The future of fund distribution – by Rob Fairbairn

When Abraham van Ketwich created the first mutual fund in 1774 as a simple mechanism for diversification, he opened up the markets to smaller investors and inspired much of the next two centuries of investing. Plenty has changed since then – such as the creation of open-end funds and index products. But in recent years, the pace of change has accelerated at breakneck speed thanks to technology transforming asset management and fund distribution.