Half of investment firms see M&A as top priority for growth

Nearly half of investment managers see merger & acquisitions as the best route for growth as senior figures become more optimistic about the economy, a KPMG Investment Management survey found.

The survey entitled Succeeding in a changing world, which included interviews with 105 chief executive offices and finance directors from EMEA investment management companies, identified a trend of managers pursuing growth through transactions such as M&A. According to the findings, managers are snapping up acquisition opportunities as banks and other financial conglomerates spin-out their asset management businesses. "The top priority for nearly half (48%) of investment managers is growth through successful transactions," said Tom Brown, KPMG Europe LLP sector head of investment mana...