BNP Paribas Asset Management Launches Europe Strategic Autonomy Fund To Capitalise On Shifting Geopolitical Priorities

BNP Paribas Asset Management (BNPP AM) today announced the launch of its BNP Paribas Europe Strategic Autonomy fund¹, a European thematic equity fund designed to harness the evolving geopolitical landscape and Europe's growing emphasis on security, resilience, and selfsufficiency.  

Rising geopolitical tensions and uncertainty have led European governments to increasingly focus on the importance of strategic independence. As such, several initiatives backed by large scale investment plans valued at more than EUR 1.5 trillionⁱ have recently been announced, both by the European Commission and European governments. These plans should drive higher levels of growth in coming years in key strategic themes and sectors, such as defence, resource independence, industrial resilience, technology and cybersecurity. 

In this context, the BNP Paribas Europe Strategic Autonomy fund aims to deliver robust returns by investing in companies that will benefit from Europe's increasing focus on strategic autonomy, providing investors with a unique opportunity to tap into a new era of growth and returns. 

Key features of the fund

• Investment strategy based on a fundamental, forward-looking approach to identify companies that will benefit from Europe's greater focus on strategic autonomy.
• Security-related themes, with a particular emphasis on the themes of defence, resource independence, industrial resilience, cybersecurity, cloud computing and digital infrastructure, food and healthcare security.
• Active management, allowing the portfolio management team to invest flexibly across a range of themes, respond quickly to changing market conditions and capitalise on new opportunities.

With a concentrated portfolio of 50 positions, the fund will be PEA-eligible, offering investors an efficient and streamlined way to access the benefits of Europe's evolving strategic autonomy. The fund will focus on companies that are benefitting and/or will benefit from structural changes, with a particular emphasis on the themes of defence, resource independence, industrial resilience, cybersecurity, cloud computing and digital infrastructure, and food and healthcare security.

"We believe that the BNP Paribas Europe Strategic Autonomy fund offers a unique opportunity for investors to tap into the move to increase resilience against geopolitical shocks and supply chain disruption," explains Lazare Hounhouayenou, Portfolio Manager for the fund. "Our fundamental, forward-looking approach enables us to identify companies that are strategic for Europe’s autonomy, and our active approach to investment management provides the flexibility to invest across a variety of security-related themes, ultimately driving superior growth and returns over the long term. "

BNP Paribas Europe Strategic Autonomy is classified as Article 8 under the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation. This fund integrates environmental, social and governance considerations into the investment process and applies BNPP AM’s Responsible Business Conduct policy.

As sustainable investors, ESG integration lies at the heart of our investment process. The BNP

Paribas Europe Strategic Autonomy fund was developed in tandem with BNPP AM’s Sustainability Centre through the incorporation of team research and data outputs. We also utilize BNPP AM’s Responsible Business Conduct policy to ensure that the fund’s portfolio companies meet industry-leading standards.” Sindhu Janakiram, ESG Analyst and Aerospace & Defence Lead, BNPP AM Sustainability Centre.

Fund characteristics (as of 02 June 2025)