DoubleLine's Gundlach in triple equity fund launch

Bond star and DoubleLine founder Jeffrey Gundlach is planning to launch three equity funds this year, Citywire Global can reveal.

The firm has filed mutual fund applications with the US regulator with the aim of launching at least one of the strategies in Europe this year, Gundlach revealed to Citywire Global.

'We are in the approval process with the SEC. It will be at least another couple of months yet for the Ucits but we will definitely be launching an equity strategy in Europe within the year,' said Gundlach.

The former TCW chief investment officer said he expects to launch either a global technology fund or a small cap-orientated fund this year following the hire of two former TCW equity managers at the end of 2012.

The firm already has its bond strategies, including the flagship DoubleLine Total Return Bond fund, available in Europe through asset managers Nordea and Alma Capital.

Aggressive small-cap investors

Husam Nazer and Brendt Stallings lead DoubleLine's equity team of analysts and had both previously worked under Gundlach at TCW.

'The choice of strategies is more to do with the hires than a market outlook. The hires we've made are aggressive small cap investors.'

Gundlach said he expects DoubleLine's equity offering to grow to $10 billion over the next five years. A equity long-short hedge fund is also planned to be launched in the next twelve months.

An in-depth interview with Jeffrey Gundlach will feature in the upcoming March edition of Citywire Global magazine.