AXA Wealth platform sales on Architas, the firm's specialist investment company, have risen by 33%, bringing total multi-manager assets under administration (AUM) at the end of Q3 2011 to £8.7bn. Platform business represents 41% of all sales, up from 23% over the same period 2010.

AXA Wealth Q3 results show total assets under management grew from £16.7bn to £18.3bn, with total AXA Wealth sales growing to £2.8bn following strong results from Architas and its wrap platform, Elevate, which saw total sales up 87% to £1.13bn.

AXA Wealth's chief Mike Kellard said that despite the impact of recent market falls on its overall assets, the firm is "still firmly on track to grow assets to £45bn by 2015".

In addition, Architas Limited is expanding its Protector Fund range with the launch of Architas Multi-Manager Diversified Protector 85, a new fund aiming at protecting at least 85% of its highest ever share price that will invest in a range of underlying assets. The fund, said the firm, has been launched to capitalise on the success of its existing Protector Fund range, which is gaining popularity among advisers and clients at a time of increased market volatility and has a combined AUM of £95.7m.

Architas' MD Hans Georgeson said confidence in the markets has been badly hit with some investors withdrawing altogether for fear of losing capital: "The prevalent volatility and widespread uncertainty across global markets has understandably triggered a demand for greater downside protection."

Architas Protector 85 will replicate the CPPI payoff profile of the two previous tranches with risky assets linked to the performance of the Architas Multi-Manager Diversified Protector 85 Fund and non-risky assets linked to money market instruments, cash, bonds and money market funds. At maturity the product will pay the greater between the fund value at that time or 85% of the highest level reached by the portfolio at any time during the investment period. The allocation of risky assets at any time will be up to 100%.

This product will be available shortly in Recent Additions (UK).