Privately Owned Intermediaries

We are privately owned because we believe it is important to sit between you and the investment universe.

If an investment institution owned us, or if we owned an investment fund, there would be an implicit conflict of interest that may compromise the quality of our advice to you.

Diversification

We believe that diversification is very important. While it may limit your potential upside, it also ensures that ambition for high returns does not overpower common sense and prudence.

Investors versus Speculators

We are investors, not speculators. We believe in building your wealth over time, using savings and discipline. Speculation on hot tips generally involves luck rather than skill.

Timeframe

We allocate according to risk and timeframe. We cannot predict short-term market movements. We are unable to tell you that it is time to “get out of the market.”  In our view, a portfolio should be constructed so that assets match your cashflow commitments. Therefore, we only invest in volatile or illiquid markets for you when completely satisfied that short term risk or access is not an issue.

Asset Protection

While investment and saving are very important, tragedy can unravel even the best laid plans. Insurance and estate planning should therefore be key components of your financial plan, to reduce the potential financial downside of death or disability. For younger families, this is a fundamental step to ensure financial peace of mind.

Taxation

Taxation is a consideration, not a strategy! We do not invest for tax purposes alone. Many tax effective schemes are expensive and overly ambitious. Why save tax but lose your capital? Potential clients seeking access to mass-marketed tax effective schemes could do better seeking other advisers.

Diversified Funds

There is value in utilizing the portfolio construction skills of some institutions that offer diversified assets within a single portfolio. This can provide an effective means of building a core position in your personal portfolio, with a mix of passive and active strategies. In some cases, a range of asset managers can be accessed within a single portfolio, providing you with great efficiency in cost and timeliness.

Fund Managers and Direct Shares

Many busy clients are well served by professional asset managers. While we are happy to advise on shares, it is an area that requires considerable commitment, interest and discipline on your part. Quality managers can provide a level of discipline and diversification that may not be possible in a direct share portfolio. The wide variety of offerings mean they can complement existing assets and portfolios efficiently.

International Investments

We consider it vital that clients have exposure to the vast range of businesses available across the globe and that it will be very rewarding long term. It is a key element of diversification in a portfolio.

Property Investment

We support a multitude of wealth accumulation strategies, including the use of property.  Existing property can be incorporated into your broader financial plans and accounted for when considering cashflow requirements, liquidity, risk management and asset class exposure.

Borrowing to Invest

While we acknowledge that borrowing to invest can enhance your returns, we know it can also magnify losses, so any debt strategy should be approached with caution.

Hedge Funds

Whilst hedging is a legitimate diversification tool, we have reservations about the ability of hedge funds to consistently add value over the long term. Therefore we tend to use these funds very selectively, as a small percentage of a portfolio, and with particular emphasis on liquidity and manager strength in order to reduce overall portfolio volatility through the proven non-correlation with traditional asset classes such as shares and fixed interest.

No Gimmicks

We manage wealth. Investment advice is one aspect of this. We do not promote the latest gimmick or “hot stock” or tax effective scheme. Rather, we agree upon long-term strategies and help you build and protect your wealth accordingly.

Make Sound Decisions

We believe that everyone tends to be a risk taker when investment values are rising and then risk averse when markets fall. Our role is to ensure our clients do not become too greedy in good times or too timid in bad times.

Slowly and Surely

Wealth is accumulated slowly in most cases. Your saving plans are as important as investment returns and this obviously requires on-going discipline and discussion.

What Goes Up, May Come Down

You should accept that investments can fall in value, sometimes quite sharply. We cannot and do not attempt to ‘pick’ those times.

Valuable Advice

Our services must be fairly compensated. Clients need to be aware of, and in agreement with, our level of remuneration. This should be discussed and agreed upon early in the relationship.

Here to Help

You must always feel you can ask if you do not understand or agree with something, whether it relates to financial strategy, investment returns or fees.