Stockholm (HedgeNordic) – Oslo-based investment company Ness, Risan & Partners (NRP) has acquired a minority stake in Swedish asset manager Origo Fonder as part of a new partnership designed to create a solid platform for continued growth.

“The transaction reflects NRP’s long-term strategy to develop asset management operations in the future and it strengthens our presence in the Swedish market,” says Ragnvald Risan, the CEO and one of two founders of the NRP. The Oslo-based alternative investment manager offers direct investment and fund solutions within real estate, shipping and offshore sectors. “Origo Fonder has an impressive history of delivering competitive risk-adjusted returns and we have a similar corporate culture,” adds Risan. “Together, we can deliver even better value-added to our customers.”

“Origo Fonder has an impressive history of delivering competitive risk-adjusted returns and we have a similar corporate culture.”

“It is a great honor for us to have a collaboration with such a competent player as NRP,” comments Stefan Roos, CEO and founder of Origo Fonder. “We are in an exciting phase and are seeing an increasing demand for our small-cap and hedge fund expertise,” he continues. “Together with NRP, we create a unique position to meet the growth opportunities we see in the Nordic small-cap market.”

“We are in an exciting phase and are seeing an increasing demand for our small-cap and hedge fund expertise.”

The Stockholm-based hedge fund manager expanded its fund offering earlier this year with the launch of a long-only equity fund, called Origo SELEQT, investing in Nordic micro- and small-sized companies. Before the launch of Origo SELEQT, Origo Fonder had been focused on running its long/short equity fund, Origo QUEST 1. The long/short equity fund has generated an annualized return of 9.9 percent since launching in early 2013 through the end of May this year.