Schroders has announced the launch of its Strategic Bond fund and the first lead manager role for recent hire Gareth Isaac.

The new fund will sit in the UK IMA Strategic Bond sector and aims to achieve a total return by investing in a broad range of fixed income markets.

Isaac (pictured), who joined Schroders from GLG in October 2011 as senior portfolio manager, has been appointed lead manager.

Schroders’ head of global macro, Bob Jolly, has been named alternate manager.

The unconstrained fund will actively invest in government bonds, investment grade corporates, high yield corporates and emerging market debt of both governments and credit.

Schroders said that its Strategic Bond fund may also use derivatives to limit downside risk, with 80 per cent of the portfolio being hedged back to sterling.

Isaac explained, ‘Against a backdrop of rock bottom interest rates in the Western world, combined with low yields on money market and government bonds, investors are turning their attention to alternative fixed income asset classes such as investment grade and high yield bonds for better returns.

‘We currently see fantastic value in good quality corporates and high yield issuers as a part of a balanced fixed income portfolio.’

Robin Stoakley, managing director of UK intermediary, added that the fund would be suitable for fixed income investors seeking ‘higher performance potential’ and for those looking to diversify from an allocation to pure equities.

At GLG, Isaac headed up the GLG Core Plus Sterling Bond, the GLG Total Return Bond and GLG gilt funds. He previously worked for SG Asset Management.

The fund is subject to approval from the Financial Services Authority.