LaCrosse Global Fund Services announced it has agreed to acquire the global alternative fund administration business of Bank of America Merrill Lynch, subject to regulatory approval. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Once the acquisition is complete, LaCrosse will have $21 billion in assets under administration and more than 250 employees.
LaCrosse is a provider of operations, middle-office and administration services to managers of hedge funds. The company operates in nine locations, including Bogot?, Buenos Aires, Istanbul, London and Minneapolis.
According to LaCrosse co-CEO Chris Kundro, the acquisition is part of a larger trend in the hedge fund administration industry in the post-Madoff era.
"Since [the scandal] happened, we've seen a clear increase in demand for independent, third-party fund administration, not only here, but globally as well," Kundro said. "Self-administration is now a dirty word."