Wealth
Indosuez and Comgest Shift Focus Toward Emerging Markets
Emerging markets are outpacing developed counterparts, drawing a bullish consensus from Paris-based wealth managers. While Indosuez Wealth Management and Comgest both signal optimism for the sector, their specific strategies reveal a sharp divide regarding key semiconductor plays and the role of active exchange-traded funds in modern portfolios.
Lazard’s Quant View: Why AI Requires Human Skepticism
For quantitative investors, artificial intelligence acts as a double-edged sword, offering unprecedented speed in testing hypotheses while introducing significant risks of data hallucination. Kurt Livermore, a portfolio manager at Lazard Asset Management, warns that the industry must distinguish between genuine structural insights and patterns that exist only in noise.
Family Offices Pivot to Distressed Assets and UK Markets
Family offices are retreating from unproven talent to embrace the volatility of distressed assets and the predictability of the UK market. Data from the investment network AYU reveals a sharp decline in support for first-time fund managers, signaling a broader preference for established security over speculative growth in uncertain economic climates.
Swiss Regulator Clears Path for QR-Based Digital Onboarding
Starting November 1, Swiss financial institutions will transition to more streamlined client onboarding procedures. The Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority has updated its guidelines to permit the use of QR-coded documents, such as modern driving licenses, as valid verification tools for digital identification under federal anti-money laundering statutes.
Global Wealth Management Sees Wave of Executive Appointments
The global wealth management industry experienced a significant reshuffling of senior leadership throughout July 2026, with major institutions across Europe, Asia-Pacific, and North America executing strategic personnel moves to bolster private banking, investment management, and legal advisory capabilities.
Vanguard, T Rowe Price and Jupiter Expand European Investment Range
European investors face a wider array of choice this month as major asset managers roll out new fixed-income and active equity vehicles. Vanguard, T Rowe Price, and Jupiter Asset Management are targeting both retail and institutional demand for diversified, low-cost exposure and active, research-led portfolio strategies across regional markets.
Barclays Targets Global Growth Through Strategic Booking Hubs
Annabelle Bryde, head of Barclays’ international private bank, is steering a strategy centered on regional expansion and the return of a booking centre to Singapore. Tasked with navigating volatile markets, Bryde emphasizes that while digital tools advance, high-net-worth clients increasingly prioritize personalized, in-person advisory services during periods of geopolitical flux.
BNP Paribas Wealth Management Shifts to Overweight on Global Equities
Edmund Shing, chief investment officer at BNP Paribas Wealth Management, is pivoting toward a more aggressive stance on global equities. By shifting to an overweight position on US markets and emerging economies, the firm is betting heavily on the resilience of the technology sector and the global energy transition.
Bentley Reid COO on AI: Practical Gains Over Theoretical Hype
For boutique wealth managers, the path to artificial intelligence success is paved with boring administrative tasks rather than high-stakes investment algorithms. Kevin Andrews, chief operating officer at Bentley Reid, argues that the technology’s true value lies in liberating staff from repetitive documentation to focus on face-to-face client relationships.
Barclays Private Bank Targets Global Growth Through Regional Expansion
As geopolitical instability and market volatility persist, Barclays is leaning into its international footprint to capture wealth management demand. Annabelle Bryde, head of the international private bank, is spearheading a strategy centered on regional booking centers and deep, in-person advisory relationships to navigate an increasingly complex global landscape.
The Hidden Tax Cost of Returning to the UK
For expatriates eyeing a move back to Britain, the calendar is as critical as any financial portfolio. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s recent return highlights a complex tax trap: failing to remain abroad for a sufficient window can trigger the recapture of gains realized during their time away.
Kenya Overhauls Trust Regulations with 2026 Act
Kenya has enacted the Trust Administration Act, 2026, fundamentally restructuring the legal oversight of trusts, employee share ownership plans, and fiduciary entities. The legislation, which came into effect on September 25, mandates that all existing trusts align with the new framework within a strict 24-month window.
WealthBriefing Unveils Acclaim Series for 2026 Marketing Winners
Forty-nine pages of strategy and achievement define the latest iteration of the Acclaim series, a comprehensive guide showcasing the victors of the WealthBriefing Innovation in Marketing Awards 2026. This publication serves as a formal stage for winning firms and individuals to articulate their professional methodologies and recent industry breakthroughs.
L&G and Caledonia Investments Shake Up Leadership Ranks
A fresh round of executive movement is reshaping the wealth management landscape, with Legal & General targeting global ETF expansion through new leadership and Caledonia Investments finalizing a long-planned succession within its private capital arm to maintain momentum following a period of significant portfolio realisations.
WealthBriefing Releases 2026 Innovation in Marketing Acclaim Report
WealthBriefing has published the latest iteration of its Acclaim series, a 49-page compilation detailing the strategies and accomplishments of the winners from its 2026 Innovation in Marketing Awards. The document serves as both a comprehensive industry guide and a platform for recognized firms to showcase their professional milestones.
Switzerland Leads Global Capitalism Rankings
Switzerland currently holds the top spot in the 2025 Global Capitalism Index, edging out the United States, Hong Kong, Canada, and Singapore. Published by the University of Virginia, the report evaluates 161 nations based on market economics, private property protections, and the freedom of trade and capital.
Private Markets Face Uneven Adoption Across Global Wealth Sectors
While private market performance shows signs of a mid-year recovery, investor adoption remains inconsistent across regions. Recent data from MSCI and iCapital reveals that despite improved returns in private equity and credit, wealth managers continue to struggle with limited client penetration and a lack of scalable model portfolios.
Citigroup Hires Michael Zezas to Lead Global Research
After a two-decade tenure at Morgan Stanley, Michael Zezas is joining Citigroup to head its research division. Zezas, who most recently served as deputy global head of research at his former firm, replaces Rob Rowe, who managed the department on an interim basis during the transition.
Inheritance Fuels Aggressive Art Buying Among Gen Z
Family wealth is reshaping the global art market as Gen Z collectors outpace older generations, spending more than double on fine art. According to the Art Basel and UBS Survey of Global Collecting 2026, these younger buyers now account for nearly half of all acquisitions priced above $1 million.
Fernando Reis Joins Targa 5 Advisors to Drive Latin American Expansion
Geneva-based wealth manager Targa 5 Advisors has appointed Fernando Reis as senior relationship manager to bolster its presence in Latin America. Starting October 1, Reis moves to the independent firm to focus on high and ultra-high net worth families, marking another strategic hire in the company’s ongoing regional growth push.
Downing LLP Spin-Off Forms New Liquid Alternatives Firm
A management buyout from Downing LLP has culminated in the launch of Capel Asset Management, a new independent firm specializing in liquid alternatives. The team, now operating as an owner-managed entity, brings with it two core investment strategies and over £405 million in assets under management.
Rathbones and Capital Group Expand Regulatory Footprints
Two major financial players have secured critical operating licences, signaling a shift in their global strategy. Rathbones has obtained a Markets in Financial Instruments Directive permit from the Central Bank of Ireland to serve the European Union, while US-based Capital Group has gained regulatory approval to operate in Abu Dhabi.
Argentina Launches Citizenship by Investment Program
Argentina is set to join the global market for citizenship-by-investment programs, establishing a pathway for foreign investors to secure residency and citizenship. The initiative, slated to open for applications in late 2026, marks a significant shift toward liberal economic policies under the administration of President Javier Milei.
Family Offices Bet on AI Despite Geopolitical Jitters
Geopolitical instability is now the primary anxiety for global family offices, yet it has failed to dampen their appetite for risk. According to a JP Morgan Private Bank survey of 125 firms, investors are aggressively pouring capital into artificial intelligence, viewing the cost of missing the rally as prohibitive.
HSBC Weighs Sweeping Wealth Management Job Cuts Amid AI Integration
HSBC is planning a significant reduction in its UK wealth management workforce, targeting deep cuts to specialist staff and financial advisors. The move, aimed at accelerating the integration of artificial intelligence across the bank’s operations, signals a aggressive shift toward automated banking processes within the group’s private wealth division.
Brahim Ben Ammar Tapped to Lead Russell Investments in Middle East
With over 25 years of experience across the MENA region, Brahim Ben Ammar has been appointed head of Middle East for Seattle-based Russell Investments. Operating out of the Dubai International Financial Centre, he is tasked with scaling the firm’s regional business and deepening its strategic partnerships in institutional and wealth markets.
Investec Opens REALIS Real Estate Strategy to External Investors
Investec is opening its REALIS real estate equity strategy to wealth managers and family offices, marking the first time the firm has invited third-party capital into a vehicle previously reserved for its private banking clients. The move targets investors seeking exposure to the UK’s underserved lower mid-market property sector.
SEB CEO Johan Torgeby Steps Down After Decade at Helm
Johan Torgeby resigned as president and chief executive of Swedish banking giant SEB on October 6, 2026, citing personal and family reasons. His departure, which included an immediate exit from the bank's board, concludes a ten-year tenure at the Stockholm-based institution, leaving the firm under interim leadership.
Leadership Shifts at Gen II and Aegon Asset Management
Niel Krastin steps into a director role at Gen II Fund Services in Guernsey, while Iain McGowan joins Aegon Asset Management as partnership director in Edinburgh. These appointments reflect ongoing talent acquisition efforts as both firms aim to strengthen their respective footprints in the private capital and institutional sectors.
Tikehau Capital Expands Private Credit Access via iCapital
Paris-based alternative asset manager Tikehau Capital has listed its European private credit strategy on the iCapital Marketplace, marking a shift toward broader distribution for its ELTIF 2.0-compliant fund. The move enables wealth managers across EMEA markets to access senior secured debt previously reserved for institutional investors.