UK based asset manager Janus Henderson has entered the Kenyan market through a strategic partnership with AXYS Investment Bank, giving local institutional and private investors a direct channel into offshore investment funds, joining other global names like BlackRock and Vanguard that have already established local partnerships in the country.
AXYS operates as AIB-AXYS Africa, headquartered in Mauritius, and entered Kenya in 2015 by acquiring ApexAfrica Capital before merging it with AIB Capital in 2020 to form the current entity, fully owned by AXYS Group. The firm was formerly known as AIB-AXYS stock brokerage and has built an integrated cross border platform combining execution, custody and advisory capabilities.
Janus Henderson was established in 1934 as Henderson Administration before merging with Denver based Janus Capital in 2017. The firm reports assets under management of £366.7 billion across 26 offices globally, with roughly 65 percent of its AUM in North America, 26 percent in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and the remainder in Asia Pacific.
Bansri Pattni, chief executive of AXYS Investment Bank, said the partnership responds to shifting investor needs. “Investor allocation is increasingly influenced by the need to manage currency exposure and navigate divergent economic cycles. This partnership introduces an additional set of tools for constructing portfolios that are responsive to those conditions while remaining grounded in disciplined investment processes,” Pattni said.
Meshal Jaber, a managing director at Janus Henderson, described the deal as part of the firm’s regional growth strategy. “This partnership is an important step in our strategic expansion across Africa, underscoring our long-term commitment to the region,” Jaber said.
The number of investment banks operating in Kenya’s unit trust space has more than doubled over the last five years, rising to 10 from four as of March 2026. AXYS was among three firms recently upgraded by Kenya’s Capital Markets Authority from stockbrokerage to investment bank status, a change that allows it to offer corporate finance advisory, sustainable finance advisory and alternative investments alongside its digital trading platform.
Historically, Kenyan investors accessing offshore markets have relied on local fund managers building their own dollar denominated products or partnering with established global firms, with money market, fixed income and equity funds forming the bulk of offerings under the country’s collective investment schemes framework. The Janus Henderson deal extends that trend, giving Kenyan savers another route into global equities, fixed income and multi asset strategies without leaving the local regulatory system.
