UK – Europe’s first and only all female hedge fund management company, Deco Capital, has been launched, kicking off operations with the Boadicea fund, a European long/short equity hedge fund with cash enhancing features.

The claim to be Europe’s first all female management team is made by the company’s public relations firm Lehmann Communications, who say research they have undertaken shows this to be true.

The new company, which has the backing of hedge fund incubator company, Minster Trust, was set up by Margaret Coughtrie, previously with CDC and Allied Dunbar, and Niru Devani, also previously with Allied Dunbar and Scudder Threadneedle, who say that they will not rely on female intuition but research and non-consensual thinking in their approach to management. Says Devani, : “We do not have a style bias towards growth or value; rather our strategy aims to exploit opportunities in all types of market with strategic and tactical investments.’

Coughtrie has 15 years experience in European equities management whilst Devani has 14 in global fixed income, credit and currency markets.

Minster Trust, which is owned by Groupama in London, will provide the fund infrastructure as well as compliance, legal, settlement, administrative and IT services.