Our Investment Styles
“In a rapidly changing business environment, the winners will be those that anticipate trends and take advantage”Willis Towers Watson
One of the investment managers we use, was initially founded to oversee the investments of our founder’s single-family office, ensuring optimal management. Due to its notable success, we take pride in extending the opportunity for other families to invest alongside them.
Our clients often express that this shared alignment of goals is a key aspect they appreciate when partnering with Featherstone.
A Multi-Manager Approach
The original family specialises in ‘fund of fund’ or‘multi-manager’ portfolios. A flexible approach that offers higher growth opportunities. The managers allocate capital actively across geographies, asset classes, and themes, a practice that we believe can drive superior returns.
Their focus is on identifying the investment ‘megatrends’ of the future. The team searches globally for small, specialist fund managers who invest in these themes. These are typically found in smaller, less well-known, and harder-to-access funds, putting them out of the reach of most large wealth management companies.
This approach allows us to utilise a network of investment specialists who provide genuine sector insight and expertise.
Thematic Investing - What is it?
Broadly speaking, thematic investing is an investment strategy that aims to identify and profit from long-term structural trends that are shaping the world.
Ultimately, the approach aims to capitalise on changes that are occurring within our world and to generate powerful investment returns from long-term growth stories. Because thematic investing focuses on future change and big-picture ideas, the strategy offers a different approach to investment management.
Our investment team is an industry leader in creating multi-manager funds. They follow a thematic investment approach, identifying ‘mega’trends’ of the future such as AI and healthcare and selecting the best practitioners globally who are specialists in those themes.
Investments are made by successful, proven managers who have conviction.
Our focus on thematic investing avoids the conventional industry template that typically uses asset class and geography-based allocation, in favour of global themes with higher growth opportunities irrespective of geography and asset class.
Why use this method?
Capital Growth
Naturally, as a strategy that aims to profit from the success stories of tomorrow, thematic investing offers investors the potential for long-term capital growth. When executed properly, investors can profit from disruptive technology, changing consumer behaviour patterns, and long-term demographic shifts.
Optimal Diversification
By deploying capital to several leading fund managers with differing views and varying risk appetites, we aim to drive superior performance for our clients.
Many investment managers are focused on a ‘company view’,” meaning that their portfolios are biassed and contain single-manager risk. Our portfolios are designed to be diversified, making our service a “one-stop shop” with no one influencing driving performance.
Long-term Focus
The long-term nature of thematic investing is also beneficial, as it can help investors ignore short-term market movements and stick to their trusted investment strategies.
The Multi-Manager 4 Step Process
Identify
The investment team researches, interviews, and carries out due diligence on leading fund managers from around the world. For a fund manager to be considered for our multi-manager funds, they will typically need to:
- Invest in the fund themselves.
- Complement themes and asset allocation.
- Display historically superior risk-adjusted returns.
- Demonstrate high conviction.
- Be index/benchmark agnostic.
- Display no undue volatility.
Invest
Our investment management team work with a diversified portfolio of funds that reflect their asset allocation. The internal fund research selects funds across the globe that are benchmark agnostic.
Monitor
Our investment management team carries out ongoing due diligence, holding regular meetings and dialogues with the fund managers. They ensure that portfolio holdings remain consistent with our investment objectives, macroeconomic view, and current investment themes. They closely monitor the risk and diversification of the portfolio and employ external consultants to verify this.
Exit
Deciding when to exit a position is just as important as deciding when to enter. While various red flags exist, poor performance is not necessarily a sell criterion, and could instead be a symptom of:
- A change in asset allocation or theme.
- The large size of a fund restricts its ability to perform.
- A change of investment manager.
- A change of style without warning.
- Increased volatility relative to peers.
To Learn More about the ‘thematic’ investment management approach, check below to watch a short animation or read our in-depth guide.
“They are a unique firm, I like the fact that they invest alongside their clients and that they have all worked for large companies in London but prefer a more friendly approach in beautiful West Berkshire countryside.”
Google Review
“I am so pleased I came across Featherstone. They are so refreshing in comparison to other advisors I have spoken to. They are very professional and have put an excellent financial plan in place for me and my family. I am really enjoying working with them.”
Google Review
“Alex May and his team deliver a first-class service that help me and my family navigate various investment and financial-planning matters. I highly recommend Featherstone Partners to anyone seeking top-tier advice in this sphere.”
Google Review
“In an era when many firms try to claim the title “boutique” or “family office”, Featherstone is genuinely both.”
Spear’s Magazine
“Working with the Featherstone team has been a fantastic experience. The team and staff here truly go above and beyond to make sure their clients feel valued and supported.”
One of Our Clients
“Their CVs were impressive, all having worked for large firms in London and seem to have more about them than the local people I had spoken to before in Hampshire/Berkshire.”
Google Review
“What’s refreshing about this business is that they seem to be taking a new approach to private wealth management – prepared to spend the time and focus on customer service irrespective of the size of your estate, in order to to win trust.”
Google Review
“Refreshingly current in approach and forward thinking in their advice. I was very impressed with the Featherstone team for providing such a high quality and personal service.”
Google Review
“I have been with Featherstone for the past four years and couldn’t be happier. Good advice given from a very knowledgeable and approachable team.”
One of our Clients
“We are featured in the upcoming Spear’s Wealth Managers Index 2024 as a Recommended HNW Wealth Manager”
Spears 500