Following a 25 year career in global capital markets and 5 years in investment management marketing, I am now applying my experience to help individuals and emerging companies realize their financial objectives.
While the investment market caters quite well to individuals and companies with ample assets, mid-sized or smaller players are often either overlooked or charged high fees. My aim is to introduce investors and companies to people who can help them through a network of relationships I have established over many years.
Philosophy
Studies* have shown that smaller portfolio managers consistently outperform larger ones primarily due to their ability to address a larger set of investment opportunities. But finding a smaller investment manager with the critical mass to be efficient and the governance systems that ensure confidence can be a challenge. As a result, many individual investors become clients of large financial institutions simply because the latter have the resources to reach out to them through advertising or branch networks. Unfortunately, along with that size come layers of management, high distribution costs and missed opportunities. Another alternative for individual investors are Financial Planners. This broad designation covers fee-only financial consultants as well as individuals working on commission to sell insurance products and mutual funds. I recommend the fee-only type to avoid potential conflicts of interest.
Fortunately, there are several independent investment management firms offering superior performance at a fraction of the cost of mutual funds. These managers have the systems in place to run individual portfolios as small as $500,000 using independent custodians for safekeeping.
* For example: Northern Trust "Can Elephants dance?"
How I can helpindividual investors
As an institutional equity professional I discussed investment opportunities on a daily basis with some of the top investment managers in Canada and the United States.
In addition to developing personal relationships, I have come to understand market psychology, the variety of investment styles and the the constraints that managers face in their daily lives.
Through my network of relationships I can refer individuals to talented investment managers that suit their specific requirements. This could be to manage their entire portfolios or to add process diversification to their existing investment strategy. I can also make introductions to independent consultants who can create a customized road map to retirement.
How I can help emerging companies
My experience can also be useful to smaller companies who are seeking capital to grow their businesses but find that they are ignored by mainstream capital market players. I can make introductions to a network of private equity and high net worth investors who are on the lookout for compelling ideas in the private company space.