Benedicte Gravrand

Welcome to the first issue of New Managers, Opalesque's monthly monitor of emerging managers.

Apparently, the number of hedge fund launches in 2011 (including maiden funds) might be the highest, within a calendar year, since 2007 when nearly 1,200 funds were launched. And many expect more new entrants in the industry coming from larger fund houses and banks. However, with less trading opportunities in a crowded environment, more involved regulators and investors no longer content with opacity, the environment requires a little more effort to navigate.

Now is a great time to put the spotlight on the trials, tribulations and opportunities that emerging managers are facing; as information is key for better navigation.

Our first issue is jam-packed with useful data. First, the number crunchers: Florian Guldner gives you the December results for Opalesque's Emerging Managers (EManagers) indices.

Peter Urbani then deconstructs the funds contained in the indices with relish, and shows how emerging managers add significant alpha, in Statistics.

I then provide you with a series of topical articles. This month's Focus piece looks at how emerging managers are dealing with current high levels of scrutiny from regulators and investors (especially in the U.S.) " who are reacting to the Madoff scandal and a greater awareness of the financial frauds going on. David Sung, a hedge fund manager, Alissa Douglas, an investor, Dennis Heskel, a platform provider, and Rich Goldman, a lawyer, give their view points on the matter. Part 2 of the article relates the recent actions taken by regulators, their warnings and the number of frauds this side of the centu......................

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This article was published in Opalesque's New Managers a top-down monthly analysis, news and research publication on the global emerging manager space.