Forward Joins Genworth Wealth Management Platform, Introduces Multi-Asset Income Solution

SAN FRANCISCO, July 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Forward today announced that it is now one of the portfolio strategists on the investment platform of Genworth Financial Wealth Management, Inc., where it will introduce its new multi-asset income solution. The new investment offering will give the independent financial advisors who use the platform new capabilities for tuning portfolios to meet their investors' needs.

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Forward's strategy will be among those offered within Genworth Wealth Management's Tactical Unconstrained(SM) asset allocation approach. The new strategy seeks to build an income stream by dynamically allocating assets across four traditional asset classes and eight non-traditional investment strategies, including emerging market corporate debt, global infrastructure and international real estate. 

The new Forward strategy is innovative not only in tapping a diverse set of income sources, but also in making its asset mix subject to a tightly controlled level of volatility risk.  As the asset allocation team systematically adapts the strategy's investment mix to changing global economic and market conditions each month, it forecasts volatility for each asset class and adapts the blend of underlying mutual funds accordingly.  Forward's solution is offered in three versions—moderate, moderate/conservative and moderate/growth—each with a different volatility target.

Genworth Wealth Management's Tactical Unconstrained(SM) asset allocation approach is one of four approaches that, together with alternative investments, comprise the firm's system for diversifying portfolios. Some investments focus primarily on capturing market gains while others have greater freedom to disconnect from the market to avoid losses and search for opportunities regardless of market direction. The four asset allocation approaches are: Strategic, Tactical Constrained, Tactical Unconstrained(SM) and Absolute Return.

"We're very excited about becoming part of Genworth's investment platform," said Forward's CEO Alan Reid.  "We feel our new Multi-Asset Income strategy will offer an innovative new choice. It will give advisors a new set of approaches and opportunities to generate the retirement income their clients seek."   

"With its focus on new income-generating strategies, Genworth is helping to meet a pressing and pervasive need in the marketplace," said Clay Smudsky, President, Forward Institutional.

"Forward's focus on outcome-oriented, non-traditional investment strategies makes them an ideal firm to help advisors tailor investor portfolios with options we hadn't offered before," said Genworth Wealth Management SVP Investment and Product Management, Mike Abelson.  "We're delighted to have a firm of Forward's caliber expand our family of strategists."

About Forward
Investors today are seeking new tools and strategies to help them achieve their goals and manage risk.  Forward is an asset management firm that is helping to meet and anticipate those needs with an extensive set of diverse, ever-evolving solutions. Providing broad access to innovative strategies once available only to the largest and most sophisticated investors, we are helping to lead the industry in a new direction. As of June 30, 2011, Forward managed more than $5.3 billion in mutual funds, separate account strategies and limited partnerships.  More information on Forward can be found at www.forwardinvesting.com.

Contact Information for Media
Victoria Odinotska
Kanter & Company
 (703) 534-3735

SOURCE Forward