Roosevelt Investment Group [profile] has completed the liftout of an international equity team from Mesirow Financial. The deal closed today. Financial terms were not made public.

The seven-person team led by Leila Heckman, John Mullin, and Vijay Chopra manage four international and global equity SMA strategies.

Roosevelt president Adam Sheer told The MFWire that the company may launch mutual funds based on the team's strategies, though not in the near future.

Besides being an SMA manager, Roosevelt runs two mutual funds, the $146.6 million Roosevelt Multi-Cap Fund and the $40 million Roosevelt Strategic Income Fund.

The addition of the international equity team brings the number of Roosevelt employees to 58, Sheer said. He described the team's departure from Mesirow as "amicable."

A Mesirow spokesperson was not immediately available for comment for this story.

The deal comes nearly two years after Roosevelt hired David Chalfin to help the firm achieve growth through acquisitions and strategic partnerships.

Chalfin has looked at around 200 opportunities, according to Sheer.

"This is a classic 'revenue synergy' combination, pairing an excellent investment team with a well-developed distribution infrastructure," Chalfin said in a press release.

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Nationally-Renowned International Equity Team from Mesirow Financial to Join Roosevelt Investments

NEW YORK, Jan. 31, 2012 -- The Roosevelt Investment Group, Inc., a multi-strategy investment management firm known for its All Cap Core equity strategy, announced today that it has closed on a transaction to lift in a highly-regarded international equity team from Mesirow Financial on a cooperative basis. Led by prominent international equity strategists Leila Heckman, Ph.D., John Mullin, Ph.D., and Vijay Chopra, Ph.D., CFA, the 7-person team manages four international and global equity strategies based on proprietary quantitative research processes.

"We are thrilled to have such a talented, industry-leading group join Roosevelt Investments," stated Adam J. Sheer, President of Roosevelt. "Leila and her team of experienced professionals are experts in international equity investing, and their time-tested strategies have wide application to both institutional and high net worth investors."

The International Equity Team is also known for its award-winning international equity research on developed and emerging markets, which has been used by premier institutions through the Heckman Global Advisors brand since 1994. Following the merger, the research business will continue at Roosevelt under the Heckman Global Advisors brand.

"Roosevelt Investments is a perfect fit for us and represents a unique growth opportunity," stated Dr. Heckman, who will be Head of Roosevelt's International Equity team. "We will continue to manage our four equity strategies exactly as we did prior to the merger. We are extremely impressed by the caliber of Roosevelt's professionals, including their 15-person sales team."

The transaction represents a key turning point for Roosevelt. "This is a classic 'revenue synergy' combination, pairing an excellent investment team with a well-developed distribution infrastructure," stated David A. Chalfin, Managing Director of Strategic Planning and Corporate Development for Roosevelt, who structured and negotiated the transaction. "We believe there is tremendous demand for an institutional-quality international equity investment capability, not only in the institutional market, but also in the retail broker-dealer distribution channel," added James C. Rogers, CIMA®, Managing Director and National Sales Manager. "The International Equity Team's flagship products are particularly well-suited for these channels."
About Roosevelt Investments

Headquartered in New York City, Roosevelt manages assets for institutions, foundations, endowments, and high net worth individuals. As of December 31, 2011, our assets under advisement were approximately $4.4 billion (consisting of approximately $3.0 billion under management and approximately $1.3 billion in programs where we only supply an investment model; totals may not sum due to rounding). Roosevelt offers several equity and fixed income strategies, including All Cap Core Equity, Large Cap Core Equity, Small/Mid Cap Core Equity, Current Income Portfolio (CIP), Intermediate Income, Core Fixed Income, Global Enhanced Fixed Income, and Balanced Portfolios.About Roosevelt International Equity Team (Formerly of Mesirow Financial)Led by nationally-renowned international equity strategist, Leila Heckman, Ph.D., the Roosevelt International Equity Team (Team) is comprised of seven experienced investment professionals dedicated to providing institutionally-oriented research and four quantitative investment strategies, including EAFE Plus, Emerging Markets, International and Global equity portfolios. A socially responsible version of the International and Global portfolios is also available. These strategies are offered to institutional, private clients and high net worth individuals through intermediary relationships. The Team's research effort will continue under the Heckman Global Advisors brand as a wholly-owned division of Roosevelt Investments.
SOURCE Roosevelt Investment Group, Inc.

 

Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the number of mutual funds Roosevelt Investments manages.

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