Investing your company’s cash portfolio

How should firms invest the cash they generate within their businesses? Over the years, we have seen varying approaches – some highly sophisticated and forward thinking, and others less so. This briefing aims to capture key considerations that entrepreneurs should be aware of to ensure that effective cash management supports the business’s longer-term goals.

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies – assessing a controversial asset class

Cryptocurrencies have seen a remarkable rise over the past decade. They’ve moved from the fringes of the investment world, to being a real emerging asset class. The trustworthiness of traditional assets, and even currencies, have been called into question. Cryptocurrencies are said to provide a solution to these threats – but do they succeed? Should you have them in your portfolio? And, what are the risks?

How can your family wealth survive through generations?

Seneca, the Roman stoic philosopher, observed: “For many men, the acquisition of wealth does not end their troubles, it only changes them.”

Over the years, we’ve observed this to be true. For many, stewardship of hard-earned wealth across generations has been challenging. Everything from reckless spending, to ill-thought through investment strategies, to relationship breakdown can dramatically destroy family wealth.

There have been examples, through history, of dynastic families who have been amongst the wealthiest in a nation, who have largely lost everything. The Vanderbilt family built the US railroads and amassed a huge fortune, but through excessive consumption and gambling were far from wealthy, just four generations later. For the Huntington Hartford family, who created America’s first grocery chain – now referred to as “Walmart before Walmart” – it was a series of failed business transactions. For the Pulitzer family – famous for the Pulitzer Prize – it was the concentration of their wealth in an 800-acre citrus farm in Florida, that was then ruined by disease.

In this briefing, we explore strategies that can support your family in continuing to prosper over future generations.

Turkey’s new mansion tax – the implications for the market

Turkey’s new mansion tax for properties above TRY 5m has been
widely anticipated by the market, following its delayed
implementation. We were interested in analysing its likely impact on
transaction volumes and prices, especially in light of the very brisk
increase in house prices within the villa and detached houses segment
since the outbreak of COVID-19 in March 2020. We survey a number of leading real estate agents on their expectations.

Wealth Management Insights: When things go wrong – unsuitable advice, complaints and disputes

When it comes to working with a bank or investment advisor, occasionally things can go wrong – an investment may fall in value unexpectantly, a severe currency movement may have undue impact, or you might find yourself with a margin call on a loan or derivative position. Of course, if you were aware of the risks involved in a transaction, this will come as no surprise. But what should you do, if you feel that not everything was transparent? Recent years has seen
high profile litigation against major banks. From the UK newspaper
proprietor, Richard Desmond’s GBP50m claim against Credit Suisse for
structured product mis-selling to a GBP1.3bn claim against HSBC in
relation to film partnerships, plus many more.

Who can you really trust?

Wealth undoubtedly brings the benefits of advantage, influence and choice. But, at the same time, there may be those that come close to you that attempt to exploit it. These might be business associates, advisors, bankers and even family or friends. We share some tools to help you identify who might have your interests at heart, and those who may have less pure motives. We ask – who can you really trust?

Wealth Management Insights: Negotiating your fees

We are sure there have been times when you’ve heard a recommendation from an advisor and wondered what was really driving it? We reveal some of the true motivators for your wealth management firm or private bank. The things that clients sometimes don’t know, but we think you should. In the first of a series called Wealth Management Insights, we look at the important topic of fees. Naturally, everyone needs to earn a living and wants to be paid fairly for their efforts. But you should know what you are paying, and why? Unfortunately, advisors are not always good at providing complete transparency. 

London real estate: Good time to buy?

Property investment in UK’s capital have lost some of their shine over the past few years as prices fell markedly following a long period of strong returns. The Covid-19 outbreak in the second quarter of 2020 has further stifled investor sentiment, with high levels of uncertainty about the economy becoming the new normal.

Philanthropy: The delights and dangers

We’ve seen first-hand the impact that philanthropy can have. We’ve observed wealthy families transform the lives of others, often in novel and audacious ways. Whether it has been through direct support for those in poverty – at times, literally feeding the hungry, funding educational scholarships for the intellectually rich but financially disadvantaged, supporting the economy at large by investing time and energy in young entrepreneurs, or advancing aspects of medical research for the good of all. It has been a privilege to see family wealth used so powerfully. In addition, philanthropy has often been used as a vehicle for the next generation to get involved early in the stewardship of family resources – again, with great positive effect.