Conservative Tastes, Service Expected to be Funds’ New Focus

Conservative offerings and more focused customer attention will be the tenants of the fund industry going forward, according to speakers at the recent “Future of Fund Management” conference in London.

In a presentation called “Winning the War for Assets,” M&G Securities Chief Executive Officer William Nott said that asset managers have to work hard to regain investors’ trust by offering better transparency and improving long-term performance.

Edward Carter, chief executive officer of Jupiter Asset Management, agreed, saying, “Customers do not want volatility, complexity, excessive charges and disappointing returns. They want rising income, capital protection and, most importantly, value for money.”

At Man Group, said CEO Peter Clarke, “During the year, we continued to see private investor demand for conservatively structured products offering transparency and liquidity, and which have demonstrated a track record of performance through these markets.”