Asian boutique firm, Hamon Asset Management, established by star fund manager Hugh SimonAsian boutique firm, Hamon Asset Management, established by star fund manager Hugh Simon (pictured) in Hong Kong in 2005, has rolled out an absolute return fund – the Hamon Greater China Absolute Return Fund. Based on the firm’s long-only Greater China Fund, it will employ index futures and some company short positions to hedge against risk as it looks to generate alpha in conjunction with long-term gains in the Greater China markets. Hamon’s triumvirate of China specialists will manage the Lux-domiciled fund: Nina Wu, William Liu and Lisa Jiang. China’s A, B and H share markets will be traded, in addition to picking Hong Kong, China and Taiwan company stocks listed overseas. Size of seed capital behind the fund is not known. The timing of the fund’s launch could be propitious as European investors clamber to invest in China’s rocket-fuelled economy. “Our local Chinese Fund management team have many years of experience in the Greater China markets, identifying exciting growth companies not normally covered,” Simon was quoted as saying. Simon generated exceptional returns in 2009 and when profiled by Citywire Global magazine last year he came out as the top performing Asia manager over six months, one year, three years and five years.