Fund Management Market Research
Fund management in the SA context spans collective investment schemes, segregated mandates, and hedge fund structures, each with distinct fee, distribution, and regulatory pressures. Fund boards and management companies need research that speaks to shareholder-of-record dynamics, trustee oversight, and platform economics — not generic investor studies. The teams navigating this environment use research to defend fees, manage distribution partners, and shape product rationalisation decisions.
Why Fund Management Research Matters
- Manco consolidation and platform concentration are reshaping fund economics, requiring structured evidence on distributor dependency and switching risk.
- Retail distribution review-style conduct expectations from the FSCA are sharpening scrutiny on fund-of-fund fee stacking and share class pricing.
- Hedge fund reform (QIF and RIF structures) has opened new retail access — primary investor research is needed to size realistic demand.
- Platform, LISP, and wrap provider decisions materially drive fund gathering in SA, and managers need evidence on platform-buyer criteria.
- Fund rationalisation and closure decisions benefit from structured investor and adviser evidence to minimise redemption shock.
Our Fund Management Research Services
Platform and LISP Research
Primary evidence on platform buyer decision criteria, shelf-space dynamics, and commercial terms across SA's major platforms.
Fund Range Rationalisation Research
Structured investor and adviser evidence to inform fund closure, merger, and share class consolidation decisions.
Hedge and Alternative Fund Demand Studies
Retail and institutional demand sizing for QIF, RIF, and alternative structures in the post-reform landscape.
Distributor and Discretionary Manager Research
Perception, penetration, and preference research with DFMs, IFA networks, and platform selection committees.
Fee and Share Class Testing
Quantitative testing of share class pricing, rebate structures, and platform fee arrangements with advised and direct investors.
Trustee and Management Company Support
Evidence packs for manco boards and trustees on investor interests, fair value assessments, and best-interest determinations.
How We Approach Research in This Sector
We structure engagements around the decision rights of management companies and boards — what evidence a trustee or manco director needs to approve a closure, merger, or fee change. Senior researchers handle platform and DFM interviews directly, and quantitative studies are sized to the specific channel economics in question rather than imported wholesale from other markets.
Why Choose Meraki Research for Fund Management?
- Experience working directly with manco, trustee, and distribution committees on fund-level decisions.
- Established access to SA LISP, platform, and DFM decision-makers through years of sector-specific fieldwork.
- Senior-led execution with no junior handoffs — critical when studies feed into board or trustee decisions.
- Independent of any asset manager or platform — no conflicts when research touches competitive distribution.
What We Deliver
| Deliverable | Format | Typical Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Platform buyer study | Findings report, platform scorecard | 5-7 weeks |
| Range rationalisation evidence pack | Board-ready pack, investor verbatims | 4-6 weeks |
| Alternative fund demand sizing | Demand model, sizing memo | 6-8 weeks |
| DFM perception study | Thematic report, relationship map | 4-6 weeks |
| Fair value evidence pack | Structured evidence pack, appendices | 3-5 weeks |