Leading Fund Manager Snares Star Analyst

New look Octa Phillip Bioscience Managers (Bioscience Managers – formerly IB Managers) is looking to create an all-star team with the addition of Starmine top rated analyst Dr Graeme Wald as it progresses towards a first close on its second fund.

With its first fund’s performance confirmed in the top decile of global (2008 ex-US) PE & VC funds, and AUD 55M already committed to Fund II, Bioscience Managers appears to be single-handedly demonstrating that the right manager can deliver exceptional returns even in the so-called risky bioscience sector.

Wald, who has been the sector’s leading analyst for several years and has AUD 750M of primary and secondary capital raisings under his belt, will build on the firm’s impressive capability and track record.

With its sights set on AUD200M for fund II, and a vision of building a significant international funds management business from its Melbourne HQ, Bioscience Managers leverages its knowledge and expertise of the sector to deliver above-market returns. Dr Wald is expected to be a valued addition to that capability.

Managing Director, Jeremy Curnock Cook is confident Bioscience Managers investors can expect to see the exceptional returns continue. With a vision of building a significant global funds business from its Melbourne HQ, Bioscience Managers knows it needs to put investor returns squarely at the forefront of its objectives.

“In addition to exceptional management and technology, our investment strategy is to look at the probable exit route of a company before we invest. This allows us to target our investments towards those companies where we believe the OPBM team can have the most impact and therefore the best chance of achieving a successful and profitable exit,” said Curnock Cook.

“Being a hybrid fund, we are not constrained in our investment choices to only listed or only unlisted companies, which enables us to pursue investments on investment merit, not corporate structure.”

Absolutely critical to the Bioscience Managers’ funds success is the team behind it, providing diverse skills, sector knowledge and international linkages.

Bioscience Managers has staff in Europe and Australia and independent industry advisors throughout Asia, North America, Europe and New Zealand, giving it unrivaled access to potential deal flow and exit partners. In addition to Dr Wald, the team has also added corporate affairs specialist and former Chief Executive of NZBIO, Bronwyn Dilley.

But there is more to this investment story than just people and dollars. The human impact that the firm’s investments have remains an important driver.

“We live in an age of increasing chronic disease, increasing healthcare costs and increasing pressure on the bottom lines of pharmaceutical companies. We invest in the companies that develop new treatments for chronic and debilitating diseases that directly or indirectly affect each and every one of us. We believe that this investment is socially responsible; supporting global health and the local economy.”