Joshun Sandhu: Asset managers have historically faced a chicken and egg problem in UK pensions
Mobius has launched a subscription service for asset managers in a bid to improve public and private markets access to UK pension and wealth markets through a single open-architecture unit-linked life structure.
The investment platform provider said Nuveen has been a founding partner in the development of the initiative – joining the service as an early adopter and offering support during the proposition's design process.
Mobius said its offering brings together fund onboarding, fund visibility, distribution support, structuring expertise and market insights within a single proposition – helping asset managers navigate what it said had historically been a complex and fragmented route into the UK pensions market.
The service provides access to Mobius' existing ecosystem of more than 600 clients across defined benefit (DB), defined contribution (DC) and wealth, representing over £33bn in assets on platform. Mobius said it also offers connectivity to the wider pensions market through established institutional and wealth platform relationships.
Subscription packages include fund listings on Mobius' fund store, access to pension market data and insights, participation in Mobius events and improved access to the firm's structuring and private markets capabilities. The launch also coincides with new factsheet integration within the fund store for subscribed managers, designed to improve fund visibility for pension and wealth clients.
Mobius said it can provide support across structuring and implementation, while also improving visibility via its fund store – a move it said would help managers bring more complex strategies into DC portfolios through operationally viable structures.
The service builds on Mobius' experience supporting innovative investment structures within UK pensions. Recent implementations have enabled private market strategies to be delivered into DC schemes through blended unit-linked structures designed to address liquidity and operational requirements while reducing the need for managers to establish new vehicles.
Mobius head of investment solutions and partnerships Joshun Sandhu said: "Asset managers have historically faced a chicken and egg problem in UK pensions. Without platform access it can be difficult to build visibility and win mandates, but without existing demand many platforms are reluctant to onboard new strategies. In many cases that challenge is compounded by closed-architecture models.
"Mobius has taken a different approach for many years through genuinely open architecture across both public and private markets. This new service is the next step in that journey, giving managers practical support with access, structuring and distribution while improving choice for pension schemes and their members."
Nuveen head of UK institutional Sophie Ballard added: "We recognise the need for innovation in this space and are committed to enabling access to sophisticated, best-in-class strategies to both the DC and wealth channels which we believe is instrumental to helping investors achieve long-term, sustainable income in retirement.
"As a manager deeply committed to responsible investing, we also see this kind of open-architecture access as an important enabler for pension savers to benefit from strategies that integrate ESG considerations and long-term value creation. We are pleased to work alongside Mobius in shaping this initiative."
