The number of alternative fund managers marketing into Europe through Jersey’s national private placement regimes (NPPRs) continued to rise during the first half of 2017 whilst there has been a strong uptake in the latest addition to Jersey’s regulatory regime, according to mid-year figures from Jersey’s regulator the Jersey Financial Services Commission (JFSC).

As at 30 June 2017, 131 alternative investment fund managers (AIFMs) had been authorised in Jersey to market into Europe through NPPRs under the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD), up 14% compared to the same time last year.

In addition, the total number of Jersey alternative investment funds (AIFs) being marketed into Europe through NPPRs also increased to stand at 276, representing a 10% year-on-year increase.

Meanwhile, the JFSC has also reported a strong uptake in the Jersey Private Fund (JPF) regime, the latest addition to Jersey’s suite of fund structuring options, which was launched in April. As at 31 August 2017, there were 44 JPFs, with the majority being newly created fund vehicles with just under a fifth being conversions from existing structures.

The JPF was introduced earlier this year to provide sophisticated investors with a more streamlined and fast-track regime, under which funds for up to 50 investors could be established in as little as 48 hours.

Geoff Cook, CEO Jersey Finance, believes the figures show that private placement continues to give fund managers a good option for marketing funds into the EU:

“The clear indication is that, although there is a lot of talk about AIFMD passporting, private placement is giving non-EU fund managers a really reliable, straightforward and efficient route for marketing alternative funds into Europe. It’s stable, it’s cost-effective and it’s tried and tested and, against a complex geopolitical backdrop in Europe, that’s a really attractive proposition for fund managers right across the private equity, real estate, hedge and infrastructure fund asset classes.”

Meanwhile, commenting on the strong uptake in Jersey’s new JPF vehicle, Mike Byrne, Chairman, Jersey Funds Association, added:
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“In the four months since the JPF was brought to market, this is a really encouraging initial uptake, and it’s particularly pleasing that more than 80% of JPFs are brand new funds. At the outset, we felt that there was real demand for this type of structure amongst institutional and professional investors across the alternative asset classes, and the figures support this view. In addition, we have also seen a positive reaction from family offices, who are using the new regime for co-investment purposes and to pool investments from multiple families.”

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