MutualFundWire.com: A Fund Servicer Jumps into the Rebranding Pool

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Monday, January 12, 2009

A Fund Servicer Jumps into the Rebranding Pool

Gemini Fund Services has set out on a rebranding effort to remind people that its offerings go beyond mutual fund services. The Hauppauge, New York-based company rolled out a new brand, Pooled Investing Solutions, which encompasses services for mutual funds, hedge funds, collective trusts and other investment vehicles (see press release below).

"Our shared trust solutions are so successful that people forget we provide other services," said Gemini president Andrew Rogers in an interview with The MFWire.

The rebranding impacts Gemini's advertising campaigns, marketing materials and Web site. In keeping with the pooled concept, Gemini's Web site now features water ripples as the company's logo, replacing the previous one showing twins.

Gemini has provided services for 120 funds, 85 of which are mutual funds. Those mutual funds have $6.5 billion of assets.

Last year's market downturn has been a boon for the likes of Gemini.

"For us, it's been a great market," Rogers said, noting that fund firms have been contacting his company as they explore ways to reduce costs.

Gemini, which also has an office in Omaha, Nebraska, has 12 to 13 new clients coming on board, most of whom are advisors starting mutual funds. Of the total number of new clients, two or three are existing fund firms, he said.

Gemini currently has 80 employees and could be making additions to its staff down the road, Rogers said.

Company Press Release

HAUPPAUGE, NY--(Marketwire - January 8, 2009) - In an effort to better reflect the pooled investment solutions that they provide to financial advisers and other investors, Gemini Fund Services, LLC ("Gemini") today announced the launch of a new rebranding initiative. The new brand better reflects Gemini's position as a leader in the industry, and is focused on clarifying the turnkey solutions they offer and the breadth of investment vehicles that they administer.

"We have been in the business of establishing and administering pooled investment solutions for our clients for more than a quarter of a century now and have been able to successfully guide our clients through some of the best, and worst, market environments that this country has seen," said Andrew Rogers, President of Gemini. "As we continue to grow as a firm, we felt that it was important that our message and our visual brand closely align with the customized, fluid, and versatile investment solutions that we offer."

The rebranding will affect all aspects of Gemini's sales and marketing efforts, including a new website, marketing materials, conference materials, and advertising campaigns, as well as all internal and external communications.

"We have built a name for ourselves in the industry as mutual fund services providers, but our keen ability to service and administer investment products goes far beyond just mutual funds," Rogers added. Gemini has also launched, and provides back office solutions for, dozens of hedge funds, collective investment trusts, and other investment vehicles, giving them the unique ability to counsel financial advisers on an investment vehicle that best suits their management style as well as the specific needs of their clients. "Like any strong, established company, we want our brand to reflect not only the products and solutions that we provide to our clients, but also the culture and expertise of our team. We believe that this rebranding initiative does just that."

With over $7 billion in assets under administration, Gemini has launched over 75 investment products including mutual funds, hedge funds, and other investment products in the past 3 years alone. Even through the recent bear markets, advisers continue to seek out Gemini's services -- many of whom are launching "alternative" style investment products such as hedge funds or mutual funds offering "hedge-like" investment objectives. For all of these products, Gemini is able to provide regulatory and back-office solutions including fund accounting, fund administration, transfer agency, distribution, and regulatory filing and reporting. Rogers continued, "Our goal is to provide a turnkey solution for advisers managing these pooled investment vehicles to allow them to do what they do best -- manage their portfolios and grow their assets."