Ballingal macro fund manager Barker to exit

Ballingal Investment Advisors director Geoffrey Barker is leaving the Hong Kong-based hedge fund firm after six years of running its BIA Pacific Macro Fund, say sources.

Barker has been the portfolio manager for the macro fund since its launch in 2006, and industry executives are now questioning the continued longevity of the strategy. It accounts for most of the firm's assets under management of around $200 million.

Ballingal Investment declined to make an official comment on the matter.

AsianInvestor could not ascertain what Barker, former Asia-Pacific chief economist at HSBC, is planning to do next.

Ballingal Investment also runs the BIA Pacific Fund, a pan-Asia long/short equity strategy launched in 2004, which is thought to run less than $100 million.

Both Ballingal funds had negative returns last year, with the BIA Pacific Fund down -13% and BIA Pacific Macro losing -3%.

BIA Pacific Macro had widely varying performance figures over the years, gaining an impressive 43% in 2008, followed by a -16.6% loss in 2009 and gains of 1% and 20%, respectively, in 2010 and 2011.

The hedge funds was set up in 2003 by Andrew Ballingal, who has spent most of his 30-year career focused on Asia investment, with experience at firms that include Sloane Robinson, NatWest, Schroders and TAL.