Introduction to Investment Management.

Our Investment Management Service aims to provide you with your desired investment objective, such as a combination of income and capital growth, by creating a portfolio of investment funds and other financial products. Our recommendations are based on a range of model portfolios that we have developed using research capabilities. These models are intended to be a guide to the most appropriate portfolio, based on investment objective and attitude to investment risk. Actual investment recommendations will take other factors into account, and are specific to your individual requirements. The models allow portfolios to be created and then reviewed within the framework of the appropriate model.

Our investment management service may include the following steps:

• Assessment - Our investment process starts with assessing your individual requirements. We assess your objectives both in the short term and the long term, in order to better understand the investment products and funds that might be appropriate. We then carry out an assessment of your attitude to investment risk. The degree of risk that you are prepared to accept is of course of great importance. There is a trade off between the level of risk that is acceptable and the expected investment return.


• Asset Allocation - The second stage in the process is to suggest the appropriate asset allocation for your individual requirements. The suggested asset allocation may include cash deposits, fixed interest investments, stock market investments and property. We will take into account any specific requirements that you may have, and also any existing investments. No asset class can be expected to deliver the best returns over all time periods. Our recommendations include exposure to multiple asset classes in order to spread the risk associated with investing in any particular sector.


• Investment Selection - We will then recommend individual investment funds and products that we believe will fulfil your requirements. We spend a substantial amount of time researching the managed fund universe partly by quantitative methods such as data based research, and partly by qualitative methods, such as meetings with individual fund managers. Initial advice is provided by means of a written report, suggesting specific investments and providing supporting documentation for the recommendations.


• Implementation & Review - We will then arrange the establishment of an investment portfolio having received your agreement as to the initial make up of the portfolio. We will then monitor the portfolio, and provide a statement and review on a periodic basis. The review will normally provide suggestions for any changes that are deemed appropriate. We will action any such changes following receipt of confirmation from you.

All our advice and recommendations are based upon your long term goals, and decisions are not made for short term benefits only. We will always take into account your objective and your requirements, and managing your portfolio in order to maintain the appropriate level of risk is very much at the heart of our investment process. For this reason, all recommendations are made on an individual client basis.