CIBC Multi-Asset Absolute Return Strategy

A modern investment solution for the modern portfolio

A solution that provides investors with different sources of return to improve diversification. It aims to offer positive returns in all market environments while managing volatility.

  • Seeks to Provide Capital Growth. Aims to provide an annualized absolute return of T-bill plus 5% over a rolling three-year period, before fees and expenses.
  • Smoother Investment Experience. Less risk than an equity portfolio by aiming to manage annualized volatility, under normal market conditions, at a level that is generally half that of global equities (as measured by the MSCI AC World Index (CAD)) over a rolling three-year period.
  • Increased Diversification. Taps global markets, and alternative asset classes and strategies that go beyond traditional stock and bond markets (examples include currencies, commodities and factor-based strategies ) in an effort to improve a portfolio’s overall diversification.

The Multi-Asset & Currency Management Team

profile photo of Francis Thivierge

Francis Thivierge, CFA

Senior Portfolio Manager, Multi-Asset & Currency Management

Profile photo of Bernard Augustin.

Bernard Augustin

Director, Quantitative Research, Multi-Asset & Currency Management

Profile Photo of Michael Sager

Michael Sager, Ph. D.

Managing Director & Head, Multi-Asset & Currency Management

Profile photo of Giuseppe Pietrantonio

Giuseppe Pietrantonio, CFA

Associate, Client Portfolio Manager - Multi-Asset & Currency Management

Why Invest with CIBC

Ability To Integrate Quantitative Research With Qualitative Judgment

Multi-Asset investing has a long history at CIBC Asset Management (CIBC AM), with the Multi-Asset and Currency Management team utilizing Absolute Return strategies, including Active Currency, for more than two decades. Continuously evolving and extending their multi-asset capabilities CIBC AM now offers investors their insights within our new CIBC Multi-Asset Absolute Return Strategy solution.


What sets us apart:

  • Robust quantitative foundation coupled with seasoned judgement: The team's distinctive strength is their ability to integrate quantitative research with qualitative judgment in decision-making by drawing on their experience and understanding of market trends and anomalies.
  • Strength of the team: 16 highly qualified investment professionals, with more than 19 years of industry experience, on average. The team collectively has broad experience including investment consulting, central bank policy advisory work, third party research, and proprietary trading.
  • Continuity of team leadership: The leadership team has been managing Multi-Asset and Active Currency strategies since 2002. This continuity has allowed the team to embed the same broad investment philosophy throughout this time, and has also allowed a coherent evolution of the investment strategy, encompassing new data sources and innovative quantitative techniques.

Key Resources


There can be no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its return and volatility targets. All investment performance is inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond the Manager's control. In considering the return and volatility targets, you should bear in mind that such targeted performance and volatility is not a guarantee, projection or prediction and is not indicative of future results of the Fund.

The fund will make significant use of derivatives. The fund may use derivatives such as futures, forwards, swaps, options, covered warrants, debt like securities which have an option component or any combination of these instruments, the value of which is based upon the market price value or level of an index, or the market price or value of a security, currency, commodity or financial instrument. Derivative instruments may be used for the following purposes: to hedge, gain or reduce portfolio exposures. The fund may also use derivatives for currency management purposes. The fund's use of derivatives may introduce leverage into the fund. Leverage occurs when the fund's notional exposure to underlying assets is greater than the amount invested and is an investment technique that can magnify gains and losses. The information does not constitute legal or tax advice.