The Joint venture between Resolution Asset Management and Hexam Capital, formed by an ex-Baring team, has launched its first fund.

The Resolution Hexam Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) Absolute Return Fund's investments, which will be made in exchange-traded instruments and also in over-the-counter instruments, and may be long or short, will primarily be in equity and equity derivative products including CFDs, financial futures and exchange traded options. As the name of the fund suggests, they will relate to companies in emerging markets of Eastern Europe (including the CIS), the Middle East and Africa (EMEA).

The new fund is the first to born out of Resolution's joint venture with emerging markets investment specialists Marina Akopian, John Payne and Bryan Collings - all formerly of Baring's. The trio will be joined in the autumn by investment manager Stuart Richards and analysts Grant Shotter and Wilfred Willwong, also formerly of Baring's.

The EMEA Absolute Return fund will be run by Marina Akopian, a fund manager with an already well-established reputation for managing such funds. The investment objective of the portfolio is to provide absolute returns using investment analysis management techniques developed by the investment manager specifically to highlight investment opportunities, primarily in companies in the emerging markets of Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa

'The six partners at Hexam Capital have a wealth of experience and expertise in global emerging markets investment,' says Jonathan Polin, Sales & Marketing Director of Resolution Asset Management. 'They provide Resolution Asset Management with capability in an investment area that we believe will attract increasing inflows in the next few years.' 

Another three offshore fund launches are planned over the next few months, including a Global Resources long/short fund and Emerging Europe and Global Emerging Markets long only funds.

'We are determined to continue broadening the range and diversity of funds offered through our village of joint venture boutiques,' adds Polin. 'Resolution has clearly demonstrated to the market that we have the formula to appeal to talented, entrepreneurial individuals - exactly the kind of managers we're looking to attract.