Posts Tagged ‘wealth management’

Single Family Office

admin | Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008 | No Comments »

Single Family Office

Single Family Offices in Dubai

Single Family OfficeI just found this article about how Dubai’s DIFC is positioning itself as a center for single family offices. They seem to be very skilled at positioning themselves for new money to come in so I’m sure they will be successful in this area. The country is trying to build many legs to stand on – as they take advantage of their oil and tourism based wealth. Here is the article…

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New regulations provide platform for setting up family holding companies at DIFC

The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) today announced new regulations to encourage family businesses to establish Single Family Offices (SFOs) at DIFC.

Created in consultation with the DFSA, the DIFC Single Family Office (SFO) Regulations specifically address the needs of family-run institutions and create a platform for wealthy families to set up holding companies at DIFC to manage private family wealth and family structures anywhere in the world.

HE Dr. Omar Bin Sulaiman, Governor of the DIFC said: “In recent times, family offices have become highly significant on the global economic landscape. In the Middle East, where family-run businesses make up over 75 per cent of firms and have total assets in excess of US$1 trillion, the need for a specialised legal and regulatory framework is especially acute.”

“In contrast to conventional financial institutions, Single Family Offices (SFOs) have no direct public liability as all their shareholders are bloodline descendants of a common ancestor. As such, their regulatory requirements differ significantly. By establishing the new Regulations, DIFC is once again reaffirming its commitment to family businesses and the development of DIFC into a hub for local, regional and international family offices.”

The enactment of the Regulations follows a period of consultation where companies were invited to comment on the proposed Regulations. Having received highly positive feedback, the new Regulations will come into effect on 2 September 2008.

Central to the new Regulations are changes to the DIFC Single Family Offices (SFO) platform and consequential amendments to other DIFC and DFSA regulations such as the DFSA’s General Module and Glossary Module.

The Regulations offer distinct benefits to Single Family Offices (SFOs) as they exclude them from many of the regulatory constraints placed on conventional organisations located at DIFC. Read more…

- Richard

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Single Family Office

admin | Wednesday, September 3rd, 2008 | No Comments »

Single Family Office

Single Family Offices in Dubai

Single Family OfficeI just found this article about how Dubai’s DIFC is positioning itself as a center for single family offices. They seem to be very skilled at positioning themselves for new money to come in so I’m sure they will be successful in this area. The country is trying to build many legs to stand on – as they take advantage of their oil and tourism based wealth.

For those of you who do not know what family ffices are and how they relate to hedge funds please see this article: What are Multi-Family Offices?

For in detail information and insight please see Family Offices Group .com

Here is the single family office article…

_________________________________

New regulations provide platform for setting up family holding companies at DIFC

The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) today announced new regulations to encourage family businesses to establish Single Family Offices (SFOs) at DIFC.

Created in consultation with the DFSA, the DIFC Single Family Office (SFO) Regulations specifically address the needs of family-run institutions and create a platform for wealthy families to set up holding companies at DIFC to manage private family wealth and family structures anywhere in the world.

HE Dr. Omar Bin Sulaiman, Governor of the DIFC said: “In recent times, family offices have become highly significant on the global economic landscape. In the Middle East, where family-run businesses make up over 75 per cent of firms and have total assets in excess of US$1 trillion, the need for a specialised legal and regulatory framework is especially acute.”

“In contrast to conventional financial institutions, Single Family Offices (SFOs) have no direct public liability as all their shareholders are bloodline descendants of a common ancestor. As such, their regulatory requirements differ significantly. By establishing the new Regulations, DIFC is once again reaffirming its commitment to family businesses and the development of DIFC into a hub for local, regional and international family offices.”

The enactment of the Regulations follows a period of consultation where companies were invited to comment on the proposed Regulations. Having received highly positive feedback, the new Regulations will come into effect on 2 September 2008.

Central to the new Regulations are changes to the DIFC Single Family Offices (SFO) platform and consequential amendments to other DIFC and DFSA regulations such as the DFSA’s General Module and Glossary Module.

The Regulations offer distinct benefits to Single Family Offices (SFOs) as they exclude them from many of the regulatory constraints placed on conventional organisations located at DIFC. Read more…

- Richard

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Family Office Example

admin | Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008 | No Comments »

Family Office Example

Family Office Services – An Example

Family Office Example Family Office ExampleI just saw this recent article within the Washington Post and thought it was interesting and relevant to the focus on this site on family offices.
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It’s early on a spring morning and Peter Kirsch is busily overseeing the fast-moving life of AOL founder James V. Kimsey. Seemingly everything that touches the mogul finds its way to Kirsch’s desk in his ninth-floor penthouse office overlooking the White House, from philanthropy to investments, from politics to friendships to the management of the sprawling Kimsey household.

As chief of staff in the Office of James V. Kimsey, Kirsch is a quiet force on the local scene.

He arrives at the office at 7:30 a.m. to prepare for another day of controlled chaos. At 9 a.m., he gets his daily briefing. Office accounting manager Stephanie Weir reports nothing amiss in Kimsey’s balance of payments big and small, be it DirecTV or NetJets, Burning Tree Country Club or Nationals baseball tickets, American Express (Black Card) or a utility bill.

Next up is receptionist Brie Hytovitz, the first person to greet office visitors, whether they be Ted Turner or Ted Leonsis. When the Potomac Conservancy wants to have a fundraiser at the Kimsey estate, Hytovitz makes sure the tent company, caterer and parking valet are there. She has recently been putting the final touches on Kimsey’s next monthly “boys’ lunch” with friends, scheduled for Oceanair, a seafood restaurant in downtown D.C.

On it goes, as the meeting melts into the day. Pinning Kirsch down on the phone or in person takes effort. He jumps from one call to another, holding discussions with Hytovitz and a visitor at the same time, while an entrepreneur who needs cash cools his heels in the conference room. One minute Kirsch is on the phone with a big hedge fund manager, the next he is sweeping down the elevator to attend his son’s sporting event. Read more…

- Richard

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Private Banking and Wealth Management

admin | Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008 | No Comments »

Private Banking and Wealth Management

Private Banking and Wealth Management Trends

Private Banking and Wealth ManagementBelow is a short excerpt from a recent article I wrote for Investopedia on family offices, private banking and wealth management trends:
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Family offices are private wealth management advisory firms that serve ultra-high-net-worth clients. There are more than 3,500 family offices based in the United States. By offering a complete outsourced solution to managing finances and investments, including budgeting, insurance, charitable giving, family-owned business, and wealth transfer and tax services, these offices set themselves apart from traditional wealth management firms. Although they vary in their level of service, most typically invest heavily in consultants, databases and analytical tools that help them conduct due diligence on money managers or optimize a portfolio of investments for tax purposes.

In this article, we’ll review the top three trends affecting family offices, including the rapid growth of the family office industry, the types of family office services provided, and the increasingly sophisticated use of hedge funds and alternative investments by both single and multifamily offices.

Family Office Facts
There are two types of family offices: single-family offices (SFOs) and multifamily offices (MFOs). Single family offices serve one wealthy family, while multifamily offices operate more like traditional private wealth management practices with multiple clients. Multifamily offices are much more common because they can spread heavy investments in technology and consultants among several high-net-worth clients instead of a single individual or family.

Tackling the Trends
Prominent trends fueling the growth of family offices include:

  1. There is a growing number of high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth classes around the world. In most developed nations, the wealthy are accumulating assets more rapidly than the middle class. At the same time, many emerging economies are thriving, with annual growth rates of 4-8%. Many experts have noted that by 2015-2020, China’s upper class will be larger than America’s middle class. Growth in countries such as China, Brazil, India and Russia will ensure that the family office format of wealth management services continues to grow in popularity over the next five to seven years. (To learn more about emerging economies, see What Is An Emerging Market Economy? and Demographic Trends And The Implications For Investment.)
  2. Profitability is a growing challenge for family offices. As populations amass greater wealth, large wealth management firms are competing on a cost basis and moving a larger portion of their core services online. While the average person might appreciate saving hundreds or even thousands of dollars in fees each year, many affluent individuals would much rather spend $20,000 to $100,000 a year to ensure that experienced professionals are managing their investments and taxes to fit their specific financial goals and risk tolerances. Read more…

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Private Wealth Management

admin | Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008 | No Comments »

Private Wealth Management

Private Wealth Management Trends

Private Wealth ManagementBelow is a short excerpt from a recent article I wrote for Investopedia on family offices and private wealth management trends:
_______________________________

Family offices are private wealth management advisory firms that serve ultra-high-net-worth clients. There are more than 3,500 family offices based in the United States. By offering a complete outsourced solution to managing finances and investments, including budgeting, insurance, charitable giving, family-owned business, and wealth transfer and tax services, these offices set themselves apart from traditional wealth management firms. Although they vary in their level of service, most typically invest heavily in consultants, databases and analytical tools that help them conduct due diligence on money managers or optimize a portfolio of investments for tax purposes.

In this article, we’ll review the top three trends affecting family offices, including the rapid growth of the family office industry, the types of family office services provided, and the increasingly sophisticated use of hedge funds and alternative investments by both single and multifamily offices.

Family Office Facts
There are two types of family offices: single-family offices (SFOs) and multifamily offices (MFOs). Single family offices serve one wealthy family, while multifamily offices operate more like traditional private wealth management practices with multiple clients. Multifamily offices are much more common because they can spread heavy investments in technology and consultants among several high-net-worth clients instead of a single individual or family.

Tackling the Trends
Prominent trends fueling the growth of family offices include:

  1. There is a growing number of high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth classes around the world. In most developed nations, the wealthy are accumulating assets more rapidly than the middle class. At the same time, many emerging economies are thriving, with annual growth rates of 4-8%. Many experts have noted that by 2015-2020, China’s upper class will be larger than America’s middle class. Growth in countries such as China, Brazil, India and Russia will ensure that the family office format of wealth management services continues to grow in popularity over the next five to seven years. (To learn more about emerging economies, see What Is An Emerging Market Economy? and Demographic Trends And The Implications For Investment.)
  2. Profitability is a growing challenge for family offices. As populations amass greater wealth, large wealth management firms are competing on a cost basis and moving a larger portion of their core services online. While the average person might appreciate saving hundreds or even thousands of dollars in fees each year, many affluent individuals would much rather spend $20,000 to $100,000 a year to ensure that experienced professionals are managing their investments and taxes to fit their specific financial goals and risk tolerances. Read more…

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Active Account

admin | Friday, August 29th, 2008 | No Comments »

Active Account

Active Account Glossary Definition

An active account is a brokerage account that makes many transactions. Some brokerage firms charge a fee to accounts that are less active. This is a way for brokerage firms to make money on accounts that otherwise would not generate revenues.

Read dozens of additional articles like this within the guide to Hedge Fund Terms.

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Vallea Capital

admin | Friday, August 29th, 2008 | No Comments »

Vallea Capital

Vallea Capital – Hedge Fund Notes

Vallea CapitalThe following piece on Vallea Capital is being published as part of our daily effort to track hedge fund events in the industry. To review other hedge fund related announcements please see our Hedge Fund Tracker Tool.
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Management company Vallea Capital has launched the macro long/short Vallea Fund. The hedge fund aims to achieve consistent above average returns by exploiting long-term and short-term opportunities through investments in fixed income, foreign exchange and global stock indices.
The target is to raise $100 million in the first 12 months.

The fund is co-managed by Alessandro Palmarella and Pascal Monnerat of the fund advisory company BelleVue Conseils Sàrl. Together they have 45 years of industry experience and have traded this strategy together successfully for eight years.

The fund is confident it has the expertise and non-correlated investment style to deliver above average absolute returns with low volatility in all market environments. The fund is domiciled in the Cayman Islands. Minimum investment is €100,000, management fee set at 2%, and performance fee at 20% subject to a high water mark. The hedge fund was launched September 1, 2008. Read more…

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Emerging Markets Fund

admin | Friday, August 29th, 2008 | No Comments »

Emerging Markets Fund

Emerging Markets Fund – List

Below please see a list of Emerging Market Funds, thanks to Investment Seek:

  • Axiom Investment Management (Hong Kong) – emerging markets hedge fund focused on Asia.
  • Farallon Capital Management
  • Horseman Capital Management
  • Marathon Asset Management
  • Moon Capital Management
  • Moore Capital Management – Moore Emerging Markets
  • Sloane Robinson – SR Global Fund Emerging Markets, SR Vista Emerging Markets
  • Thames River Capital (United Kingdom)
  • Tudor Investment

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Iveagh Family Office Fund Launch

admin | Tuesday, August 26th, 2008 | No Comments »

Iveagh Family Office

Iveagh Fund Launched

Guinness Family Office Iveagh Family Office Fund LaunchThe family office created over 120 years ago to protect and grow the wealth of the Guinness family has launched a new fund. While many funds started by traditional wealth management firms are somewhat frowned upon in the industry or more heavily scrutinized I would think that if done right a family office fun could do very well. Family offices have unique needs – in having the right mixture of volatility, performance and reporting…and who best to understand those needs than another family office? Here is excerpt from the article:

Iveagh, the family office created 122 years ago to manage money for the Guinness family, has broadened the service it offers specifically to wealthy clients with the launch of a multi-asset fund targeting an annualized return of 9.5%.

The Iveagh Wealth fund is managed by the former senior vice president of Alliance Capital, John Ricciardi and Cambiz Alikhani, who joined Iveagh in September 2002 from Morgan Stanley to develop its fixed income proposition.

Extra input is provided by the Iveagh Investment Committee (IIC).
The fund combines valuation and behavioral analysis in a bid to achieve absolute returns over a market cycle.

It is a mirror of the Iveagh wealth management portfolio, which employs the optimization and asset allocation strategies Iveagh uses for its high net worth clients.

The optimized portfolio universe is drawn from alternatives (private equity, venture capital, hedge funds and structured products), real assets (precious metals, natural resources, global real estate), major market equities, emerging market equities, bonds and cash. Investments are almost entirely daily dealing quoted securities.

Meanwhile, the tactical asset allocation (TAA) strategy aims to increase the portfolio return and reduce downside risk by making tactical adjustments to holdings on a quarterly basis….

Read the full story here.

- Richard

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Family Wealth Management

admin | Sunday, August 24th, 2008 | No Comments »

Family Wealth Management

Private Wealth Management for HNW Families

Family Wealth Management, Family Wealth Managers, Family Offices Wealth Management, Family Wealth Management ServicesHere is a short excerpt from a Malaysian based-newspaper’s recent article on single and multi-family offices:

The multi-client family office in the United States is a multi-disciplinary wealth management firm that offers family office services for a number of clients. This is an option that offers the best of both worlds — services that are tailored to the needs of high net worth individuals while taking advantage of economies of scale and the opportunity to delegate to professionals.

A multi-client family office makes sense for many individuals and family groups who want a provider that is intimately familiar with the needs of the client and capable of delivering a comprehensive service menu for a competitive price.

Families and individuals sometimes decide not to set up their own family office because they do not want to be responsible for managing a financial services business. They prefer the continuity offered by an established institution which they can rely on to evaluate and manage the various financial service professionals.

There are many differences between the multi-client family office and the traditional single family office:

l The single family office normally services one family and the multi-client family office services multiple families. Families who use a multi-client family office find that they realize most of the advantages of a dedicated office without the overheads and responsibility of managing a newly-formed financial business.

Despite the fact that a multi-client family office services more than one family, each family client still enjoys the full benefits of a single family office. These include:

  • Integrated wealth management services under a boutique structure;
  • Access to a high level of client service from an experienced staff of professionals who serve a limited client base;
  • More direct family control over financial matters;
  • The satisfaction of affiliating with an organisation whose goals are aligned with those of their family;
  • Comprehensive assessment of financial goals;
  • Customised solutions / strategies for each household;
  • Proactive management of client affairs;
  • Ongoing education about the responsibilities of ownership;
  • Focus on the continuity of the family across generations and branches; and
  • The assurance of confidentiality in the management of financial and personal affairs.

Read the full article here

- Richard
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Financial Planning Software

admin | Monday, August 18th, 2008 | No Comments »

Financial Planning SoftwareThis category of the Financial Planner Service Provider Directory will be for those who are trying to find high quality Financial Planning Software. It will provide links to our online directory of Financial Planning Software providers.

If you produce high quality Financial Planning Software and would like to be added to this directory please email us and we can discuss how to list your firm on our website.

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Thailand ETF

admin | Wednesday, August 13th, 2008 | No Comments »

Thailand ETF

iShares MSCI Thailand Investable Market Index Fund (THD) and other Thailand Investment Options

Thailand ETFIn 2002 I visited Thailand for about 5 weeks. Most of the time that I spent in the country was in Bangkok, a city that is estimated to have about 15 Million people. It was quite an amazing city to visit. The people that I met in Thailand were so friendly and hospitable! It was an honor to be able to spend some time there amongst such great people.

In the last couple of months I have started to do a lot of research on Exchange Traded Funds and learned that there is a Thailand ETF that recently became available to investors (inception date of 03/26/2008.) Thailand doesn’t have endless trading vehicles for US investors to use for investing in Thailand, but there are some trading instruments. The iShares MSCI Investable Market Index fund (THD) is one of them. Two other options, (although not ETF funds) for US investors are the Thai Fund Inc. (NYSE: TTF) and the Thai Capital Fund Inc. (AMEX: TF.)

The iShares MSCI Thailand Investable Market Index Fund seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the MSCI Thailand Investable Market Index.

Top Holdings *(Monthly) as of 6/30/2008
12.18% PTT PCL-NVDR
11.01% PTT EXPLOR & PROD PCL-NVDR
10.00% BANGKOK BANK PUBLIC CO-NVDR
6.91% KASIKORNBANK PCL-NVDR
4.99% BANPU PUBLIC CO LTD-NVDR
4.35% ADVANCED INFO SERVICE-NVDR
4.12% SIAM CEMENT PCL-NVDR
3.73% SIAM COMMERCIAL BANK P-NVDR
3.59% BANK OF AYUDHYA PUBLIC-NVDR
3.04% THAI OIL PCL-NVDR

*Holdings are subject to change.


Top Sectors as of 6/30/2008
5.31% Consumer Discretionary
4.08% Consumer Staples
35.68% Energy
32.07% Financials
1.27% Health Care
3.91% Industrials
3.86% Information Technology
6.86% Materials
4.94% Telecommunication Services
1.96% Utilities

You may also review the iShares fund fact page for more information. If you would like more fund details you may find a prospectus on the iShares website.

If you would like to learn more about ETF Funds please see the following ETF Funds Overview. Another great resource is our list of single-country and commodity ETF Funds.

As always, please consult a licensed financial professional before making any investment decisions. Information within this blog is factual information only and is not a solicitation, promotion of any investment strategy, or form of financial advice in any way. The Financial Planner Alliance does not recommend any investment specifically. It intends to provide education on many financial planning and investment trends and options available to investors today.

-Chris

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Indonesia ETF

admin | Wednesday, August 13th, 2008 | No Comments »

Indonesia ETF: Coming Soon?

indonesia etf Indonesia ETFIt looks as if an Indonesia ETF does not yet exist. Although Indonesia has yet to get its own exchange traded fund (ETF), an alternative would be its closed-end fund (CEF) by the name of Indonesia Fund(IF).

According to Yahoo.com:

“Indonesia Fund, Inc. is a closed-ended equity mutual fund launched by Credit Suisse Asset Management, LLC. It is managed by Credit Suisse Asset Management Limited (Australia). The fund invests in the public equity markets of Indonesia. It makes its investments across diversified sectors. The fund primarily invests in equity securities issued by Indonesian companies across all market capitalizations. It employs a bottom-up stock selection process to create its portfolio, focusing on global and local political, economic, and industry trends. The fund benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the Morgan Stanley Capital International Indonesia Index. It was formed on March 9, 1990 and is domiciled in the United States.”

Chart for Indonesia Fund Inc. (IF)

We will have to see how the country recovers as it continues to move on from the devastating tsunami of December 2004 that effected every part of its economy.

According to the food and agriculture organization of the United Nations:

“… Economic losses from the earthquake and resultant tsunami were severe, particularly on the West Coast. Agriculture and small traders were seriously affected. Infrastructure to support economic activity (was) devastated and its repair is critical to any rehabiliation effort. Current estimates indicate that as many as 92,000 farms and small enterprises (were) partially or wholly destroyed. Prior to the disaster, these enterprises provided employment for approximately 160,000 people.”

If you would like to learn more about ETF Funds please see the following ETF Funds Overview.

As always, please consult a licensed financial professional before making any investment decisions. Information within this blog is factual information only and is not a solicitation, promotion of any investment strategy, or form of financial advice in any way. The Financial Planner Alliance does not recommend any investment specifically. It intends to provide education on many financial planning and investment trends and options available to investors today.

-Chris

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Tags: Indonesia ETFs, Indonesia ETF, Indonesia Closed-End Funds, Indonesia CEF,ETF Funds,ETFs,ETF

United States ETF

admin | Wednesday, August 13th, 2008 | No Comments »

United States ETF: IYY and VTI

United States ETFTwo options for US investors who would like to invest in the US Market via United States ETFs are the Dow Jones U.S. Index Fund (IYY) and the Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (VTI).

Here is a graph comparison of their performance over the last year. As you can see, their performance is nearly identical (as should be expected.)

Chart for iShares Dow Jones U.S. Index (IYY)

Like other single-country ETFs, these two funds are a perfect example of how an investor could invest in a large number of sectors of their target country by buying shares in one of these ETFs.

If you would like more fund information you may find a prospectus on the iShares website. Here are the fund fact pages for IYY and VTI provided by iShares and Vanguard, respectively.

If you would like to learn more about ETF Funds please see the following ETF Funds Overview. Another great resource is our list of single-country and commodity ETF Funds.

As always, please consult a licensed financial professional before making any investment decisions. Information within this blog is factual information only and is not a solicitation, promotion of any investment strategy, or form of financial advice in any way. The Financial Planner Alliance does not recommend any investment specifically. It intends to provide education on many financial planning and investment trends and options available to investors today.

-Chris

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Tags: United States ETF,ETFs,ETF,Dow Jones ETF, Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF

United Kingdom ETF

admin | Wednesday, August 13th, 2008 | No Comments »

United Kingdom ETF

iShares MSCI United Kingdom Index Fund (EWU)

United Kingdom ETFThe only United Kingdom ETF that I could find is the iShares MSCI United Kingdom Index Fund (EWU).

The iShares MSCI United Kingdom Index Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of publicly traded securities in the British market, as measured by the MSCI United Kingdom Index.

Here is a chart of the fund’s performance over the last year:

 United Kingdom ETF

Top Holdings *(Monthly) as of 6/30/2008
8.11% BP PLC
6.78% HSBC HOLDINGS PLC
5.84% VODAFONE GROUP PLC
5.41% ROYAL DUTCH SHELL PLC-A SHS
4.51% GLAXOSMITHKLINE PLC
4.40% RIO TINTO PLC
4.11% ROYAL DUTCH SHELL PLC-B SHS
3.42% ANGLO AMERICAN PLC
3.17% BG GROUP PLC
3.11% BHP BILLITON PLC

*Holdings are subject to change.


Top Sectors as of 6/30/2008
4.99% Consumer Discretionary
12.13% Consumer Staples
21.85% Energy
20.76% Financials
7.53% Health Care
4.58% Industrials
0.33% Information Technology
14.75% Materials
7.28% Telecommunication Services
4.69% Utilities

If you would like more fund information you may find a prospectus on the iShares website. The iShares MSCI United Kingdom Index Fund (EWU) fund fact page is also available here.

If you would like to learn more about ETF Funds please see the following ETF Funds Overview.

As always, please consult a licensed financial professional before making any investment decisions. Information within this blog is factual information only and is not a solicitation, promotion of any investment strategy, or form of financial advice in any way. The Financial Planner Alliance does not recommend any investment specifically. It intends to provide education on many financial planning and investment trends and options available to investors today.

-Chris

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Financial Advisor Marketing

admin | Wednesday, August 13th, 2008 | No Comments »

Financial Advisor Marketing

Financial Advisor Marketing Differences Q & A

Financial Advisor Marketing, Marketing to Financial AdvisorsToday I received this question from a New York based hedge fund marketer.

Question:When marketing to financial advisors for your hedge fund, what necessary steps do you need to take dealing with these guys? Is it any different that dealing with family offices?

Answer: Marketing to financial advisors is much different than marketing to single and multi-family offices. Here are the main differences between the two that I have noticed:

  • Family ffices have more established due diligence procedures, often involving consultants or internal analysts which do nothing but look at hedge funds or alternative investment products.
  • Financial advisors have lower minimum asset levels for what they will consider investing. 90% of family offices only seriously consider investing in hedge funds with at least $75M-$100M, and many require $250-$300M or even $1B in assets under management.
  • Family offices are more tight lipped. It will take more effort to develop a relationship, meet in person and get clear feedback on why or why a hedge fund is a good fit for what they are looking for.
  • Family offices are harder to identify in the first place. Financial advisors are easier to find, there are more of them and they advertise more openly. Some family offices advertise but many stay below the radar and some purposefully don’t even have a website.
  • While family offices service to high net worth investors almost exclusively many financial advisors work with a broad spectrum of client types – this might require more caution by them and your fund in marketing products to them. It might also mean sorting through more financial advisors to find one with several HNW clients.
  • In my experience financial advisors seem much more sensitive and motivated by how they will earn a commission or income from the transaction whereas many family offices charge rich enough fees that this is less of an issue.
  • While some financial advisors may take 16-24 months to really get “on board” with a relevant hedge fund manager, understand your investment process and possibly invest most will come to terms a bit before then. Family offices on the other hand often take 18-24 months just to complete their due diligence and committee meetings, it is a very long sales process.
  • Both family offices and financial advisors require genuine relationship-building efforts and tenacity
  • From a legal standpoint there may be other precautions your fund should take but I am not a legal expert so I can’t provide any guidance within that space.

I recently published a blog post which provided more tips on marketing hedge funds to financial advisors here: Marketing Hedge Funds to Financial Advisors and I have 30 additional articles within the Hedge Fund Marketing Guide section of my blog.

Finally, I run small websites on both third party marketing and family offices which may be of use.

- Richard

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1. Marketing Hedge Funds to Financial Advisors
2. Hedge Fund Public Relations
3. Marketing to Institutional Investors
4. Hedge Fund Jobs
5. Hedge Fund Managers
6. Sales Motivation
7. Hedge Fund Seed Capital
8. Financial Public Relations
9. Third Party Marketing
10. Investment Sales Jobs

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Tags: Financial Advisor Marketing, Marketing to Financial Advisors, Marketing to Family Offices, Multi-Family Office Marketing, Financial Advisor Marketing Plan, Financial Advisor Marketing Ideas, Financial Advisor Marketing Strategies, Financial Advisor Marketing Systems, Marketing for Financial Advisors

Chile ETF

admin | Tuesday, August 12th, 2008 | No Comments »

Chile ETF

International ETF: A focus on Chile

chile flag Chile ETFOne country that has been added in the last couple of years to the selection of International, single-country ETF Funds, has been Chile. The iShares MSCI Chile Investable Market Index Fund seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the MSCI Chile Investable Market Index.

The iShares MSCI Chile Investable Market Index Fund was listed as having the following holdings as of 07/31/2008:

27.37% Utilities
23.93% Materials
17.99% Industrials
10.83% Consumer Staples
9.31% Financials
4.57% Telecommunication Services
4.50% Consumer Discretionary
0.72% Information Technology
0.67% Health Care
0.17% S-T Securities

If you would like to learn more about ETF Funds please see the following ETF Funds Overview.

As always, please consult a licensed financial professional before making any investment decisions. Information within this blog is factual information only and is not a solicitation, promotion of any investment strategy, or form of financial advice in any way. The Financial Planner Alliance does not recommend any investment specifically. It intends to provide education on many financial planning and investment trends and options available to investors today.

-Chris

Permanent Link: Chile ETF

Tags:Chile ETF,International ETF,ETF Funds,ETF Fund,Exchange Traded Funds,Exchange Traded Fund,ETFs

US Family Offices

admin | Tuesday, August 12th, 2008 | No Comments »

Family Offices in America

American Family Offices

The following is a list of family offices in the United States which have elected to be included within this service provider directory. Please feel free to reach out to the firms below to inquiry about their family office wealth management services.

To get a list or database of family offices please complete our form here: Family Office Databases

Family Office #1: If you would like to add your family office to this list of American family offices please send an email to Richard@HedgeFundGroup.org

If you would like to add your family office to this list of family offices in the US please send an email to Richard@HedgeFundGroup.org

Articles Related to Family Offices in America

  1. Investing Book
  2. Family Office Services
  3. Family Owned Businesses
  4. Family Office Jobs
  5. Family Office Consultants

Tags: Family Office US, Family Offices US, Family Offices America, Family Offices in the US, Family Offices in America, American Family Offices, Family Offices in the United states, Multi-Family Offices in the US

Family Office Database | Databases of Family Offices

admin | Tuesday, August 12th, 2008 | No Comments »

Family Office Database

Family Offices Database Directory Family Office Database | Databases of Family Offices
The Family Offices Database is a 700 contact deep Excel-based database of family office wealth managemetn firms which manage over $150B in Assets Under Management (AUM). Please complete the form below and the Managing Director of the Family Offices Group will be in touch shortly.


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Tags: Family Office Database,Family Office Databases,Family Offices Database, Database of Family Offices, Directory of Family Offices, Family Office Directory, Multi-Family Office Database

Investment Consultants | Consulting Firms

admin | Tuesday, August 12th, 2008 | No Comments »

Investment Consultants

Below is where the future listing of investment consultants will be listed who serve the family office industry. If you would like to have your firm listed below please email us at Richard@HedgeFunGroup.org.

Investment Consulting Firms Firm 3 Investment Consultants | Consulting FirmsAtrato Advisors LLC is a boutique consultancy specializing in hedge fund research and portfolio management advisory services for institutional and high net worth clients. Atrato leverages its diverse investment research pedigree, deep experience across the entire range of strategies and sectors, and strong international investing background to create highly a structured approach to its advisory mandates. Atrato places a heavy emphasis on thorough due diligence and risk management in creating highly customer-specific alternative investment programs. For more information visit http://www.atratoadvisors.com or contact Brian Reich at 212-582-2200 or breich@atratoadvisors.com.

Tags: Investment Consultant, Investment Consultants, Investment Consulting, Investment Consultancy, Investment Management Consultants, Investment Management Consulting

Family Office Conference

admin | Tuesday, August 12th, 2008 | No Comments »

Family Office Conference


List of Family Office Conferences

Below is where future family office conference events will be announced. If you are in charge of marketing a family office and would like to have yours listed below please email us at Richard@HedgeFundGroup.org. If you are interested in attending a conference please email me as well and I can connect you to a few options.


Banner468x60%282%29 Family Office Conference

Emerging Managers Conference Family Office Conference

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Tags: Family Office Conference, Family Office Conferences, Conferences for Family Offices, Family Office Wealth Conference, Annual Family Office Wealth Conference, Family Office Conference Chicago

Family Offices Europe

admin | Monday, August 11th, 2008 | No Comments »

Family Offices Europe

European Family Offices

The following is a list of family offices which have elected to be included within this service provider directory. Please feel free to reach out to the firms below to inquiry about their family office wealth management services.

To get a list or database of family offices please complete our form here: Family Office Databases

Family Office #1: If you would like to add your family office to this list of European family offices please send an email to Richard@HedgeFundGroup.org

If you would like to add your family office to this list of European family offices please send an email to Richard@HedgeFundGroup.org

Articles Related to Family Offices in Europe

  1. Investing Book
  2. Family Office Services
  3. Family Owned Businesses
  4. Family Office Jobs
  5. Family Office Consultants

Permanent Link: Family Office Europe
Tags: Family Office Europe, Family Offices in Europe, European Family Offices, Multi-Family Offices in Europe, List of European Family Offices, UK Family Offices

Family Office Links

admin | Sunday, August 10th, 2008 | No Comments »

Family Office Links

Family Office Resource List

Family Office ResourcesI just found this great article providing dozens of links out to other family office resources. The resources include articles, associations, family office services descriptions, PowerPoint presentations and research papers. To view this article please click here. If you have additional resources that you would like to see linked to within this blog on family offices please email me.

Permanent Link: Family Office Links
Tags: Family Office, Family Office Resources, Family Office Websites, Family Office Links

Philanthropic Giving

admin | Sunday, August 10th, 2008 | No Comments »

Philanthropic Giving

Philanthropic Giving Trend Video

Philanthropic GivingHere is a short video on philanthropic giving. While it strays a bit from the core topic of philanthropy there isn’t much online about ultra-high net worth management or charitable/philanthopic giving by these individuals.

The main point of this video is that the popularity of giving is on the rise and gifts directed through private banking departments and family offices will continue to rise over the next 5-7 years.

Permanent Link: Philanthropic Giving
Tags: Philanthropic Giving, Philanthropy Giving, Giving, Donations, Donating to Non-Profits, Philanthropic Donations

Multi-Family Office Services

admin | Sunday, August 10th, 2008 | No Comments »

Multi-Family Office Services

What Services do Multi-Family Offices Provide?

family office servicesMulti-Family Offices are exclusive wealth management firms that usually only accept clients with at least $10-$25M of investible securities. They typically have less total clients but spend more time with each client often assisting with tax, estate planning, charitable giving, foundation, and even budget issues in addition to traditional wealth management services. The costs are typically a little higher than a traditional wealth management office but you get more personal comprehensive service and usually a more sophisticated view of portfolio construction with access to alternative investments.

Family office professionals will take the time to ensure your separately managed acocunt investments and Hedge Funds are balanced and in line with your 401k or IRA investments. Their employees are often experienced and sophisticated enough to understand unified managed accounts (umas), and will be able to explain them to clientele so they may be employed where appropriate. While many family offices use hedge fund of funds, family office professionals will often find an individual hedge fund manager that fits you best if they do not already have one that they work with, and ultimately they are known for working harder to make you happy because they only work with a smaller group of core clients. Many high net worth individuals belong to health groups where doctors will take the time to set down with you for a couple hours each quarter or year and talk about your health and habits. This type of highly personal attention is equivalent to what you get in a financial sense at the best family offices.

- Chris

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Tags:Multi-Family Offices, Family Offices, Multi Family Offices, family office services, high net worth multi-family offices, high net worth wealth management


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