UK - The consultant Hymans Robertson will offer its clients a quantitatively-based manager research database to cope with the growing number of asset management products.

It will be used to create a warning system in which "a declining score for a manager might act as a prompt for a thorough review of the appointment," Hymans pointed out. The criteria used for screening the database can be varied according to clients' choices.

"No stone will be left unturned," said Stephen Birch, head of Manager Research at Hymans. "We want to cast the net as widely as possible in the search for good managers. Our proprietary 'manager radar' system will rigorously cover the manager universe on an ongoing basis."

The service was developed together with CAMRA Data Services which started to offer pension consultants bespoke manager data solutions earlier this year.

This is the second large bespoke contract win for CAMRA after PSolve tapped the data provider earlier this year. "Around 50 pension consultants are using our database," Steve Butler, a director at CAMRA, told IPE. "With our bespoke service we are targeting larger consultants who have not set up their own databases."

Hymans noted the new quantitative database will only be part of the investment manager selection process. Qualitative assessment and face-to-face meetings will remain an important factor in the recommendations to clients.

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