Singapore's fund management industry faces stiff challenges ahead

THE asset management industry in Singapore is a major pillar of the finance sector. Based on the latest survey by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), growth seemed healthy: assets rose by 7 per cent in 2016 to S$2.7 trillion. But a closer look at the data yields a more nuanced picture. The bulk of assets which sits in traditionally managed mandates rose just 3 per cent.

Alternative assets including hedge funds, private equity and venture capital funds grew at a far more rapid clip of over 17 per cent. Alternatives' share of assets is about 17 per cent or about S$479 billion. Even more sobering is the snapshot of net inflows - S$116 billion, the lowest level in the past five years. Of this, alternative assets accounted for the bulk in 2016 an…