Natixis Global Asset Management is changing its name to Natixis Investment Managers in a move to 'better highlight its multi-affiliate business model'. The new division, Natixis Investment Managers, will combine the offering of investment solutions 'from high-conviction, high-active share investment managers', with 'evaluation and consulting support' to help clients build portfolios to meet their investment goals.

Natixis Investment Managers and Natixis Wealth Management together make up Asset & Wealth Management, one of Natixis' four core business lines, alongside Insurance, Corporate & Investment Banking, and Specialized Financial Services.

'Our new name and brand platform better showcase our business model and the value we bring to clients by offering leading active investment solutions combined with the research and consultation they need to build and manage their portfolios," said Jean Raby, member of Natixis Senior Management Committee in charge of Asset & Wealth Management. 'Providing clients with access to a range of investment managers, each with its own unique process and culture, helps capitalize on the diverse and unconventional thinking that can lead to alpha generation.'

Natixis Asset Management, a Paris-based affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers, is also undergoing a rebranding exercise and will be renamed in 2018. All other affiliates of Natixis Investment Managers will retain their current brands.

Natixis global asset management business includes Seeyond an investment division dedicated to structured products and volatility management which covers institutional investors, multi-managers, private banks, IFAs and banking networks was launched in 2012 and has €15.9bn of asset under management (AUM) across capital protected products as well as model-driven global and European equity strategies and equity arbitrage strategies.

Alongside the change of brand for its wealth management business the French bank has unveiled its 'New Dimension' strategic plan for the next two years which is based in three initiatives around model transformation (including becoming a 'solution-oriented innovative house''); flexibility (diversified revenue stream); and a share-holder friendly dividend policy.

Over the next two years Natixis will leverage the new organisational structure to capture assets on the move from "chronic underperformers" and/or "low value added" strategies; extend distribution reach, notably in Europe ex-France; leverage on BPCE networks in France and capitalize on Natixis' ambitions for CIB and Insurance via increased collaboration; and expand in growing asset classes, mainly alternatives and solutions, including structured products.

In addition, the French bank will seek to further develop the Asia-Pacific platform; develop responsible investing, and continue to invest in digitalization and operational (blockchain, robo-advice, CRM, etc.). The re-branding of Natixis Global Asset Management is aimed at providing better visibility to the wealth management business.

In conjunction with its name change, Natixis Investment Managers is launching the Active Thinking platform which includes 26 specialized investment managers and will focus on actively managed portfolio solutions for clients; as well as the Natixis Investment Institute, which will build on the behavioral research of its Center for Investor Insight, the in-depth portfolio research and analytics of its Portfolio Research & Consulting Group.

Natixis' private banking business Banque Privée 1818 is also changing its name to Natixis Wealth Management, in a move to 'assert the wealth management business' role at the very heart of Natixis' and Groupe BPCE's business lines'.

The French bank reported in its Q3 2017 results that net revenues from Investment Solutions on a year-on-year basis increased 17% in 3Q17 and 12% in 9M17 to reach €940m and €2.7bn respectively. Over the same period, Asset Management recorded €3bn of net inflows in the third quarter, with €5bn inflows on high value-added long-term products outweighing €2bn outflows on money-market products.

Natixis is the fifth most active bond provider for retail structured products in Europe with a 6% market share across €3.7bn in sales, according to SRP data. Natixis has marketed 84 structured products in its domestic market France during the third quarter of 2017, an increase of 61.4% from the 51 products launched in the previous quarter.

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