FE Investments

Rob Gleeson, chief investment officer at FE Investments

What have you done to improve service over the past 12 months?

Over the past 12 months FE Investments increased the portfolio ranges it provides to five; they are targeted at IFA's client segments to meet the retail client’s needs and requirements. The income portfolio range has five portfolios that split the risk between income and growth, while the other new solution combines a decumulation tool with specific retirement portfolios. We have also hired a head of ESG for FE Investments and we now include responsible and impact investment across all of our portfolio ranges, along with a specific responsibly managed portfolio range.

What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?

Data, communication and software have been significant challenges for both retirement and responsible investment portfolio ranges. With high volumes of data for ESG data it requires significant investment to manage the data to be able to use it for investment analysis and to thread a meaningful narrative and report to the retail investor. In retirement, capacity for loss is the most important risk for an investor; it is abstract and can be difficult to articulate. In both cases our heritage and expertise in data and software have allowed us to design or use software and data to overcome these problems, drive value for the IFA, and also the retail client through a DFM solution.

What kind of investment does good service need?

Good service needs investment in people, technology and product. During 2021 we invested in some additional expertise within the FE Investments team, including a retirement specialist, a head of ESG and expansion in the client and commercial team to deliver expertise to advisers. With an expanded set of five ranges of portfolios, investment into our technology and data, we will combine the teams expertise to provide market-leading client service.

What do you plan to do for 2021-22?

2022 will see us work closely with our new and existing clients to maximise the benefits from our range of portfolio solutions. Prod regulation has changed the requirements for IFAs and there is heavy emphasis to ensure suitable solutions and aligned to defined segments of the IFAs book of business. Over the coming months we will help advisers understand the application of portfolios, service existing clients and to expand into new clients, and to drive upward the profitability of their organisation.

What does good service mean to you?

We work alongside the IFA and form a strategic partnership rather than deliver a ‘transactional’ service. It starts with some simple questions but naturally grows into something more complex: how can we help, what do you value and what problems can we overcome? Our partnership delivers many benefits, but there are some that can make the difference – clear communication, empathy with the retail client and IFA, and the management of expectations can make a meaningful impact to an adviser’s practice.