A Letter From the Founder of Fundrella
Dear Asset Management Community,
We will shortly be introducing Ella from Fundrella, our latest innovation. Ella screens and analyses our vast data to identify opportunities based on both ESG alignment and financial return. Asset managers and fund selectors receive these insights as alerts—our "Pings"—ensuring no critical opportunities or red flags are missed.
Our industry is evolving, and Fundrella is poised to play a critical role in this transformation. In this letter I will share some observations that led us to our latest innovation and what we aim to solve.
Five years ago, I founded Fundrella after my tenure at BlackRock and Fidelity. Since then, I’ve engaged with 245 asset management companies globally, absorbing their strategies, challenges, and aspirations. I’ve also spent considerable time with fund selectors, learning how they compare, analyse, and choose funds— understanding their pain points and what information truly matters.
Fundrella is an ESG-focused fund selection platform, supporting more than 80 global asset managers with a combined 14 trillion EUR in AUM. For each fund, we collect over 200 ESG-related data points and numerous non-ESG metrics, offering this data free of charge to professional investors with over 630 billion EUR in investable assets.
In response to investor demand for a one-stop-shop, we’re expanding our offering. Fundrella now integrates ESG alignment with return data, enabling investors and asset managers to view both aspects in a single, powerful format.
Proactive or reactive?
What are investors looking for? This is the question that drives most asset management sales and product teams. MiFID II even requires asset managers to have suitable products that meet investors sustainability requirements. Yet, it’s a delicate balance—investors often seek discretion, preferring to explore opportunities
quietly without being overwhelmed by sales pitches. On the flip side, how can sales teams remain proactive without intruding? Striking this balance is crucial, especially when ESG considerations come into play.
Who is ESG competitive?
Asset management firms invest heavily in ESG expertise, but ESG competitiveness is difficult to measure. Funds with fantastic performance may be overlooked in searches or screenings due to ESG-related nuances, impacting sales targets. These are management-level issues that need addressing to enhance ESG competitiveness alongside risk and return.
Missing Out
A vivid memory from my early career at Fidelity: I once missed a key RFP deadline. My superior (love you for this, Henrik) took me aside and in the most professional manner, emphasised the importance of attention to detail and organisational skills in this industry. He also encouraged me to create processes to ensure it never happened again. That experience taught me how critical it is to never miss an opportunity. Competition is fierce, and such chances are rare.
Why We Love Ella
Ella simplifies our complex and vast data set, helping asset management sales and product teams to stay informed and spot opportunities. Ella also helps professional investors to find, compare and monitor funds effectively. She serves opportunities or red flags as proactive Pings, replacing manual mapping and screening. She enhances, rather than replaces, human interaction. Because those who succeed are still the relationship builders—those who combine data with relationships and trust.
At Fundrella, our mission is to accelerate the shift toward sustainability, and Ella is a key part of that journey. More details will follow soon, and I look forward to your feedback.
Thank you for supporting Fundrella’s mission.
Warm regards,
Wava Bodin, Founder & CEO, Fundrella
P.S. Stay tuned for updates on our platform connecting asset managers and investors. In the meantime, enjoy Ella
