Who We Are
IFS provides wealth management services to a broad range of business and private clients.
We are first and foremost investment advisers, specialising in the management of be-spoke investment portfolios, with tax mitigation and risk-management central to our thinking.
We employ only the most highly qualified advisers, and we adopt a team approach in order to ensure that their expertise is available to all clients.
90% of our revenue comes from recurring fees paid by existing clients, and it is this that sets IFS apart; a strong income stream allows us to provide a high-quality service to existing clients, without the need to chase new business.
Looking at the Big Picture
Many investors focus on the details to the exclusion of the larger changes taking place in the global economy.
At IFS we are macro in orientation — we examine broad trends on a global basis. This means that our advantage comes from considering the fundamentals that drive financial markets - we look for the “wood from the trees”.
Considering the big picture ensures greater consistency in our approach, and a singular investment philosophy permeates everything that we do.
Active Reviews of Client Investments
Our understanding of risk management pervades our business, and it dictates the need to “actively advise” our clients dependant on market conditions, throughout the business cycle.
When designing portfolios we set clear longer-term objectives, we then actively monitor the markets to ensure that we remain on track, and through ongoing dialogue with clients, we seek to help them minimise downside risk in the short-term, by advising on changes to their portfolios as market conditions dictate.
This requires the fortitude to stand alone, to resist the pull of the investment fad and trend.
Investment opportunities and investment risk also shift quickly. We invest heavily in our back-office technology to ensure that we remain flexible and agile in our response.
Important note: It should be stressed that we are not "discretionary" fund managers. We will not make changes to a client's portfolio, without first offering our advice regarding any proposed changes, and then obtaining the client's agreement.
Tailoring a Solution that is Individual to the Client
With a clear understanding of macro economics, and of the interactions between markets and asset classes, we have the building blocks.
From here we have designed a series of “strategic” portfolios, which enable us to move up and down the risk/return spectrum – this gives us a starting point in the construction of each client’s specific investment portfolio.
We then research and monitor the markets on a continuous basis, which guides our thinking when recommending “tactical”, or “short-term” alterations to the usual mix of assets.
We thus become “active” – - helping clients to adapt their investments as market conditions dictate – here we engage in ongoing dialogue with clients so that they are fully involved in the process.