BlackRock has announced the launch of its ASEAN Systematic Active Equity Strategy under Singapore’s Equity Market Development Programme. Approved by the Monetary Authority of Singapore, the BF1 Advantage ASEAN Equity Fund will target both institutional and retail investors, focusing on capturing opportunities within the ASEAN equity universe, including both developed and emerging markets.
The fund employs a systematic, liquidity-aware approach, regularly rebalancing its portfolio to leverage new information from vast datasets. This strategy is designed to benefit from structural tailwinds such as resilient domestic demand and improving corporate fundamentals in ASEAN markets. Singapore is highlighted as a key gateway due to its market depth and liquidity.
Andrew Landman, Deputy Head of Asia Pacific for BlackRock, emphasised Singapore’s role as a critical capital markets hub, stating, “We welcome the opportunity to reaffirm our long-term commitment to supporting EQDP’s objectives in enhancing market liquidity, broadening investor participation, and attracting global capital to Singapore.”
The fund’s portfolio will typically hold 100-300 securities, with about half allocated to Singapore equities, focusing on small- and mid-cap companies. It also invests in other ASEAN markets like Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Filip Mena-Berlin, Senior Investment Strategist at BlackRock, noted, “The strategy differentiates itself through a systematic, liquidity-aware approach that harnesses large-scale data and machine learning techniques.”
This initiative builds on BlackRock’s $20b Pan-Asian SAE franchise and its broader $334b global SAE platform, supported by over 130 portfolio managers and researchers. The strategy is managed by Ryan Kim and Filip Mena-Berlin, combining local insights with BlackRock’s global capabilities.
