Global advisory firm Willis Towers Watson recently unveiled its 2016 Global Alternatives Survey and apparently, assets managed by the 100 largest alternative asset managers climbed 3% to $3.6 trillion by the end of 2015.
Real estate funds, which boast a staggering $1.24 trillion under management, enjoy the largest piece of the pie (35%), while hedge funds account for the second largest with $755 billion (21%) in assets.
As for private equity, it’s in third place with roughly $640 billion (18%), followed by private equity fund of funds and funds of hedge funds, which run $420 billion (12%) and $222 billion (6%), respectively.
The survey goes on to detail which strategies and firms are favored by certain institutions, which in itself is actually quite interesting. Pensions for instance seem to be really into Bridgewater, while insurers appear to be truly hot for real estate.
We’re here to cover the largest alternative managers though, so here’s the top 15 according to the report:
- Macquarie, $95 billion, Infrastructure
- Blackstone, $94.3 billion, Private Equity
- Blackstone, $93.9 billion, Real Estate
- Bridgewater Associates, $88 billion, Hedge Funds
- CBRE Global Investors, $79.8 billion, Real Estate
- UBS Asset Management, $72.9 billion, Real Estate
- TIAA, $72 billion, Real Estate
- TPG Capital, $70 billion, Private Equity
- Blackstone, $67.5 billion, Fund of Hedge Funds
- The Carlyle Group, $63 billion, Private Equity
- JP Morgan Asset Management, $57 billion, Real Estate
- Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., $55.3 billion, Private Equity
- LaSalle Investment Management, $55 billion, Real Estate
- Principal Global Investors, $53.4 billion, Real Estate
- AXA Investment Managers, $52.8 billion, Real Estate
Photo: Jenn Calder