Luxembourg's funds industry is marching ahead as Europe's leading funds domicile if figures released by the Association of the Luxembourg Funds Industry (ALFI) are anything to go by. According to ALFI, March saw the Grand Duchy enjoy record net sales and a growth of AUM. 

Luxembourg has carved out a significant position as Europe's leading onshore fund domicile over the last 20 years. This has largely been based on the popularity of UCITS funds, and the fact that the UCITS brand is now one with genuine global investor appeal. 

MultiConcept Fund Management SA ("MultiConcept") is an AIFM and UCITS IV fund Management Company. Established in Luxembourg in 2004, MultiConcept has approximately CHF10.7 billion in assets under administration. It currently has 20 umbrella structures with 89 sub-funds. 

This summer, to further enhance the strength of its global network, BNP Paribas Securities Services) (BNP Paribas) chose to integrate EY's Global Fund Distribution (GFD) product into its wider Fund Distribution Services (FDS) offering. This gives clients access to a comprehensive range of information to help them determine which product to distribute, which jurisdiction(s) to choose, which investors to target and the most appropriate distribution channels. 

One of the biggest challenges of AIFMD is that it directly impinges on investment activities at the manager level, as opposed to the fund level under the UCITS IV framework. This has required a shift in mindset, not just for managers, but also fund authorities in well-established fund jurisdictions such as Luxembourg. 

Collaboration is extremely important for any service provider looking to do business in Luxembourg and in that respect, Circle Partners (`Circle'), an independent fund administrator, is no exception. 

In May 2014, MS Management Services SA, a Luxembourg-based subsidiary of the Maitland group, a leading global fund administrator, received authorisation from the CSSF to act as a third-party AIFM to alternative investment funds. At the same time, it established its own umbrella fund platform, MS SICAV SIF, to support managers wishing to fast track the process of launching a readily passportable EU product.