Aberdeen Standard overhauls Asia small companies fund

Aberdeen Standard has overhauled the structure and branding of its £486m Asian Smaller Companies Trust.

Hugh Young has been appointed as the fund manager of the renamed Aberdeen Standard Asia Focus and Charlotte Black and Deborah Guthrie will join the board.

The dividend policy will remain the same, the firm said, and the number of holdings in the company will be reduced from 80 to 60. 

The management fee has been reduced from one per cent to 0.96 per cent, a change that was effective from the beginning of this month. 

Young commented: “Small companies in Asia, with their greater exposure to domestic markets, provide investors with a comparatively safe harbour from the problems of trade disputes and currency fluctuations that currently dominates the news from the region.

“This resilience is reflected in the results for the last twelve months. There are great opportunities in the small cap area in Asia and I much look forward to leading the team in our quest to both focus the existing portfolio and find the companies that will drive the growth for the future.”

“The fundamental attractions of investing in Asia Pacific remain strong, with the region accounting for nearly two-thirds of global growth," added Nigel Cayzer, chairman of Aberdeen Standard Asia Focus.

“As markets are becoming larger and more complex we have, in conjunction will Hugh Young and the team at Aberdeen Standard Investments in Singapore, sought to streamline the investment approach while retaining the focus it requires to continue building on the success it has enjoyed over the past 23 years.”