Getting access to the best hedge fund managers is not always easy, nor is choosing among the literally thousands of managers around the world. Obstacles to hedge fund investing include identifying managers, high minimum investment requirements, lengthy lock-up periods and the risk of catastrophic losses, just to name a few. 

Investing in a fund of hedge funds can resolve these problems. The value of the product is largely captured in three ways: portfolio construction, liquidity, and monitoring. Portfolio construction means a fund of funds manager should have the relationships in and knowledge of the industry to identify the right hedge funds, and then combine those funds in a way to meet the portfolio’s risk and return objectives. Liquidity is important as a fund of hedge funds is often able to offer entry to its investment vehicle with lower minimums than some individual hedge funds, and may have shorter or no lock-up periods or withdrawal penalties. Monitoring is also an important service that a fund of fund provides. While diversification of the portfolio with a number of hedge funds reduces exposure to big losses at any one fund, ongoing monitoring via phone calls, office visits, and underlying security-level transparency provides a higher degree of investment oversight. 

Employing a skilled fund of hedge funds manager who has the right infrastructure, personnel, risk management capabilities and business model can create significant value. As market participants continue to discover this value, funds of hedge funds are growing in profile and assets managed. Fees, track records, and manager experience are all important considerations when choosing a fund of hedge funds.