‘Client experience important competitive battleground’

Client experience is becoming a more important competitive battleground in asset management, particularly for wealth managers who face pressure to meet the needs of younger, digital native investors. Nearly 40% of asset managers in the survey said that the client experience was a key point of differentiation versus their competitors, up from just 7% a year earlier, according to a study released this week.

GP Bullhound sees 2023 as ‘great vintage’ for tech

A stellar performance of a small number of listed tech companies is largely responsible for the recent recovery in public stock markets. For Ben Prade, partner at international tech investor GP Bullhound, it remains to be seen whether this can serve as a full market revival. Nevertheless, he is upbeat about the prospects for private tech investments, saying 2023 can become “one of those really great vintages”.

"Le portefeuille multi-actifs non contraint est la voie à suivre"

J. Safra Sarasin Asset Management, qui opère depuis peu dans le Benelux, attache une grande importance à la gestion multi-actifs sans contrainte dans toutes les classes d’actifs. La combinaison d’une gestion systématique/quantitative et d’une gestion humaine peut également apporter une valeur ajoutée.

UK-EU MoU could end mutual lack of trust, rebuild bridges

A Memorandum of Understanding on financial services agreed between the EU and the UK, published on 19 May, could elevate the tone of the discussions and lead to a more productive relationship. “It’s a very encouraging confirmation that the relations between the EU and the UK are warming up,” said Nicolas Mackel, the CEO of Luxembourg for Finance, the public-private Luxembourg agency for the development of the financial sector.

Raif registrations down 20% for year to date vs 2022

Fund management companies registered some 22 new reserved alternative investment funds (Raifs) in April 2023, according to publicly-released data updated on 15 May.

This development brings the total for this year so far to 128. Considering only the first four months of the year, the total number was down 20 per cent from last year during the same period.

Luxembourg now has some 2,288 registered Raifs. In 2022, The Luxembourg Business Registers recorded 482 new Raifs, at an average of over 40 new Raif registrations every month.

US anti-ESG policy seen as reason to underweight the region

While those European investors still in doubt about the importance of ESG are becoming increasingly bogged down in a rearguard action, U.S. states are increasingly passing anti-ESG laws. “If this becomes federal policy, I would underweight the U.S. in the portfolio,” said Gaya Herrington,  a sustainability researcher and advisor to the Club of Rome.