Key Takeaways
- • Goldman Sachs Asset Management's Alternative Investments & Manager Selection (AIMS) unit won two awards at the Hedge Funds Review European Fund of Hedge Funds Awards 2015: best advisory team and best HNWI/private client fund of hedge funds provider, recognizing its institutional and ultra-high-net-worth advisory capabilities.
- • AIMS differentiates itself through bespoke, client-centric advisory rather than standardized product menus, positioning itself as an extension of clients' in-house investment teams with access to Goldman Sachs' institutional-grade resources.
- • The AIMS team comprises over 300 professionals, including more than 100 dedicated hedge fund specialists, supported by proprietary data and expertise in market risk and operational due diligence—capabilities most institutional investors lack in-house.
- • Client returns in 2015 were driven by equity long/short managers, growth funds, European directional strategies, market-neutral positions, quantitative-based funds, and merger arbitrage strategies, reflecting AIMS' manager selection and portfolio construction approach.
- • AIMS operates within a broader open-architecture platform spanning private equity, real estate, credit, and long-only investments, enabling cross-asset advisory across institutional and HNWI portfolios.
Summary
Goldman Sachs Asset Management's Alternative Investments & Manager Selection (AIMS) unit has been recognized as the best advisory team and best HNWI/private client fund of hedge funds provider at the Hedge Funds Review European Fund of Hedge Funds Awards 2015. The recognition underscores AIMS' competitive positioning in the institutional and ultra-high-net-worth advisory space.
According to Kent Clark, chief investment officer of hedge fund strategies at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, AIMS' core differentiation lies in its rejection of standardized product offerings in favor of bespoke client advisory. "The approach isn't: here's the menu, you have to choose from an appetiser, a main course and a desert," Clark explained. The unit positions itself as an extension of clients' in-house investment teams, acknowledging that while institutional investors typically employ staff with deep hedge fund expertise and market knowledge, they cannot replicate the breadth of resources and specialized capabilities available at a global asset manager.
The AIMS advisory platform is staffed by over 300 professionals, with more than 100 dedicated hedge fund specialists. Clark highlighted the firm's proprietary capabilities in market risk and operational due diligence as key differentiators. The unit operates within Goldman Sachs' broader open-architecture platform, which encompasses private equity, real estate, credit, and long-only investments, enabling comprehensive cross-asset portfolio advice for both institutional and HNWI clients.
Performance in 2015 reflected strength in equity long/short strategies, growth-focused managers, European directional funds, and market-neutral positions. Quantitative-based strategies and merger arbitrage funds also contributed meaningfully to client returns, demonstrating the effectiveness of AIMS' manager selection methodology in navigating market dynamics during the period.
According to Kent Clark, chief investment officer of hedge fund strategies at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, AIMS' core differentiation lies in its rejection of standardized product offerings in favor of bespoke client advisory. "The approach isn't: here's the menu, you have to choose from an appetiser, a main course and a desert," Clark explained. The unit positions itself as an extension of clients' in-house investment teams, acknowledging that while institutional investors typically employ staff with deep hedge fund expertise and market knowledge, they cannot replicate the breadth of resources and specialized capabilities available at a global asset manager.
The AIMS advisory platform is staffed by over 300 professionals, with more than 100 dedicated hedge fund specialists. Clark highlighted the firm's proprietary capabilities in market risk and operational due diligence as key differentiators. The unit operates within Goldman Sachs' broader open-architecture platform, which encompasses private equity, real estate, credit, and long-only investments, enabling comprehensive cross-asset portfolio advice for both institutional and HNWI clients.
Performance in 2015 reflected strength in equity long/short strategies, growth-focused managers, European directional funds, and market-neutral positions. Quantitative-based strategies and merger arbitrage funds also contributed meaningfully to client returns, demonstrating the effectiveness of AIMS' manager selection methodology in navigating market dynamics during the period.
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