Asset Management Services

Asset Gathering

Through its own network and the Global Fund Advisors Network, ("GFAN"), Canonbury raises institutional funds for both traditional and non-traditional managers. Canonbury established GFAN in 2001 in partnership with International Research Associates. GFAN is now one of the largest independent hedge fund distribution networks in the world with representation in the US, Europe, Japan and Australasia.

Fund Search

In response to the demand for non-correlated, low volatility investment strategies, Canonbury draws upon it years of experience with managers to identify those known to the firm that fit this profile. Funds-of-funds and institutional portfolios utilize Canonbury and GFANs manager network to find managers that fit a specific need they have identified. We identify appropriate funds through our network rather than through the commercially available databases. We have found this approach far superior for a number of reasons:

• Many databases are heavily weighted by geographical coverage. This means that some great fund managers are left out simply because they are domiciled in the wrong place.
• Many managers do not provide data to database managers.
• Knowing the manager is particularly important in the alternative asset management arena. Canonbury spends a great deal of time developing meaningful relationships with selected managers.

Business Development/Consulting

We know that the test of any new product or business activity is its consistent ability to be able to make money and contribute and fit in with the other business units of the firm. Not only is the look and feel but product integrity is essential for long term viability. This is a function of the business strategy, operations, system, asset gathering, ongoing customer service, service provider selection and marketing materials. Canonbury works with financial institutions in the following ways:

• Assists in the development of the business plan or a review of an existing strategy that is to be implemented.
• Market (business opportunity) research.
• Assists in the development of marketing materials.
• Staff training for sales and customer service staff.

We believe that there are a number of problems that typically plague the asset management business:

• As funds under management grow, managers tend to become highly dependent on a committee-based decision-making process. Spontaneity and creativity often give way to the politics of large groups and opinions tend to regress to the conventional norm;
  
  
• Attention is often focused on relative performance rather than wealth creation. This behavior is justified in terms of "controlling" the fund manager's business risk; with the idea that so long as performance is in line with the peer group, clients will be retained. (This of course, leads to homogenous products being offered and can leave such firms bereft of differentiation either by product or performance);
  
  
• Diverging agendas of different interest groups within large organizations tend to result in the emphasis shifting to funds gathering, often to the detriment of investment returns. These developments raise problems of :
  
  
  • retaining key staff
  • keeping staff enthusiastic and energetic
  • rewarding staff appropriately

Our approach to business development consulting service goes a long way towards solving these problems.