Media Super has invested in two high return seeking Australian funds managers after researching the domestic market for the past year.

The $2.6 billion industry fund invested in a market neutral strategy run by Fortitude Capital. Media Super appointed Australian equities manager Merlon Capital Partners to exclusively run a “low-beta” strategy.

Jon Glass, chief investment officer with Media Super, says the two investments comprise Media Super’s “alpha opportunities” portfolio and are based on equity investments.

Glass is searching for another alternatives manager to include in the portfolio. He is being assisted by Jenni Harding from Harbridge Investment Partnerships, which performs due diligence on boutique funds managers, and asset consultant Frontier Investment Consulting.

Glass will not reveal how much money is invested in the strategies but told Investment Magazine last year that Media Super aims to invest up to five per cent of its assets in alternatives strategies  managed by Australian funds managers.

He focuses on domestic alternatives managers before searching offshore. It is more likely that a medium-sized fund such as Media Super can develop deep relationships and strike beneficial investment terms and fees with talented Australian managers, Glass says.

written by Simon Mumme.

The Aurora Sandringham Dividend Income Trust (ASX Code: AOD) has recently amended its investment strategy, by adding a core portfolio of shares that pay fully franked dividends.

The Trust will continue to invest in a diversified portfolio of the 100 largest ASX listed shares by market capitalisation to take advantage of the changes in market prices of ASX listed shares around their ex-dividend dates.

Aurora Funds was recently named in an “Investing in Alternatives” article published by BRW.

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Aurora recently advised that the Trust listed under the ASX Code ABW will now invest solely into the unlisted Aurora Fortitude Absolute Return Fund (AFARF). This offers investors the flexability of being able to access the award winning Absolute Return Fund through an ASX listed investment vehicle.

The listed Trust charges no additional fees, as all fees are charged in the unlisted AFARF. The listed Trust facilitates liquidity by allowing daily trading on the ASX, as well as offering an off market monthly redemption mechanism through the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS). A new PDS will be issued shortly for investors that would like to review this investment opportunity.

The existing unlisted AFARF continues to operate as a separate, daily priced investment Fund. Existing investors in this Fund will not be impacted by the new listed investment Trust.

We are pleased to advise that Aurora Funds Limited (AURORA) is seeking to facilitate the merging (and subsequent listing on the ASX) of Aurora Funds Management Limited (established in 2003), Sandringham Capital Pty Ltd (established in 2005) and Fortitude Capital Pty Ltd (established in 2004).

The primary activities of these businesses are asset management and responsible entity/trustee services on behalf of Australian and New Zealand investors. Collectively, these businesses manage approximately $570 million in domestic equity, international equity, property, infrastructure and alternative asset classes for over 3,500 investors.

A proportion of the Offer Shares have been set aside in order to provide Eligible Unit holders of a number of the investment schemes issued by AFM and Fortitude with some priority access to the Offer. Following the Exposure Period, the Eligible Unit holders will receive a copy of the Prospectus which will outline how they may participate in the Priority Offer.

Any Australian resident may request a copy of the Prospectus by contacting Aurora Funds Management Ltd.