Waratah Launches Second Liquid Alternative Mutual Fund Powered by Firm's Alternative ESG Strategy

TORONTO, June 29, 2020 /CNW/ - Waratah Capital Advisors Ltd., a 10-year old alternative investment manager, is pleased to announce the launch of the firm's second liquid alternative mutual fund, the Waratah Alternative ESG ("AESG") Fund. The new offering will operate pari-passu with the OM fund, providing high net worth (HNW) retail investors and their advisors with direct access to a diversified portfolio composed of long and short equity positions where Environment, Social, Governance (ESG) factors are integrated, and emphasized  into the investment thesis.

Liquid alternatives provide portfolio construction tools which offer the potential for added diversification and risk-adjusted returns. The Waratah Alternative ESG Fund integrates ESG factors and considerations into fundamental investment analysis to reduce inadvertent and direct ESG related risks as well as to identify new ESG related investment opportunities such as water technology, battery materials, renewable energy and plastics innovation.

Jason Landau, Portfolio Manager, Waratah AESG Fund, said, "after more than two years of research and development we launched one of North America's first equity long short ESG strategies, which integrates' our bottom up company stock specific analysis and our existing factor management with ESG analysis and a proprietary Waratah ESG scoring methodology. Unique to our strategy is that we can go both long and short: rewarding companies with good ESG practices and scores while shorting those with negative attributes."

Blair Levinsky, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Waratah, said, "year-to-date the fund has been extremely resilient protecting capital and posting positive returns in line with our expectations.  A long short approach to ESG investing allows us to continue with the portfolio construction and approach to risk control which we have become known for, while at the same time allows us to avoid excessive concentration often associated with ESG funds due to traditional divestment of offending sectors."

About Waratah Capital Advisors

Waratah Capital Advisors Ltd is a Toronto-based asset manager that specializes in alternative strategies. Waratah manages over $1.7 billion in assets from high-net-worth individuals, family offices, foundations, Canadian bank platforms, and pension funds. With a team of 44 experienced professionals, Waratah combines intensive research-driven stock selection with a disciplined and robust risk management program. Founders and employees collectively represent over $100 million of the firm's assets under management. www.waratahadvisors.com

SOURCE Waratah Capital Advisors Ltd.

Jessica Clark Barrow, Executive Vice President, Client Team, [email protected]