BBH Supports the First Conversion of Mutual Funds to ETFs

March 29, 2021
  • Investor Services

The Two Conversions, on Behalf of Guinness Atkinson, are the First of their Kind in U.S. Asset Management Industry

March 29, 2021 – Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. (BBH), a market leading ETF custodian and administrator, today announced the conversion of two open-end mutual funds to ETFs on behalf of Guinness Atkinson Asset Management: Guinness Atkinson Dividend Builder Fund (GAINX) and Guinness Atkinson Asia Pacific Dividend Builder Fund (GAADX). These are the first two mutual funds converted into ETFs in the U.S. BBH has a long-standing relationship with Guinness Atkinson, serving as custodian, transfer agent, and fund accountant to their mutual funds for over a decade, as well as providing ETF support to their SmartETFs business line since inception in 2019.

“We are proud to support Guinness Atkinson in achieving this important industry milestone,” said Ryan Sullivan, Head of U.S. ETF Servicing at BBH. “This represents a new opportunity for fund managers to bring assets and historic track records to newly listed ETFs and could spark another wave of product development in the ETF market.”

Guinness Atkinson decided to transition the current funds based on growing demand from its shareholder base for access to ETFs and its own previous success in launching three ETF products. These two dividend funds are of particular interest to investors, and Guinness Atkinson believe they will be of even greater interest as ETFs.

“This conversion represents the culmination of a dialogue we’ve had with our shareholder base, who, like many, are increasingly attracted to the benefits of ETFs, including their lower costs and greater flexibility,” said Jim Atkinson, CEO of Guinness Atkinson Asset Management. “This conversion was possible thanks to the work with our great partners at BBH and we are grateful for their expertise and effort.”

 

About Brown Brothers Harriman

BBH is a privately held financial institution that has been a thought leader and solutions provider for over 200 years. The firm serves individuals, families, businesses and institutions in its three business lines: Private Banking, Investment Management, and Investor Services. BBH’s culture of accountability fosters deep and lasting relationships built on commitment, adaptability and trust. The company is independent, selective, and specialized by design.

BBH’s Investor Services business provides cross-border custody, accounting, administration, execution and technology services to many of the world’s leading asset managers and financial institutions. With deep ETF product expertise, BBH works with both experienced ETF managers and new, innovative market entrants to introduce and grow their ETF products. BBH helps asset managers launch, list, and cross-list ETFs across the globe.

BBH operates its global business out of seventeen offices located in New York, Beijing, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dublin, Grand Cayman, Hong Kong, Jersey City, Kraków, London, Luxembourg, Nashville, Philadelphia, Tokyo, Wilmington and Zürich. For more information, please visit www.bbh.com.

BBH is a registered service mark of Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. in the United States and other countries.

SHOW ALL

Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. (“BBH”) may be used as a generic term to reference the company as a whole and/or its various subsidiaries generally. This material and any products or services may be issued or provided in multiple jurisdictions by duly authorized and regulated subsidiaries. This material is for general information and reference purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax or investment advice and is not intended as an offer to sell, or a solicitation to buy securities, services or investment products. Any reference to tax matters is not intended to be used, and may not be used, for purposes of avoiding penalties under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, or other applicable tax regimes, or for promotion, marketing or recommendation to third parties. All information has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but accuracy is not guaranteed, and reliance should not be placed on the information presented. This material may not be reproduced, copied or transmitted, or any of the content disclosed to third parties, without the permission of BBH. All trademarks and service marks included are the property of BBH or their respective owners. © Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. 2021. All rights reserved. IS-07128-2021-03-12

As of June 15, 2022 Internet Explorer 11 is not supported by BBH.com.

Important Information for Non-U.S. Residents

You are required to read the following important information, which, in conjunction with the Terms and Conditions, governs your use of this website. Your use of this website and its contents constitute your acceptance of this information and those Terms and Conditions. If you do not agree with this information and the Terms and Conditions, you should immediately cease use of this website. The contents of this website have not been prepared for the benefit of investors outside of the United States. This website is not intended as a solicitation of the purchase or sale of any security or other financial instrument or any investment management services for any investor who resides in a jurisdiction other than the United States1. As a general matter, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. and its subsidiaries (“BBH”) is not licensed or registered to solicit prospective investors and offer investment advisory services in jurisdictions outside of the United States. The information on this website is not intended to be distributed to, directed at or used by any person or entity in any jurisdiction or country where such distribution or use would be contrary to law or regulation. Persons in respect of whom such prohibitions apply must not access the website.  Under certain circumstances, BBH may provide services to investors located outside of the United States in accordance with applicable law. The conditions under which such services may be provided will be analyzed on a case-by-case basis by BBH. BBH will only accept investors from such jurisdictions or countries where it has made a determination that such an arrangement or relationship is permissible under the laws of that jurisdiction or country. The existence of this website is not intended to be a substitute for the type of analysis described above and is not intended as a solicitation of or recommendation to any prospective investor, including those located outside of the United States. Certain BBH products or services may not be available in certain jurisdictions. By choosing to access this website from any location other than the United States, you accept full responsibility for compliance with all local laws. The website contains content that has been obtained from sources that BBH believes to be reliable as of the date presented; however, BBH cannot guarantee the accuracy of such content, assure its completeness, or warrant that such information will not be changed. The content contained herein is current as of the date of issuance and is subject to change without notice. The website’s content does not constitute investment advice and should not be used as the basis for any investment decision. There is no guarantee that any investment objectives, expectations, targets described in this website or the  performance or profitability of any investment will be achieved. You understand that investing in securities and other financial instruments involves risks that may affect the value of the securities and may result in losses, including the potential loss of the principal invested, and you assume and are able to bear all such risks.  In no event shall BBH or any other affiliated party be liable for any direct, incidental, special, consequential, indirect, lost profits, loss of business or data, or punitive damages arising out of your use of this website. By clicking accept, you confirm that you accept  to the above Important Information along with Terms and Conditions.

 
1BBH sponsors UCITS Funds registered in Luxembourg, in certain jurisdictions. For information on those funds, please see bbhluxembourgfunds.com



captcha image ↻

Type in the word seen on the picture

I am a current investor in another jurisdiction

1 of 2

2 of 2