Q: What is the biggest change you have seen in the industry since you joined?
The biggest change in my mind is how ESG, and its role within investing, has gone from being at the fringes to front and centre of the minds of both clients and investment managers. Investments have huge power to support change and, quite rightly, most managers are becoming ever more adept in being able to adjust portfolios to the specific requirements and desires of their clients. Preferences are very personal and managers should work with clients to understand their needs and have a robust approach for implementation.
Q: What is the investment topic most brought up by clients/investors?
Alternative investments are increasingly on the minds of more sophisticated investors as they seek to gain additional risk-adjusted returns in their portfolios. The correlation between the selloff of equities and bonds in 2022 only further fuelled this interest. One of the key challenges is that assets are often grouped together in discussions despite having distinct return profiles and associated risks, such as private equity and oil. There is a huge, ongoing education piece to ensure clients truly understand what they are buying and how it differs from traditional asset classes.
To read more, visit the December edition of Portfolio Adviser Magazine
