One of the US' most activist investors, which votes against company boards 70% of the time and has wrung concessions from several firms in the country, has hired four European asset managers to help run its funds as it sets up a business in the region.

Christian Brothers Investment Services, which runs $3bn (€2.1bn) in a family of socially-responsible funds for US clients, has opened an office in Rome and launched four funds domiciled in Ireland. It is hoping to win business from catholic religious organisations across the continent.