How we work with clients

Preparing the next generation to handle complex investment issues

The Blakes, an apparel family, with roots in the UK, have been clients of Stonehage Fleming for the last 20 years. The firm has worked with over three generations of the Blakes who are increasingly focused on ensuring the next generation is prepared to handle complex investment issues and run the family business while remaining true to their principles.

Family Goals

• Embed high quality governance around all family decisions
• Build the investment portfolio around long term return objectives and family values
• Explore investment opportunities which leverage the family’s business expertise

Our Recommendations

• Engage with third party family advisers and investment managers, to ensure that all assets are included in the portfolio and that advice is provided holistically
• Construct a core direct equity portfolio managed by Stonehage Fleming’s Head of Equity Management, Gerrit Smit
• Build the private capital portfolio around a core of the Stonehage Fleming Private Capital programme, with annual allocations to best-of-breed managers
• Work with the Stonehage Fleming Private Capital team to engage in sector-related direct and fund investments, which will benefit from the family’s insights and experience

Outcomes (To date)

• A coherent, centrally-managed long-term investment portfolio
• Consistent performance in a volatile market
• Interaction with all three generations to understand the family’s evolving investment objectives, and empowerment of younger family members to propose investments
• Ongoing interaction with the broader Stonehage Fleming ecosystem, including the family’s trustees, legal advisers, and strategic counsel

Disclaimer: Please note, all case studies have been carefully anonymised. Although scenarios are based on real life events they have been fictionalised and are an amalgamation of client experiences. All names, locations and occupations have been replaced with pseudonyms.