New Ireland Assurance today (22nd March 2010) announces a new exclusive distribution agreement with global investment leaders BNY Mellon Asset Management that enhances the company’s position as the market leader for investment choice, by further extending its innovative investment range in addition to its primary investment partner, Bank of Ireland Asset Management.

Integral to New Ireland’s new collaboration with BNY Mellon Asset Management is an exclusive arrangement to bring the new BNY Mellon Global Real Return Fund to the Irish investor. Traditional investment funds focused mainly on a “buy and hold” stocks and shares strategy to generate long-term returns. While this works well over the long-term, many investors are now looking for an investment strategy with as much focus on short-term risk as long-term returns.

The BNY Mellon Global Real Return Fund is a Euro denominated fund which invests in a much wider range of global assets than a traditional managed fund and has the flexibility to quickly respond to changing market conditions whilst focusing on reducing risk in the Fund during periods of market turbulence. The Fund aims to generate consistent positive investment returns over the long term, in differing economic and market conditions, with a continuous focus on managing risk.

Commenting on the launch of the new Fund, Eoin Kennedy, Head of Products at New Ireland Assurance said; “Traditional investing is based on the assumption that your focus is on long-term returns and that as an investor you can remain invested during periods of short-term volatility. However, over the last two years, we have learned that for some, the journey is as important as the final destination. While all investors are interested in long-term growth, some often find it difficult to stay invested during periods of significant market volatility and want an investment solution which is consciously managing risk.”

“The new BNY Mellon Global Real Return Fund combines the transparency and long-term growth story of the traditional managed fund with an increased focus on actively managing short-term risk, the use of both modern and conventional investment assets, and a shift in focus away from relative returns – i.e. beating a stock-market index- to absolute, or real returns – where the focus is more on delivering a positive return to investors.”

The BNY Mellon Global Real Return Fund will be of particular interest to investors seeking an investment that makes the most of modern investment tools and techniques – without compromising on transparency. Pension customers with an interest in a core investment fund that delivers smooth consistent investment returns with potentially less volatility levels than equities, can also avail of the BNY Mellon Global Real Return Fund.

The BNY Mellon Global Real Return Fund will be managed by Newton Investment Management Limited, one of BNY Mellon Asset Management’s boutique asset managers specialising in global and regional equities and bonds, as well as multi-asset, unconstrained and absolute return funds. Based in London, Newton is widely recognised as a top-tier investment house, renowned for its distinctive and proven global thematic investment approach, which is applied consistently across all strategies.

ENDS
For further information contact:
Laura Erskine
Public Relations Manager
New Ireland Assurance
Tel: 01 617 2586
Mobile: 086 856 2929

Notes to Editors:
Key Features of BNY Mellon Global Real Return Fund (EUR):
 Dynamic investment approach to maximise return while at the same time managing short-term risk
 Fund management charge: 0.35% p.a. higher than on standard funds. Standard fund management charges may differ across investment and pension plans.
 Minimum investment: €5,000.
 Available to lump sum and regular investment and pension customers
 A proven performance track record
The table below shows the performance of the ‘Newton Real Return Fund’. This is a sterling fund that employs similar strategies to and is managed by the same team that manage the ‘BNY Mellon Global Real Return Fund (EUR)’.
The inclusion of the table below is for the sole purpose of showing how the Newton Real Return Fund (the sterling fund) has performed relative to the average sterling performance of UK Absolute Return funds and UK Managed Funds. A Euro fund was not available during this period to illustrate this point. If a Euro fund had been the available, returns would have been lower as a result of the fall in value of Sterling versus the Euro over the time frames:
Newton Real Return Fund Average UK Absolute Return Fund Average UK Managed Fund
1 Year 10.3% 9.3% 24.4%
3 Year 8.2% p.a. 3.6% p.a. -1.8% p.a.
5 Years 9.5% p.a. 5.7% p.a. 5.4% p.a.
Source: Lipper. Figures are as at 31st January 2010. Performance figures for the Newton Real Return Fund are after tax and charges (excludes initial charge). NB: These funds are GBP funds and are not available in Ireland. This data is for information purposes only. It is not an indication of likely performance of the BNY Mellon Global Real Return Fund.

Newton is a London-based global asset management subsidiary of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation and part of BNY Mellon Asset Management. With assets under management of more than £42 billion, including assets managed by Newton Investment Management Limited as dual officers of Newton Capital Management Limited and The Bank of New York Mellon, Newton’s group of affiliated companies provides a broad range of award-winning investment products and services to individuals, pension funds, charities and corporations. News and other information about Newton is available at www.newton.co.uk.

BNY Mellon Asset Management is the umbrella organisation for BNY Mellon’s affiliated investment management firms and global distribution companies. Information about BNY Mellon Asset Management is available at www.bnymellonam.com.

BNY Mellon is the corporate brand of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation. BNY Mellon is a global financial services company focused on helping clients manage and service their financial assets, operating in 34 countries and serving more than 100 markets. BNY Mellon is a leading provider of financial services for institutions, corporations and high-net-worth individuals, providing superior asset management and wealth management, asset servicing, issuer services, clearing services and treasury services through a worldwide client-focused team. It has $22.3 trillion in assets under custody and administration, $1.1 trillion in assets under management, services $12 trillion in outstanding debt and processes global payments averaging $1.6 trillion per day. Additional information is available at www.bnymellon.com

BNY Mellon has been recognised as one of the ‘Best Workplaces in Ireland’ by Great Place to Work Institute Ireland. BNY Mellon opened its first office in Ireland in 1994. Since then, the services provided by the business have become core to the securities servicing business of BNY Mellon, with Ireland evolving as a major centre for the company’s offshore fund business. It currently has over 1,200 employees in Ireland, located in Dublin and Cork.

Warning: The value of investments may go down as well as up.
Warning: This product may be affected by changes in currency exchange rates.
Warning: Past Performance is not a reliable guide to future performance.

Terms and conditions apply. Where relevant, life assurance tax applies. While great care has been taken in its preparation, this document is of a general nature and should not be relied on in relation to a specific issue without taking appropriate financial, insurance, investment or other professional advice. The content of this document is for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer or recommendation to buy or sell any investment or to subscribe to any investment management or advisory service. If there is any conflict between this document and the Policy Conditions, the Policy Conditions will apply. Please note that mention of specific stocks/shares or investments is not a recommendation to trade in those stocks/shares or investments.

New Ireland Assurance Company plc is regulated by the Financial Regulator and is a member of the Bank of Ireland Group.