News Releases
TORONTO, November 3, 2008 – BMO Financial Group today announced that Guardian Group of Funds (GGOF) has renamed its fund family BMO Guardian Funds and has unveiled an expanded line-up of products and services that will help independent advisors to build wealth for their clients.
“Today's announcement begins an exciting new chapter in
the story of Guardian Group of Funds Ltd., which was purchased in 2001,” said
Gilles Ouellette, President and CEO, Private Client Group, BMO Financial
Group. “BMO Guardian Funds takes the best of GGOF while leveraging
the strength and stability of BMO Financial Group to bring advisors a
powerful partner to their business.”
With the new name comes an expanded line-up of products and services
including:
- More than 25 funds offering new series, including BMO Guardian LifeStage Plus Advisor Series;
- A corporate class fund structure which includes 23 funds;
- High net-worth pricing;
- Expanded roster of investment management firms.
Expanded range of investment options
The BMO Guardian Funds family offers advisors an expanded range of investment options. The existing line-up of mutual funds is growing with the addition of more than 25 funds. Among them, advisors will find new regional funds, country specific opportunities, sector specialization and other focused mandates.
Part of the expanded product line includes a new series of innovative life cycle funds, BMO Guardian LifeStage Plus Advisor Series, which allows clients to take advantage of diversified exposure to growth-oriented investments and unique downside protection. These funds are available with four maturity dates (2017, 2020, 2025 and 2030), and lock-in growth daily, guaranteeing the highest value attained provided the fund is held to maturity.
Tax planning is one of the value-added services that clients are seeking from their investment advisors. Today, the BMO Guardian Funds family boasts an extensive corporate class structure that includes 23 funds representing a range of major asset classes. This enables advisors to build more tax-efficient investment portfolios for their clients.
With the addition of these new funds, series and a corporate class structure also comes broader options within the series T and series F line-up, as well as 23 funds offering series H shares that provide advisors and their clients with a high net-worth pricing option.
”The BMO Guardian Funds family is bringing to advisors and their clients a powerful and expanded suite of investment products, backed by the service excellence they have come to expect,” said Ross Kappele, President, Guardian Group of Funds Ltd. “Together with BMO, we can now bring the depth of resources required to offer new and innovative products, and this step is just the beginning.”
World-class investment management
With these additional products, advisors now have access to six additional renowned investment management firms to complement the existing roster of world class firms.
“The BMO Guardian Funds family now provides advisors and their clients with one of the most extensive selections of investment managers in the industry today,” said Gavin Graham, Chief Investment Officer, BMO Asset Management.
The managers include:
- Harris Investment Management Inc. (HIM)
- Insight Investment Management (Global) Ltd.
- KBC Asset Management Inc.
- Martin Currie Inc.
- Pyrford International Limited
- Sustainable Asset Management AG
BMO Guardian Funds refers to certain mutual funds and/or series of mutual funds offered by Guardian Group of Funds Ltd. or BMO Investments Inc., both financial services firms and separate entities from Bank of Montreal. Commissions, trailing commissions, fees and expenses may be associated with mutual fund investments. Please read the prospectus before investing. Mutual funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated.
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