French bank Natixis and Moelis Asset Management are setting up a joint investment management venture called Chamonix Partners Capital Management.

Chamonix will initially manage Vallee Blanche Fund Alpha, a $1.3bn (€950m) fund, which will buy a portfolio of US dollar and euro-denominated structured product assets from Natixis’ Gestion Active des Portefeuilles Cantonnés (GAPC).

Natixis said the transaction would be a true sale by GAPC, with the funds’ limited partners wholly external to Moelis and Natixis. 

As well as its initial investment portfolio, Chamonix will aim to raise and manage other funds to buy additional assets and enter into financing deals, the joint venture partners said. 

The joint venture will be overseen by a board of managers consisting of three representatives appointed by Natixis and three representatives appointed by Moelis, the companies said.

The investment committee will be chaired by Martin St. Pierre, who was most recently global chief executive GAPC and previously global head of credit trading at Natixis. 

Meanwhile, Aquila Capital has joined forces with index provider ECPI to offer sustainable investment products, mainly in the real asset sector.

Aquila Capital said it had formed a strategic partnership with ECPI which would allow them to combine their skills to sell a series of co-managed sustainable investment solutions.

Paolo Tolla, president of ECPI, said: “It’s important that the financial community recognises the importance of environmental, social and governance criteria as part of their investment choices, not only for the financial rewards connected to them but also for their moral significance.”

Roman Rosslenbroich, chief executive of Aquila Capital, said there was growing demand for sustainability-driven real asset investments.