers, say the convertible bond market is now the most accessible market for capital-raising by corporates, which will lead to strong supply at relatively good valuations for investors.

John Tilney outlines the USD 180m Armajaro Commodities Fund, which soft-closed on 10 March 2005 and re-opened to new investors in October 2005.

Andrew Rabinowitz, chief operating officer at New York-based distressed investment specialist Marathon Asset Management, LP, says that in the near term, the firm's strategy will reflect a greater proportion of more liquid, high-quality credits and will evolve into a highly selective approach to invest in the higher-yielding, deeper distressed opportunities later in the distressed cycle.

Ross Hollyman, Investment Director responsible for UK and European equity mandates at GAM, discusses the strategy that underpins the new GAM Star Absolute EuroSystematic fund.

James Hulse, fund manager of the newly-launched Cumulus Climate Fund, which seeks to profit from the financial impact of climate change, says post-Bali negotiations could dramatically speed up carbon dioxide emissions regulations around the world.

Peter Nicholas outlines the investment strategy and processes that drive EN Asset Management's Japan-focused fund

Conor O'Mara outlines the investment processes that drive the HSBC Global Technology Fund, which was launched on 1 September 2005.

The  Gartmore Global Equity Hedge Fund was launched on 1 March 2005 and is managed by Neil Rogan & Ben Walker. Current AUM (as at 31st July 2005) is USD 37million.

Veronika Hirsch, Chief Investment Officer & Lead Portfolio Manager of Canada's BluMont Capital, outlines the firm's investment approach, products and strategy.

The founders of MarketPsy Capital have developed a systematic investment strategy that arbitrages sentiment-based stock mispricing by analysing the language of stock-related news and information such as financial news, company press releases and SEC filings. Richard Peterson, co-manager of the MarketPsy Long-Short Fund, explains how the firm's strategy evolved.

Philip Hardy, manager of the Polar Capital UK Absolute Return Fund, says that after a savage bear market in UK equities in 2008 the outlook remains uncertain, and he expects continued heightened volatility in 2009 to present the fund with opportunities on both the long and short side.

Connective Capital Management portfolio manager Robert Romero says the Silicon Valley-based firm, which specialises in investing in the technology and alternative energy markets, has identified profitable short opportunities in consumer hardware and semiconductors and long opportunities in areas such as emerging energy infrastructure.

Gary West (photo) and James Inglis-Jones say the Liontrust European Long/Short Fund they manage has enjoyed solid growth this year amid the gloom for most hedge fund strategies by exploiting apparent contradictions: that more investment doesn't lead to more profit, but less investment can lead to greater profit.

Ezra Sun, manager of Veritas's Real Return Asia Fund, says that while Asia is set to suffer by proxy from the global economic slowdown, experiencing a reduction in domestic consumption and export growth, his fund's target return of around 15 per cent per annum is still achievable over the long term.

Farringdon Capital Management, founded in 2006 by Andreas Tholstrup and Bram Cornelisse, is an asset management firm specialising in fundamental long/short equity investing. In this interview, Tholstrup discusses the thinking behind the Farringdon Alpha One Fund.

Afsin Alp, a partner and portfolio manager with Meadowbrook Capital Management, says the Meadowbrook Beta Neutral Fund, which was officially launched to investors on July 1, has already demonstrated its uncorrelated performance characteristics by delivered its target return despite the recent turmoil in the markets.

John-Paul Temperley, co-manager of the Martin Currie Absolute Return Japan Fund, says the Japanese stock market is currently in the middle of a tricky results season, as companies face rising raw material costs, adverse exchange rate movements and new accounting rules on depreciation, but for some the difficulties will ease as the year goes on.

Stephen Cohen, chief executive for hedge funds at Troika Dialog Asset Management in London, believes the Troika Russia Fund, which has achieved an annualised return of 28 per cent since its launch in May 2006, is set to benefit this year from increased political stability across countries of the former Soviet Union, strong domestic consumption and a long-term infrastructure boom.

Mark Tinker, manager of the Axa Framlington Absolute Return Gemini Worldview fund, sees long-term growth opportunities in Asia both in the building of physical infrastructure and in the emergence of a financial services infrastructure.

Colin Stewart, portfolio manager with Canadian long/short manager JCClark, says the firm focuses on sectors and ideas that are not widely followed in which it can gain an informational advantage.

Managing director Dan Ascani explains Gemini Futures' three-pronged investment approach that incorporates a conservative fixed-income allocation, gold forward or futures and options contracts to generate Gold Forward Offered Rate income, and long positions using gold futures when the precious metal is - as now - in an uptrend.

Ken Murray outlines the single-minded concentration on financial stocks that lies behind the Blue Planet Global Financials Fund, which was launched in March 2006.

James Casper, chief executive of algorithmic trading fund Olive Tree Capital, explains the methodology it uses to source and evaluate automated trading systems.

Paul Mulvaney highlights the trading and investment characteristics that are driving performance at Mulvaney Capital Management

Melissa Hill highlights the strategies and plans of Sabre Fund Management Ltd, including the launch of a higher risk/return version of its style arbitrage strategy

Lars Kroijer describes the unusual combination of event analysis and fundamental value analysis that distinguishes Holte Capital Fund…

Stéphane Galzy discusses the current ideas and event-driven strategies on which IXIS European Events is focusing

Ricardo Maxit outlines Copernico's approach to exploiting volatility in Latin America, where a potential decrease in liquidity remains the biggest challenge

Ricardo Maxit outlines the central elements of Copernico's strategies that focus on producing consistent returns from the Latin American markets.

Tai Tam Capital's Hui-Wen Shiau and Jun-Tsiang Lam outline the thinking that is driving the investment strategy of their new Asian Global Macro Fund.

Adrian Owens and Andrew Snowball, managers of the JB Global Rates Hedge Fund at Augustus Asset Managers, say that as volatility subsides, they expect fundamental drivers to play an increased role as investors refocus on value and fundamentals.

As Bridge Asset Management prepares to launch the Bridge Global Opportunities Fund (BGOF) on 1 November, Nick Corby outlines the background to the fund and discusses its approach to emerging market investing.

Johannes E. Schumacher, chief executive of the Camelot Group, outlines the strategy for Camelot Global Investment I, a global macro fund that is set for launch at the beginning of September.

Richard Scalone explains how options allow for a myriad of trade management opportunities that outweigh the benefits of outright directional positions.The Hedgeweek Interview: Richard Scalone, Integra Investment Management LP: Defining an edge through options

Jason Gold describes Aurarian's investment strategy focused on unearthing and exploiting valuation inefficiencies in "under the radar" US equities.

Neil A Levy outlines Highpoint's investment processes and thinking on emerging healthcare and convergence opportunities

Geneva-based Eduard Seligman-Schürch outlines the background  and thinking  behind the launch of his new product, The Shearwater Fund

Michael Wexler, who founded Maple Leaf Capital LLP in 1992, outlines recent developments within the company's flagship volatility trading fund.

Dr. Stephen Dolbear outlines the strategy and investment philosophy that underpins the F&C Amethyst Fund, an equity volatility trading fund.