The deVere Group Launches the Alquity Africa Fund

    BIRKIRKARA, MALTA, July 12, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Alquity Africa equity investment fund targets double-digit returns from Africa's high-growth economies.

Notably, it achieved a 10% return for investors in its maiden year. In addition, Alquity Investment Management, the fund's investment manager, has committed to donating a minimum of 25% of its net management fees on an ongoing basis to projects aimed at transforming lives across Africa. As the donation comes from Alquity's management fees, investors still receive their full investment return.

The Alquity Africa Fund will be available to invest in via The deVere Fund platform, for "a richer, more profound, and more sustainable approach" to investment.

This latest addition to deVere's portfolio marks yet another commitment from the company to offer bespoke financial services that could potentially offer great returns to its clients.

Alquity's Chief Executive Officer Paul Robinson, commented: "It's great to see a global IFA like deVere being this forward looking. Investing in the Alquity Africa Fund satisfies commercial sense, common sense and conscience. From our first conversation with Nigel, he has recognised both the opportunity of Africa as an investment destination and the different business model we bring to the market. By using our Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investment framework we look to enhance investors' long term sustainable returns. In addition, by donating a minimum of 25% of our management fees to fund micro-finance and create jobs we will transform the lives of some of the poorest people on the planet. Whilst investors get their full commercial returns, the donations we make through this partnership with deVere's should mean we can transform 10,000s of lives."

Nigel Green, CEO of The deVere Group, said: "Africa is an excellent opportunity for our international investors to diversify their investment portfolio. As a global organisation, we understand the need to give back to the community. The Alquity Africa Fund gives our client the opportunity to transform lives in Africa, without sacrificing potential investment returns."

Website: http://www.devere-group.com

About Alquity

Alquity Investment Management (Alquity) is part of the Alquity Group, which also includes Smoothed Growth Investment Management. It is a long-standing investment management group with approximately US$110 million of assets under management.

Alquity Investment Management offers a new model for investment management built around three core principles: attractive returns, sustainable investment and transforming lives.

Attractive returns: The Alquity Africa Fund is the first in Alquity's planned range of emerging market funds, and was launched in the UK in June 2010. It is available internationally and has been approved for retail sale in the UK by the Financial Services Authority as well as in Hong Kong by the Hong Kong SFC.

Sustainable Investment: As an emerging markets investment manager, Alquity Investment Management Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority and is also a signatory to the UN Principles for Responsible Investment. Alquity's investment team has over 20 years of experience in emerging markets.

Transforming lives: To transform lives, the company donates a minimum of 25% of its net management fees to microfinance projects in Africa.

The aim is to transform 100,000 lives by June of 2013 and 100,000 lives annually thereafter by funding microfinance projects.

Potential investors seeking more information about the fund are asked to contact their financial advisor or, for institutional investors, please contact Paul Robinson, CEO, on +44 7557 7859 or by email at [email protected]; or James Verstringhe at Tavistock Communications on +44 7920 3150 or [email protected].

The African Opportunity

- Africa's total surface area is 20% of the world's land mass; consisting of 53 countries and being greater than the combined land mass of the US, China, India, Argentina and Europe.

- Africa holds a significant share of the world's resources including 89% of its Platinum Group Metals, 74% of its chrome, 60% of its diamonds and 12% of proven of oil reserves.

- By 2030, Brazil and Russia, India and China (BRIC) are all forecast to be in the top eight global economies. BRIC-Africa trade by then expected to reach US$4 trillion a year, representing 45% of Africa's total trade.

- 7 of the world's 10 fastest-growing economies in 2011-2015 are expected to be African.

- 10 African countries have a GDP per capita greater than China; 17 have a GDP per capita greater than India.

- $ 1000 billion the total market capitalization of Africa in 2010, having grown from $ 245 billion in 2002 - equivalent to compound annual growth of around 22% per year

- Over 150 stocks in Africa have a market capitalization of more than US$ 500 million.

- Africa is home to approximately 1 billion of people, and is also the region with the world's youngest population. Under-25s account for 60% of the total, compared with around 30% in developed countries.

- An estimated 221 million consumers will enter the market by 2015.

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