Russell Investments Capital, LLC (“RICAP”) is part of Russell Investments (defined below), a
global investment solutions company. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, Russell
Investments operates globally with offices in various financial centers around the globe.
RICAP and its affiliates are indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries of Russell Investments Group, Ltd.,
a Cayman domiciled company (“Russell Investments” or “RI”). The limited partners of certain
private equity funds affiliated with TA Associates Management, L.P. indirectly hold a majority
ownership interest, and the limited partners of certain private equity funds affiliated with
Reverence Capital Partners, L.P. indirectly hold a minority ownership interest in Russell
Investments. Hamilton Lane Advisors LLC, a private markets firm, along with current and former
management of Russell Investments also hold minority positions in Russell Investments.
References to “we”, “us”, and “our” refer to RICAP unless the context otherwise requires.
We provide investment management and consulting services to institutional clients including
employee benefit plans such as public pension funds, corporate pension funds, defined
contribution and profit-sharing plans, and Taft-Hartley plans; and not-for-profit organizations
including universities, healthcare organizations, charitable organizations, foundations, and
endowments. We also provide investment advice to certain affiliated pooled investment vehicles
not required to be registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended
(“Investment Company Act”) that are used in providing investment solutions to certain clients
(“Private Funds”).
Our investment management services and strategies are designed to assist clients in meeting
their objectives in a diversified, risk-controlled manner. We provide the following categories of
investment management and advisory services to our clients:
Strategic asset allocation recommendations and decisions
Third-party money manager (“money manager”) selection, allocations, and monitoring
Portfolio design, construction, and management
Alternatives investment services
Investment and retirement plan consulting services
Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (“OCIO”) services
Other advisory services
The section below provides a summary of each of these services. Please see Item 8 – Methods
of Analysis, Investment Strategies and Risk of Loss, for more information regarding our
investment strategies.
RICAP has been a registered investment adviser since June 8, 1999. RICAP is also registered
as a commodity pool operator (“CPO”) with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission
(“CFTC”) and is a member of the National Futures Association (“NFA”). As of December 31, 2023,
RICAP had $23,026,995,111 in regulatory assets under management, all of which was
discretionary.
INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT SERVICES
We offer a range of investment solutions focused on identifying and addressing clients’ needs
with risk adjusted solutions. We take a holistic view of client portfolio assets (each a “portfolio”)
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and aim to gain a deep understanding of the factors that drive a portfolio’s risks and returns. We
then strive to combine risk factors in such a way that maximize the portfolio’s chances of success.
We blend our core capabilities including capital markets insights, manager research, asset
allocation, portfolio implementation and factor exposures to design, construct and manage total
portfolio solutions.
Client portfolios are often invested using a “multi-style multi-manager” open-architecture
approach. RICAP’s multi-manager approach is often implemented through the use of proprietary
multi-manager investment vehicles, including the Private Funds, as well as through unaffiliated
registered and unregistered pooled investment vehicles (“Third-Party Funds”).
We provide investment management services based on investment guidelines and restrictions
that are developed in consultation with the client, or in accordance with the mandate selected by
the client. Each Private Fund managed or otherwise advised by us is managed in accordance
with the investment guidelines and restrictions of the Private Fund. Depending on the investment
strategy or strategies a client wishes to pursue, the client’s contractual relationship may be with
RICAP and one or more of its affiliates.
Asset Allocation
Our asset allocation process incorporates information about the potential implications of changes
in capital markets with client specific information that includes a client’s goals, return objectives,
spending policy, ability to tolerate risk and liquidity needs.
We help clients to:
Develop investment objectives and a statement of investment policy;
Define and control risk for their specific requirements;
Diversify their investment portfolio;
Meet cash flow needs; and
Conduct scenario analysis on their portfolio(s) as well as evaluate alternative portfolios.
Once a strategic asset allocation is determined, an investable portfolio is constructed by
identifying the specific investment strategies and money managers that will be used in the
portfolio.
Third-Party Money Manager Selection
Multi-manager portfolio assets are managed by us and at least two other unaffiliated money
managers pursuant to a multi-style (e.g., growth, value, market-oriented, defensive, and/or
dynamic) and multi-manager approach. RICAP may change a money manager asset allocation
at any time, including not allocating assets to one or more money manager strategies. Such
changes may be made without notice to clients.
Our money manager research services include evaluating and recommending third-party money
managers according to designated investment objectives, outcomes, styles, and strategies.
A money manager may have:
Russell Investments Capital, LLC / Form ADV Part 2A / 7
A discretionary asset management assignment where it is allocated a portion of a
portfolio’s assets to manage directly, selects the individual instruments for that portfolio,
and also purchases and sells individual instruments for the portfolios assigned to them;
A non-discretionary assignment where it provides a model portfolio to us representing its
investment recommendations, based upon which we apply our own investment advice,
and through an affiliate, purchase and sell individual instruments for the portfolio; or
Both a discretionary and non-discretionary assignment.
Portfolio Management and Construction
In moving from a strategic asset allocation to an implementable portfolio, the portfolio is developed
using our proprietary strategies (discussed below) and active strategies from selected third-party
money managers.
In addition to utilizing discretionary third-party money managers to manage client portfolios, we
construct certain portfolios by combining non-discretionary money manager models in a
centralized portfolio (“Enhanced Portfolio Implementation” or “EPI”). Under EPI, we hire money
managers to provide lists of recommended investments and the weightings of such investments
in accordance with designated investment guidelines. For example, a portfolio may utilize
strategies from multiple non-discretionary money managers. We implement the portfolio by
aggregating the model portfolios of each non-discretionary money manager and may adjust the
combined aggregated model in order to vary certain exposures, to adhere to any portfolio level
guidelines and other restrictions, and for transaction cost management.
We generally allocate portfolio assets to two or more money manager strategies; however, RICAP
or its affiliates also may directly manage all or some portion of a portfolio’s assets (“direct
investment”) for a variety of purposes. In such a scenario, Russell Investments may retain more
of its advisory fee as it pays less in fees to money managers. Our direct investment of portfolios
can include the implementation of certain quantitative analysis and/or rules-based processes to
assess a portfolio’s characteristics or fundamental strategies; investing in securities and
instruments which provide desired exposures (such as volatility, momentum, value, growth,
quality, capitalization size, industry, sector, region, currency, commodity, credit or mortgage
exposure, country risk, yield curve positioning, or interest rates); modifying the portfolio’s overall
investment strategy or risk/return characteristics relative to investments made by one or more
money managers; and enhanced funding, cash management, currency overlay or other direct
investment management techniques (collectively, “Proprietary Strategies”). We, or our affiliate,
may also directly manage portions of a portfolio during transitions between money managers.
Client portfolios may gain exposure to certain asset classes by investing in listed investment
vehicles such as real estate investment trusts (“REITs”), Exchange Traded Funds (“ETFs”), and
Exchange Traded Notes (“ETNs”), as well as in Third-Party Funds. Third-Party Funds may be
leveraged or unleveraged and may be established in regulated or unregulated jurisdictions.
RICAP and the Private Funds that invest in Third-Party Funds will not have an active role in the
day-to-day management of the Third-Party Fund and will not have the opportunity to evaluate the
specific investments made by a Third-Party Fund before they are made. In particular, RICAP will
not carry out due diligence on the underlying investments selected for investment by the Third-
Party Fund and will instead rely exclusively on the due diligence carried out on those underlying
investments by the relevant Third-Party Fund investment manager.
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Before investing in a Third-Party Fund, we perform initial due diligence. However, there can be
no assurance that such due diligence will detect misconduct, negligence, or fraud on the part of
the Third-Party Fund and its managers and advisers or that the Third-Party Fund will be
successful in meeting its investment objectives.
Alternative Asset Advisory Services
Our investment management services include advising and providing due diligence services on
alternative asset classes that have a lower correlation
to public markets and managing portfolios
of alternative assets for clients. Broadly speaking, alternatives are investments in assets other
than traditional stocks, bonds, and cash. Investors increasingly use alternative strategies to help
them achieve their diversification and return goals.
Our alternative advisory services fall into three main categories: real assets including real estate,
hedge funds, and private markets strategies.
Real Assets Strategies
Real assets strategies include infrastructure, commodities, and public and private real estate.
Infrastructure assets are broadly defined to be real assets that provide essential or commercial
services to the public. Examples of infrastructure assets include transportation systems,
communication networks, sewage, water, and electric systems. Certain sectors such as energy
and water utilities, transportation, social amenities (hospitals, schools) and some areas of
telecommunications have the general characteristics of infrastructure assets.
There are generally three types of commodity assets: agricultural (e.g., live cattle, wheat, corn,
soybeans), metals (e.g., copper, aluminum, nickel), and energy (e.g., oil, gasoline and uranium).
Commodity exposure may be obtained through the use of futures and options as well as
ownership of the physical commodity itself.
Our real estate investment management activities include evaluating client real estate
investments, investment strategies and objectives; evaluating potential new investments, and
making and implementing investment decisions. Advice is given on managers of publicly traded
real estate securities, generally REITS; on commingled funds of private real estate, and on direct
private real estate investments.
Hedge Funds Strategies
We evaluate, advise on and select hedge fund investments designed to produce certain outcomes
or that invest in specialized sectors such as long/short, event driven, equity hedge, relative value
and tactical trading strategies. These hedge fund investments may be managed by us or our
affiliates or by third-party asset managers and can be single funds and funds of funds. In this
capacity, we have full and exclusive discretionary authority and responsibility to manage the day-
to-day operations of clients’ investments in such hedge funds and to invest and reinvest assets,
including the authority to sell, exchange or otherwise transfer all or any portion of the assets of
such hedge funds.
Private Markets Strategies
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Private markets investment strategies typically include investments in the securities and
instruments of individual entities that aim to unlock unrealized value in those entities, including,
but not limited to, leveraged buyouts, mergers and acquisitions, and venture capital. We evaluate,
advise on, and select funds that implement private markets strategies. These private markets
funds may be managed by RICAP or its affiliates or third-party asset managers.
Investment and Retirement Plan Consulting Services
Our investment consulting services include providing ongoing strategic as well as project-based
advice to clients that help them make overall governance and structuring decisions related to their
investment program.
Consulting services include:
Advice on governance and fiduciary framework and structure;
Assisting clients with developing and documenting investment objectives, risk tolerance,
and cash flow needs relative to market opportunities;
Establishing and advising on asset allocation and portfolio structures;
Advice on defined contribution plan tier structure and qualified default investment
alternative options;
Consulting on the effect of asset mix on projected asset values and cash flows;
Providing our economic forecast, based upon our capital markets assumptions concerning
the expected returns and risks of a variety of asset classes;
Providing research and guidance on third-party money managers;
Recommending the client select certain investment strategies, retain or terminate certain
money managers, or reallocate assets among various managers or strategies;
Advising on environmental, social, and governance considerations of an investment
strategy, manager, or portfolio;
Performance evaluation; and
Creation of materials for staff analysis, as well as committee consideration and education.
The consulting client is responsible for weighing our advice in these areas and making the final
strategic decisions related to its plans, including governance structure, strategic asset allocation,
glide path, risk and liquidity needs, and investment policy statement. Typically, when serving as
a consultant, we do not act as a conventional “investment manager”, do not have investment
discretion over client funds, and do not make specific investments of client assets or make
recommendations with respect to specific securities.
Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (“OCIO”) Services
OCIO leverages our experience in both consulting and asset management by offering an
investment solution where a client retains fiduciary oversight over its investment program, while
delegating the day-to-day investment decisions and operations to us as a co-fiduciary manager.
OCIO combines strategic advice, implementation, asset management and administration.
Institutional clients may choose to outsource their investment program for a variety of reasons
including a desire for a strategic partner, a lack of internal resources, better risk management
through portfolio construction techniques and risk factor exposure management, a desire to
increase return potential and focused fiduciary oversight through a co-fiduciary arrangement.
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For these client relationships, we provide the consulting services described above, select, hire
and terminate investment managers, select investment funds and other holdings, trade portfolio
assets, manage portfolio risk, and rebalance portfolio assets. When RICAP acts as a discretionary
investment manager, we execute and deliver all agreements necessary for client account and
portfolio management; direct the client-appointed custodian to acquire, hold, sell, transfer,
exchange and dispose of investments as applicable; and perform other tasks associated with
“end-to-end” management of the client’s portfolio. OCIO includes other administrative support
including customized performance reporting and analytics, audit support, and optional donor
services support.
Other Advisory Services
Investment Adviser Oversight and Due Diligence Services
We provide non-investment management due diligence reviews which cover a third-party
investment adviser’s business structure and activities, operations, and compliance, and assess
an investment adviser’s non-investment risks.
TYPES OF INVESTMENTS
Our advisory services encompass all types of investments and asset classes, including equity,
fixed income, multi-asset, alternatives, and derivatives. Types of investments in which we offer
investment advice include, but are not limited to: exchange listed securities, privately placed
securities, Private Funds, Fund of Funds, REITS, ETFs, ETNs, master limited partnerships
(“MLPs”), securities traded over-the-counter, foreign issues, depository receipts, warrants;
corporate debt securities, commercial paper, certificates of deposit, municipal securities, mutual
fund shares, U.S. and non-U.S. sovereign government securities, commodities, listed futures and
options contracts. Other types of investments may include foreign currency (“FX”) instruments,
including forwards, spots and swaps, centrally cleared swaps and other bilateral OTC
instruments.
We may also recommend that clients invest in the Private Funds, certain other pooled investment
vehicles, open- or closed-end mutual funds, separate account programs, individual securities or
other assets. See Item 8 – Methods of Analysis, Investment Strategies and Risk of Loss, for more
detail on the types of instruments used in implementing our strategies.
SERVICES OF AFFILIATES
We utilize our affiliates to offer certain services to clients; some of these affiliates also are
investment advisers or broker-dealers registered with the SEC, the Financial Industry Regulatory
Authority (“FINRA”), and some are registered or are exempt from registration with other federal,
state, or non-U.S. regulatory authorities. We may use the services or personnel of one or more of
our affiliates for investment advice, portfolio execution and trading, and client servicing in their
local or regional markets or their areas of special expertise, except to the extent restricted by the
client pursuant to its investment management agreement or other type of advisory agreement
(“IMA”), or inconsistent with applicable law.
Arrangements among affiliates take a variety of forms, including dual employee, delegation,
participating affiliate, sub-advisory, sub-agency or other formal or informal servicing
arrangements. Certain of those affiliates’ employees are deemed “associated persons” within the
Russell Investments Capital, LLC / Form ADV Part 2A / 11
meaning of Section 202(a)(17) of the Advisers Act, as Russell Investments’ affiliates may, through
such employees, contribute to our investment advisory and investment research process. These
arrangements comply with applicable law and regulation including, but not limited to, ERISA and
its prohibited transaction exemptions, U.S. federal securities laws and regulations, and the
regulations of applicable self-regulatory organizations such as the FINRA, the NFA and the
Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (“MSRB”).
This practice of utilizing affiliates is designed to make Russell Investment’s global capabilities
available to our clients in as seamless a manner as practical within a varying global regulatory
framework. In these circumstances, we remain fully responsible for the portfolio from a legal and
contractual perspective. If provided in the client’s IMA, a fund’s governing documents and/or
private placement memorandum or offering memorandum (both and similar documents referred
to as the “OM”), we will charge additional fees for such services as permitted by applicable law
and regulation.