www.wealthandfinance-news.com Investment Excellence Awards 2026
AI Global Media, Ltd. (AI) takes reasonable measures to ensure the quality of the information on this web site. However, AI will not assume any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, correctness or completeness of any information that is available through this web site. If errors are brought to our attention, we will try to correct them. The information available through the website and our partner publications is for your general information and use and is not intended to address any particular finance or investment requirements. In particular, the information does not constitute any form of advice or recommendation by us or any of our partner publications and is not intended to be relied upon by users in making or refraining from making any investment or financial decisions. Appropriate independent advice should be obtained before making any such decision. Any arrangement made between you and any third party named in the site is at your sole risk and responsibility. Investment Excellence Awards2026 Editorial Team Sofi Parry, Senior Editor | Joshua Beardsmore, Writer | Kita Thomas, Writer Design Team Emma Hunt, Creative Team Manager | Lauren Baldwin, Graphic Designer We are thrilled to announce the return of the Investment Excellence Awards 2026, proudly hosted by Wealth and Finance International. Now in its second year, this exciting programme is back bigger, bolder, and more ambitious, shining a spotlight on the people and organisations raising the bar across the global investment landscape. After a standout debut, the Investment Excellence Awards have quickly become a must-watch event in the financial calendar. The 2026 edition builds on that momentum, celebrating innovation, performance, and strategic brilliance in an industry that never stands still. From forward-thinking asset managers and advisory firms to trailblazing fintech innovators and investment leaders, this programme recognises those who are shaping the future of finance. Sofi Parry, Senior Editor
Contents 4. Montane Finance: Best Healthcare Finance Brokerage 2026 – UK 6. Lifetime Retirement Income: Best Retirement Income Solutions Provider 2026 - New Zealand 7. Phil Anderson Financial Services Ltd: Best Independent Financial Advisory Firm 2026 – Scotland & Mortgage Advice Excellence Award 2026 – Scotland 8. Lendable Capital: Best Tech-Driven Investment Platform 2026 - UK 9. House of Investment (HOI) Ltd: Leaders in Alternative Investment Strategies 2026 10. GuideBridge SGEIC, S. A.: Best Collective Investment Entity Management Company 2026 – Spain 11. Fencia: Best Distressed Investment Platform 2026 – Spain 12. Fawley Wealth International: Best Global Wealth Manager 2026 13. BVI Finance: Excellence in Financial Services Destination Marketing 2026 14. Artvera Private Wealth Management (UK) Ltd: Best Private Wealth Management Boutique Firm 2026 - UK 15. Legacy Private: Best Personalised Financial Advisory Firm 2026 - UAE 16. Quantios Management Services Ltd: Best Global AI-Powered Entity Management Platform 2026 & Compliance Automation Excellence Award 2026 17. Primera Ventures: Best Strategic Exit Advisory Firm 2026 – UK
4 | Investment Excellence Awards 2026 Best Healthcare Finance Brokerage 2026 – UK Montane Finance (Montane), at its core, helps clients secure the funding they need to acquire, develop, refinance, and grow their businesses. However, it does so much more, believing that its role goes well beyond simply acting as an intermediary between a client and a lender. This is seen through its relationship-led approach in a commercial finance market that is highly transactional, positioning Montane as something that is purposefully different. Scott explained: “Our philosophy is based upon relationships rather than transactions. We don’t aspire to complete one transaction for a client; our ambition is to become a trusted partner throughout their business journey.” Montane achieves this by taking the time to understand the people behind a business before discussing a funding solution with them. With its conversations starting before a transaction and continuing long after, Montane quickly becomes a trusted voice in developing their financial strategy in the long term. Building these kinds of relationships is especially important in the healthcare and hospitality sectors where Montane operates, and the firm is able to combine the unrivalled sector knowledge of its team with strong relationships across the lending market. This sees it work with a range of clients, from independent, family-owned businesses to growing operators and established national groups. Its approach of understand the client, understand the ambition, and build the right financial strategy remains the same, regardless of their size. Taking a closer look at Montane’s work within the healthcare sector especially, Scott told us: “Within healthcare, we support clients across the full lifecycle of their businesses. This can include acquisition finance, development funding, refinancing, portfolio restructuring, capital expenditure, and growth funding, alongside more complex or bespoke requirements where a conventional funding structure may not necessarily provide the best solution.” Access to more than 250 capital providers, from traditional high-street banks to specialist healthcare and private credit providers, adds to Montane’s value, but the money itself is actually a very small part of the equation. Instead, the real value comes from understanding which capital is right for which client, depending on where they are in their journey. Figuring this out is made more difficult by a fund landscape that continues to evolve. “For Montane, staying ahead of that curve comes down to specialism, relationships, and market intelligence.” Everything different that Montane stands for in this space is reflected through both its core values, which centre around relationships, integrity, expertise, and ambition, and its mantra: Reach Your Peak. This, essentially, is what it helps its clients to achieve, and a big part of this comes from Montane’s ability to help them look beyond the funding that is right in front of them, as the cheapest solution is not always the best one for their growth. Again, within healthcare specifically, this is vital, as many of those Montane represents have significant aspirations regarding their future. For example, Scott shared: “A client may approach us initially regarding the acquisition of a single care home, but if their ambition is ultimately to build a substantial regional or national group, we need to consider how today’s funding decision supports tomorrow’s opportunity.” Perhaps the key to Montane achieving this is its independence. Being independent allows Montane to assess all of the financial options available to its clients objectively, and recommend to them what it believes is the best solution. This lays the groundwork for exceptional client service, with Montane’s standing as a proud specialist boutique brokerage seeing it have a responsibility for its clients’ success, and it never takes this responsibility lightly. Accessibility and communication are both key in Montane’s client journey, and those who trust this specialist healthcare commercial finance brokerage as a partner in their growth value its clarity and personal service. Equally as important is ownership, which again stems from the trust Montane knows clients put into it to get the results they seek. An acquisition, refinance, or development could represent years of work and be fundamental to the next steps of a brand, and this is why Montane takes personal responsibility for it. Remaining actively involved in proceedings and guiding clients through what is rarely a straight-line process, Montane underpins its exceptional service with genuine expertise, resulting in a deeply personal offering and a model that keeps people coming back. As digitisation becomes an increasingly important part of the commercial finance industry, the firm is paying particularly close attention to this also, looking for ways to enhance its work without detracting from it. Fundamentally, it is as simple as this: If technology enables the team to spend less time on administration and more time understanding a client’s business, considering their strategy, engaging with lenders, and structuring the right solution, then it directly supports the Montane model and the team are all for it. If that technology seeks to relace the relationships the firm builds with its clients, and which are the very foundation of all it stands for, then it is of no value to these healthcare finance brokers based in the East Midlands. Touching on the future of Montane, Scott told us how important it is for this provider of care home acquisition and development finance to protect the culture it has created as it continues to go from a smaller, Derbyshire-based firm to a firm whose outlook and reach are national. He commented: “We want to continually improve our business, attract exceptional people, deepen our expertise, and broaden our national presence, all the while helping our clients achieve their own aspirations.” Scott’s mention of people leads us to something else that is key for Montane’s expansion: its team. People have always been an integral part of Montane Group, from the day Montane Finance opened its doors in 2019 to the opening of Montane Insurance Services in 2024, and this focus remains as strong as ever today. Everyone flying the Montane flag is talented, ambitious, aligned with the firm’s values, and cares about its clients. In return for their dedication, this brokerage offers them a place to grow and thrive across their careers. Commercial finance has always been a transactional industry, but as the commercial finance brokers for healthcare businesses behind Montane Finance are showing, finance today is all about relationships and people. A specialist healthcare commercial finance brokerage, Montane Finance is part of the Montane Group, all the divisions of which are headed up by Scott Murcott. As this healthcare finance brokerage is celebrated in our Investment Excellence Awards 2026, Scott told us more about Montane Finance.
Ultimately, whether it is a client growing their healthcare business, a colleague developing their career, or Montane continuing its own journey, the purpose of this award-winning healthcare finance brokerage is to create the relationships, expertise, and opportunities that let people realise their potential. Winning this award is a fantastic recognition of just how far Montane has come, but also how focused it is on continuing down the very same path. As Scott shared with us in closing: “There is considerably more that we want to achieve. We want to continue climbing ourselves, and help the people and businesses around us do exactly the same.” This has remained its focus from the outset, and its ability to challenge convention and demonstrate that specialist expertise and commercial ambition can sit alongside a personal, relationship-led approach is seeing Montane Finance redefine this space for good. More on this independent broker supporting the healthcare and hospitality sectors can be found at the web address below. “Reach Your Peak.” Contact: Scott Murcott Company: Montane Finance Web Address: https://montanefinance.co.uk/ Best Healthcare Finance Brokerage 2026 – UK
6 | Investment Excellence Awards 2026 Best Retirement Income Solutions Provider 2026 - New Zealand Like many countries worldwide, New Zealand faces a daunting financial challenge as the tsunami of baby boomers retires, leaving a significant burden for younger generations to shoulder. While this demographic picture may be similar to many developed nations, New Zealand’s financial landscape for retirees lags, with few offerings tailored specifically for those keen to convert their retirement savings into an income that will last as long as they do – and under increasingly challenging economic circumstances. Lifetime Retirement Income has stepped into this space as New Zealand’s only financial services company dedicated to retirement income solutions, helping retirees turn accumulated assets into sustainable income streams and greater financial certainty. The company’s foundations reflect its longstanding commitment to retirement policy and financial wellbeing. Among its founding board members were the late Sir Michael Cullen, a former finance minister and architect of both KiwiSaver and the New Zealand Superannuation Fund, and former Retirement Commissioner Dame Diana Crossan. Responding to the changing face of retirement While KiwiSaver (a voluntary, work-based savings scheme) and other retirement savings vehicles have helped many New Zealanders build wealth during their working years, there has been less focus on decumulation - helping them convert those savings into a sustainable income once they stop working. This is something the country continues to grapple with. Lifetime Retirement Income was founded in 2013 to address just this. Its flagship Lifetime Retirement Income Fund focuses on generating a reliable fortnightly income to supplement the universal New Zealand Superannuation (NZ Super) payments from the government, which currently begin at age 65. Focusing on decumulation is proving crucial, as retirement today looks very different from previous generations. New Zealanders are living longer, meaning retirement savings often need to last 20 or 30 years. At the same time, retirees face growing pressures from inflation, rising living costs and market volatility. Managing volatility, not avoiding it Rather than simply chasing investment returns, the flagship Lifetime Retirement Income Fund focuses on helping retirees sleep at night, knowing their income has been designed to endure market downturns, inflation shocks, and longer-than-expected lifespans. To achieve this, the company employs sophisticated actuarial modelling and risk management processes through Chicagobased actuarial and risk management firm Milliman. With annual reassessments built in, it can set income levels with an 80% probability they will not need revising over 20 years. An option for the asset rich, cash poor To help the thousands of Kiwis who have found themselves asset rich, but cash poor, Lifetime launched its award-winning Lifetime Home product in 2024, as an alternative to reverse mortgages. Described as “game-changing”, the product is revolutionary for retirement financing in New Zealand, offering a genuinely innovative alternative to reverse mortgages - which involve taking on debt. Rather than borrowing against a property and accumulating debt, Lifetime Home offers homeowners the opportunity to sell a small share of their home to Lifetime in exchange for regular payments to top up their fortnightly income. This helps retirees better achieve the retirement they had imagined. As New Zealand confronts one of the most significant demographic shifts in its history, Lifetime Retirement Income is helping redefine what financial security looks like in later life. Through innovation, actuarial discipline and a relentless focus on retiree outcomes, it is ensuring more New Zealanders can approach retirement with confidence, despite the volatility around them. Contact: Chelsea Devlin Company: Lifetime Retirement Income Website: https://www.lifetimeincome.co.nz/ Lifetime Retirement Income is proud to be a leading provider of solutions that continue to positively impact retirees across all of New Zealand. We learn more about the company below as it is recognised in our Investment Excellence Awards 2026. Retirement Income Reckoning: The New Zealand Company Helping Retirees Face the Future
Best Independent Financial Advisory Firm 2026 – Scotland & Mortgage Advice Excellence Award 2026 – Scotland Phil Anderson established Phil Anderson Financial Services in 2011, with the vision of establishing the number one financial advisory firm in the North and North East of Scotland. Having grown significantly over the years, Phil Anderson Financial Services is now a leading financial advisor trusted by clients across Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Caithness, Yorkshire, and Cheshire. We heard more from Phil himself below, as Phil Anderson Financial Services is named in the Investment Excellence Awards 2026. “Whether someone is buying their first home, building their wealth, or approaching retirement, we want them to see us as a trusted advisor they can turn to throughout the different stages of their financial journey.” Phil Anderson Financial Services provides advice across all areas of personal financial planning, helping its clients make informed decisions about their money at every stage of their lives. Pensions and retirement planning are a particularly important element of this work; with many of the firm’s clients are approaching retirement, and now seek to understand what their options are, how to make the most of what they have built up, and how they can plan confidently for the years ahead. Alongside this, the team also advises on mortgages, investments, protection, and wider financial planning. “At the heart of the business, we simply love helping people,” Phil told us. “Financial matters can often feel complicated or overwhelming, and one of our core values is making money matters as straightforward and understandable as possible. We want our clients to feel comfortable asking questions, to understand the advice they receive, and, most importantly, to feel confident about the decisions they are making. Those values influence how we run the business and how we grow. We focus on building long-term relationships, providing a personal service, and doing what is right for each individual client.” A key element of developing these long-term relationships is ensuring that the engagement does not end once an investment or retirement solution has been put in place. Phil Anderson Financial Services has successfully built a strong client base through its annual review service, an initiative that allows its team to revisit each clients’ objectives and circumstances, review their existing arrangements, and ensure that their financial plans continue to remain appropriate as their lives evolve. Communication is equally important to this approach. Phil Anderson Financial Services recognises that every client’s circumstances, priorities, and aspirations are different, and sets out to provide a personal service instead of a one-size-fits-all solution. It emphasises the importance of ensuring that clients understand the advice they are receiving, driving its team to make all financial matters straightforward and explained in clear, understandable terms. In a competitive market, staying ahead of the curve is a must. Phil Anderson Financial Services remains forward-thinking in its approach, embracing the latest technology where it can improve efficiency, enhance the client experience, and give its team more time to focus on providing personal financial advice. Digitisation has been a major area of interest in this respect, and something Phil Anderson Financial Services believes will play an important role in the future of financial advice. However, its team remains very conscious that financial planning remains a people-focused profession. “Technology should enhance the relationship between advisor and client, rather than replace it,” Phil explained. “This is particularly important given the amount of work we do with clients approaching and entering retirement, where people often value having someone they can trust to talk through what can be significant and sometimes complex financial decisions.” As Phil Anderson Financial Services continues to grow, the team’s focus remains on combining its signature personal approach with effective use of technology, allowing the firm to improve efficiency without ever losing the human relationships that are fundamental to good financial advice. We at Wealth and Finance International Magazine have no doubt that the team will continue to demonstrate the unwavering commitment to its clients that has earned Phil Anderson Financial Services recognition as Scotland’s Best Independent Financial Advisory Firm 2026. “For us, this award is a reflection of the hard work and commitment of our entire team, and the relationships we have built with our clients over the years,” Phil concluded. “This recognition gives us further confidence that we are moving in the right direction. We have an ambitious and growing team, we are embracing technology and new ways of working, and we are excited about the next stage of the business. Most importantly, we want to continue doing what we enjoy most: helping people, building lasting relationships, and making a positive difference to their financial futures.” Contact: Phil Anderson Company: Phil Anderson Financial Services Ltd Web Address: www.philandersonfinancial.co.uk Phil Anderson Financial Services Ltd
8 | Investment Excellence Awards 2026 Best Tech-Driven Investment Platform 2026 - UK A specialist asset manager with an edge in data and underwriting Lendable Capital was built on a simple conviction: in asset management, a genuine edge can come from proprietary origination, data, and technology. The firm invests in short-duration, self-amortising consumer credit assets sourced directly from the lending platforms of the wider Lendable group - the UK’s largest personal loans originator - alongside select third-party opportunities where the same underwriting expertise identifies compelling value. Direct access to origination reduces the adverse selection risk that can confront buyers of externally sourced portfolios, and gives investors increased transparency and predictability of deployment. Twelve years of AI-powered underwriting Lendable has been an AI-native business since its founding in 2014. Its machine-learning models, trained on more than a decade of proprietary lending data and research spanning millions of credit interactions and repayment histories, evaluate risk beyond traditional bureau scores and automate almost all credit decisions in seconds. Each new lending cohort deepens the dataset, compounding the potential advantages for Lendable. The group also supports the wider AI research ecosystem, and in 2026 began sponsoring doctoral research at BOLD, the UK Research & Innovation-backed lab drawing on Oxford, UCL and Imperial College. 2026: strong investor support and a public markets debut The past year has marked a strong step forward for the platform, marked by growing investor support for Lendable’s investment strategy. In addition, in July Lendable priced its inaugural public securitisation: a £500m transaction backed by UK personal loans, the largest public placement of UK consumer loan notes to date. Demand from institutional investors provided very strong coverage for every tranche offered, and Lendable intends to become a programmatic issuer in UK consumer asset-backed securities - broadening the investor base for the asset class and lowering funding costs for borrowers. Why consumer credit Consumer credit is among the most resilient corners of asset-backed finance. Portfolios are highly granular - a typical investment is backed by hundreds of thousands of borrowers - and short asset duration allows pricing and underwriting to reset quickly as conditions change. Because the assets self-liquidate through monthly repayment, returns do not depend on borrowers refinancing at maturity, in contrast to corporate credit and real estate. Historically the asset class was locked inside bank balance sheets; Lendable has been a driving force in opening it to professional investors, with more than £11bn of consumer credit originated across the group’s platforms since launch. Proven through the cycle Lendable’s strategy has delivered consistent risk-adjusted returns over time, lending continuously through COVID, the cost-ofliving crisis and the sharpest rate rises in a generation. Decades of credit-bureau data - including through the global financial crisis - further evidence the asset class’s behaviour under stress, and inform the stress scenarios against which Lendable underwrites. Technology in service of financial inclusion Better underwriting decisions can have impacts beyond stronger financial returns, they expand access to fair credit. Traditional scorecards can exclude creditworthy borrowers, pushing them towards high-cost, short-term products. By drawing on open banking and alternative data, Lendable’s underwriting is designed to identify low-risk customers that conventional lenders overlook, enabling it to offer better-priced, more stable credit with terms measured in years rather than months. “We are honoured to receive this award for the second year running. 2026 has been a defining year for Lendable Capital: strong investor support for our strategy and our first public securitisation showed the depth of institutional appetite for consumer credit. We see substantial and growing investment opportunities in the asset class, in the UK and increasingly internationally, and our technology edge positions us to capture them for our investors” -- Rory McHugh, CEO, Lendable Capital. Contact: Dominic Jameson Company: Lendable Capital Website: https://www.lendable.com Lendable Capital, the asset management arm of AI-native consumer finance group Lendable, manages more than £5bn of assets and gives professional investors direct access to consumer and alternative credit. Winning this award for the second consecutive year, Lendable Capital caps a landmark 2026: growing investor support for its investment strategy and a debut in the public securitisation market. Rory McHugh, CEO Lendable Capital
9 | Investment Excellence Awards 2026 Leaders in Alternative Investment Strategies 2026 A place where customer service and long-term relationships are prioritised over quick wins at the client’s expense, House of Investment (HOI) is a boutique investment company dealing with private equity, investment management, and strategy consulting. Its work covers real estate, banking, hospitality, education, healthcare, shipping, and energy, especially in markets like Cyprus, Greece, the Balkans, SE Med and the MENA region. HOI is renowned for representing a very selective client portfolio and delivering tailor-made investments, something we explore in more detail following its recognition in our Investment Excellence Awards. Based in Cyprus, the investment history of House of Investment (HOI) speaks volumes about the strengths of its approach, with its teams working side by side with clients to ensure value creation and the transfer of knowledge, allowing them to reach their business and financial objectives. Partner-level relationships have always been the driving value behind HOI’s work, guided by a philosophy that is based on transparency, hard work, in-depth knowledge, and a passion for realising its clients’ ambitions. Clients come to HOI for financial consulting services because they value its ability to provide them with fast, accurate, and effective solutions, as well as advice that is both impartial and tailored to their specific needs. HOI strives to remain transparent, uncompromising, and always at the forefront of innovation, allowing it to exceed expectations in the boardroom and on the frontline. The innovation it stands for across its strategies is seen through a commitment to deliver breakthrough complicated projects and services resulting in high value creation for the client. “During these difficult and trying times we are fully committed to true and uncompromising value creation for our selective clients, who we view as long-lasting partners.” – Pantelis Solomis, Founder and Chairman Where HOI stands out is in its values-driven approach, which complements the strong culture of ethics deeply embedded in the company. Both of these lead HOI to the mantra that every client should be served with integrity, exceptional service, and a high-quality financial approach. This has helped HOI to position itself as a leading practitioner in cross-border financial planning and investments, one that is client driven and results oriented always maintaining a “hands on” approach. Across its team, HOI brings together the best minds in the world of real estate and large developments, while integrating their knowledge with a unique framework and methodology for the successful staged development of large mixed-use lifestyle schemes in Europe and across the Middle East. Its portfolio covers a range of developments, most of which are based around lifestyle living, hospitality, health, wellness and wellbeing. These are situated across the locations where HOI has a presence, with highlights including a waterfront mixed-use development at Rhodes Marina, Greece, an Education Park with lifestyle residences in Limassol, Cyprus and a leading mixed-use commercial development in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Jeddah Park) which entails shopping, entertainment, leisure, offices and hospitality along with a state-ofthe-art health tower currently considered one of the most successful destination venues in country. HOI provides tailor-made investment strategies for high-net-worth individuals and family offices looking to use Cyprus and the region as a financial hub. The company’s array of alternative investments and tax efficient structures allow for a wide range of asset classes to be invested in confidently and securely, with attractive returns sought out. When it comes to alternative investments, HOI leverages its capabilities to ensure true diversification of its clients’ portfolios. The alternative investments offered by the company include products like private equity funds, real estate funds, structured products, investments in real estate, and unique investments in education, health, energy and shipping. Again, these offerings are available to those discerning investors looking to benefit from varied asset classes in opportune markets and sectors where the HOI team maintains expertise. With HOI, investors will be able to create, preserve, and transfer wealth, and the team here can assist with everything from creating and delivering a sound financial plan to executing a forward-looking wealth preservation strategy. Across this area of the business, traditional values meet contemporary thinking, with all of the expertise and hands on experience available that its clients need to maximise their portfolio and the opportunities available. Ultimately, those looking for the highest standards of financial advice and service, and a place where long-term relationships are of the utmost importance, may have found the right partner for them with HOI, the team behind which have been named Leaders in Alternative Investment Strategies 2026 as part of this awards programme. More on the expert insights and resources HOI offers to help its clients succeed can be found by visiting the company at the web address below. Contact: Natasha Michaelidou Company: House of Investment (HOI) Web Address: https://www.houseofinvestment.com/
10 | Investment Excellence Awards 2026 Best Collective Investment Entity Management Company 2026 – Spain “We are drawn to situations where complexity can create opportunity and where our experience, flexibility, and network can help unlock value that may not be immediately visible to the market.” GuideBridge was created in 2013 with the aim of generating, executing, and monitoring opportunities for TPG, now Sixth Street Partners, in the special situations segment. The independent investment management firm specialises in private equity and special situations, working closely with institutional investors, family offices, and other professional investors, as well as with companies, asset owners, and financial institutions navigating complex capital, liquidity, or restructuring situations. Highly selective in its endeavours, GuideBridge focuses solely on opportunities where it can identify a clear underlying value and see a credible path to value creation. Its team has built decade-long relationships with the main banks, family offices, international funds, insolvency administrators, developers, servicers, and SOCIMIs throughout Spain, driving its ability to originate off-market investment opportunities. At its core, GuideBridge is a relationshipbased firm. It places great importance on the power of building long-term relationships with clients, and works tirelessly to ensure that its interests remain fully aligned with those of its investors and partners. This requires the team to maintain transparency and open communication, with significant emphasis placed upon keeping clients well informed, being accessible when needed, and providing a clear perspective on both opportunities and risks. “We want our investors to feel that we are on the same side of the table, sharing both the ambition to generate attractive returns and the responsibility of protecting capital,” Fernando told us. “Ultimately, we measure the quality of our client service not only by investment outcomes, but by the trust we build over time. Our ambition is to develop enduring partnerships in which investors value not only our investment expertise, but also the transparency, commitment, and consistency with which we work.” As an independent investment manager, GuideBridge has the unrivalled ability to offer a highly personalised relationship to its clients. This flexibility enables the team to remain close to investors, respond to their specific needs, and maintain an open dialogue throughout the investment process. This combination of institutional rigour and personal proximity is a rare feat in this landscape, but serves as one of the key elements of GuideBridge’s service proposition. 2026 has been an important year for GuideBridge, marked by the establishment of new investment vehicles and the launch of new investment initiatives. Representing an important step for the firm, these new funds will allow the team to pursue new investment opportunities and address a broader range of situations, whilst continuing to apply the discipline, flexibility, and focus on capital preservation that have come to define GuideBridge. This coming year promises a period of new challenges, but also significant opportunities for GuideBridge to continue learning, investing, and creating value. For the remainder of 2026, GuideBridge will maintain its focus on identifying and executing attractive investment opportunities, whilst further strengthening its relationships with investors, financial institutions, and its wider network of partners. At the same time, the firm will continue to develop its capabilities and processes, particularly in the fields of data, technology, and the ways in which its team originates and assesses opportunities. Beyond 2026, GuideBridge intends to continue evolving as an independent investment manager, with a focus on selectively expanding its investment capabilities and exploring new opportunities where it believes its team can deliver attractive, risk-adjusted returns for its customers. The firm sees significant opportunities in the private equity and special situations space, particularly as changing financing conditions and an increasingly complex economic environment continue to create situations where flexible capital and specialist expertise can add true value. Growth for the sake of growth, however, will never be an objective in itself. “Our ambition is to continue growing GuideBridge in a measurable and sustainable way, while remaining true to the investment discipline and entrepreneurial approach that define us,” Fernando concluded. “We intend to build on our momentum through new investments, stronger partnerships, and the continued development of our capabilities. We believe these new initiatives will provide a solid foundation for GuideBridge to grow sustainably while remaining faithful to the principles that have guided us from the beginning.” Contact: Fernando Magnet O’Dogherty Company: GuideBridge SGEIC, S. A. Web Address: www.guidebridge.es Boasting more than a decade of experience investing in value, GuideBridge is a relationship-oriented private investment firm focused on ensuring capital preservation by providing complex liquidity solutions. In a competitive landscape, the firm stands out for its unique combination of investment discipline, alignment of interests, and a strong emphasis on capital preservation. We heard more from Managing Partner Fernando Magnet O’Dogherty below, as GuideBridge is named in the Investment Excellence Awards 2026.
Best Distressed Investment Platform 2026 – Spain Fencia was established with the purpose of providing access to distressed investment opportunities – an asset class dedicated to the existing debt of financially distressed companies – in particular to small- and medium-sized investors, for whom it has typically been difficult to be involved. However, the firm’s role goes much further than that just providing access: it leverages rigorous screening and analysis for every opportunity, underscored by vast data, knowledge, and expertise. We recently heard more from CoFounders and Partners, David Roig and Alexis Flores to gain deeper insight into Fencia’s work. The Spanish distressed market has seen a significant shift over the past decade – with banks having reduced their non-performing loan (NPL) ratio from around 14% to approximately 2.5%. This has meant a decrease in the volume of large, distressed portfolios available to international investment funds, yet it has also created opportunities for more selective, individual investments. It is here that Fencia sees its role – in a setting of geopolitical uncertainty and market volatility, where distressed investments are backed by real assets such as NPLs and auction award assignments, and inviting opportunities driven by factors that differ from traditional financial markets. Fencia identified a gap for providing access to these investments in a way that embraces complete clarity, by providing the analysis and support needed to understand the risks and the rewards. Since its establishment, Fencia has earned a solid reputation among major investment funds and banks in Spain to market their distressed assets. Notably, this includes small- and medium-sized investors who are seeking access to an asset class that, up until now, has been mostly reserved for major institutional investment funds only. Fencia offers a comprehensive catalogue of services to investors, delivered by leading professionals to ensure clients benefit from specialist expertise and exceptional support and guidance at every stage. Within its advisory team are legal professionals who are committed to staying abreast of the latest legislative developments, while having the experience required to assess judicial processing and identify potential risks throughout the investment process. Keeping values of transparency, accessibility, and expertise at the core of everything they do, David, Alexis and the team aim to make distressed investment opportunities more available, providing clients with advice that is based on their extensive knowledge and experience, and identifying high-quality opportunities to fulfil each investor’s unique investment profile. “We believe the next stage of the Spanish distressed market will be defined by access, information, technology, and expertise.” Fencia utilises cutting-edge technology to complement its expertise. It has developed its own proprietary analytical technology, FENLAB, enhanced by many years of experience in the distressed investment market. The platform is designed to make sophisticated distressed investment analysis more accessible, and it does so by taking into account hundreds of variables, including judicial timelines, collateral appreciation, and thousands of additional data points to bolster investment analysis. “Our objective is to provide investors with analytical capabilities and information that have traditionally been much more readily available to large institutional investors, helping to reduce the information gap between institutional and smaller investors,” David explained. “This combination of technology, data, and specialist expertise allows us to analyse opportunities comprehensively and continuously to improve the quality of the information available to our investors. “For us, digitalisation is not simply about moving an existing process online. It is about using technology to make a traditionally complex and inaccessible investment market more transparent, understandable, and accessible. Ultimately, technology is one of the key pillars of our ambition to make Fencia the place to invest in distressed.” Now, as this innovative firm looks toward the future, it will see the launch of FENLAB, as well as FENACADEMY, a comprehensive training programme created with the aim of informing in detail how distressed investing works and the key legal, financial, and operational elements that are involved in it. “The objective of FENACADEMY is to give anyone interested in distressed investing the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of this asset class before deciding whether it is right for them,” Alexis elaborated. “The programme will also provide access to the Fencia community, creating an ecosystem in which education, analysis, and investment opportunities come together.” David concluded: “Ultimately, our ambition is not simply to provide access to distressed investments, but to give investors the knowledge, technology, and support they need to approach them with greater confidence.” To learn more about Fencia, visit the company website. Contact: David Roig and Alexis Flores Company: Fencia Website: www.fencia.es Alexis Flores and David Roig, co-founders of Fencia
12 | Investment Excellence Awards 2026 Best Global Wealth Manager 2026 Fawley Wealth International provides independent wealth planning and investment advice, with a particular focus on helping people navigate complex cross-border financial issues. This work combines financial planning, investment management, taxaware strategies, retirement planning, and cross-border advice into a single, long-term plan. Rather than starting with products or portfolios, the firm starts with the client’s life, their family, and the financial decisions that matter most over the coming decades. These clients are typically internationally connected families whose finances span more than one country. Many are British expatriates living in the United States, Americans living or planning to retire in the UK and Europe, or professionals who have accumulated wealth across different jurisdictions. They often face decisions involving pensions, taxation investments, estate planning, and currency exposure that require advice beyond what a traditional domestic financial advisor can provide. Every investment strategy begins with a financial plan. Before the team discusses asset allocation, manager selection, or investment firms, it first establishes what the client is trying to achieve, whether that is retiring at 60, buying a second home, or leaving a legacy. Each of these goals has its own defined cost, time horizon, and probability of success and, with this information, the team can create a personal benchmark based on the required return. This client-centric approach has been shaped by Fawley Wealth International’s core ethos. “We believe financial advice is fundamentally about relationships,” Miles told us. “We see ourselves as long-term financial coaches and advocates rather than portfolio managers alone. Every strategic decision we make, from specialising in cross-border planning to investing in client education, is intended to strengthen that long-term partnership.” This is particularly true for Fawley Wealth International’s Advice Fee Revolution and Fair Fee Promise. In today’s landscape, the investment industry has become known for placing strong emphasis on market returns whilst failing to assess the effects that fees can have on an investor’s longterm outcomes. Advisory fees are typically charged as a percentage of assets under management, and compound in exactly the same way as investment returns. Even a seemingly modest difference in annual charges can have a substantial impact on a client’s wealth over time. Identifying this glaring pain point was a key priority for the team. “Before launching Fawley Wealth International, we analysed the fee structures used across the advisory profession and asked a simple question: ‘Does the traditional pricing model still reflect the value clients receive?’” Miles shared. “We concluded that the industry should be having a more open conversation about value, transparency, and fairness.” Rather than simply publishing its fees, Fawley Wealth International has created an educational section on its website that demonstrates how advisory, platform, and investment management costs accumulate over time. The firm encourages its prospective clients to compare providers on total costs, and to evaluate those costs alongside the quality of financial planning, investment management, tax advice, and ongoing service they receive. Technology has also emerged as an invaluable tool in this mission. Fawley Wealth International has embraced interactive cash flow modelling as the foundation of its planning process, allowing clients to visualise the financial consequences of decisions before they make them. Instead of relying on static reports, clients can see how retiring earlier, purchasing a second home, or selling their business can affect their longterm financial security, transforming planning from a one-off exercise into an ongoing conversation. The world of financial planning is evolving rapidly, and Fawley Wealth International will dedicate the remainder of 2026 to evolving alongside it. The firm will invest in new technology, planning tools, and client reporting capabilities that make complex decisions easier to understand and in line with a personal finance plan. Education will serve as a key part of this long-term vision – through articles, market commentary, webinars, and speaking engagements – with the understanding that better-informed clients make significantly better financial decisions. “We believe the future of wealth management is increasingly centred on personal advice rather than selling commission-based investment products, so we’re continuing to develop our planning capabilities across retirement, tax, estate, and cross-border financial planning,” said Miles. “Having established a strong foundation, our focus is now on growing deliberately, with the right clients, rather than quickly. We want to continue building a boutique advisory firm that delivers institutional-quality advice while maintaining the highly personal service our clients value.” Contact: Miles Sharpe Company: Fawley Wealth International Web Address: www.fawleywealth.com Since its inception in 2024, Fawley Wealth International has been on a mission to disrupt the wealth industry. The firm has built a name for empowering clients to better understand the value of financial advice, building clear strategies and solutions based around their unique objectives and concerns. We heard more from Co-Founder Miles Sharpe below.
13 | Investment Excellence Awards 2026 Excellence in Financial Services Destination Marketing 2026 BVI Finance exists to ensure that the British Virgin Islands’ (BVI) financial services sector is well presented, properly understood, and effectively associated with the markets it serves. It represents more than 100 member firms as their voice and business development agency, including international and offshore law firms, global corporate and fiduciary service providers, major accounting and audit firms, fund administrators, investment businesses, trust companies, insolvency specialists, compliance professionals, and digital asset businesses, to name a few. We heard more from Communications and Research Officer, Shamahl Smith to learn more. BVI Finance promotes the investment solutions that are available through jurisdiction and helps international businesses and advisers connect with suitable BVI professionals through a highly valuable membership. At the centre of this, the firm keeps values of credibility, collaboration, responsiveness, and a willingness to evolve, with these guiding where it places its focus, how it creates it campaigns, and the positions it takes. It aims to deliver evidence-based promotion, underscored by the real-world experience of firms and professionals operating in the BVI. “Destination marketing has a particular meaning for BVI Finance,” said Shamahl. “We are not simply promoting a place; we are promoting a jurisdiction through which international business is structured, investment is facilitated, and relationships are built across borders.” Members see BVI Finance as an authority in international promotion, market intelligence, advocacy, and opportunities to progress in business. The firm goes above and beyond to forge connections and follow through on members’ behalf wherever needed, ensuring that international stakeholders have a clear understanding of the BVI, providing an introduction to a licensed practitioner, or delivering guidance on the institution responsible for a particular issue. For stakeholders, there is a lot to offer in the BVI in the way of crossborder investment, including business companies, limited partnerships, private and professional funds, approved and incubator funds, private investment funds, approved investment managers, joint-venture vehicles, trusts, and succession-planning structures. The same corporate and partnership framework is now being used for digital assets, tokenised securities, and other new forms of finance. The scale of the BVI’s contribution is substantial. Independent economic research has identified that BVI business companies expedite approximately US$1.4 trillion in assets. Further, investment mediated through those companies supports an estimated 2.3 million jobs and generates approximately US$14 billion in tax revenues for governments around the world annually. These figures show what lies beneath a BVI structure, whether supporting a joint venture, an international acquisition, a fund, a family’s succession plan, a piece of infrastructure, or a new digital-finance business. This destination marketing recognition also comes as a reflection of what BVI Finance’s memberships achieve. The firm takes the jurisdiction’s message around the world through conferences, trade missions, and industry events. However, it also comes from more than 100 member firms and professionals who advise clients, administer structures, oversee complex transactions, and maintain the standards that the BVI’s reputation relies on. Notably, 2026 has seen the BVI enter a list of prominent markets, including the Blockchain Futurist Conference in Toronto, a three-city Latin America Roadshow covering Lima, Bogotá and Panama City, and the BVI’s inaugural financial-services mission to India, as well as engagements in New Delhi, GIFT City, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. Looking ahead, BVI Finance will continue its Latin American engagement at STEP LatAm in São Paulo. “These visits are about sustained relationship-building,” explained Shamahl. “We want international businesses and advisers to meet the BVI professionals who work on cross-border transactions every day, and we want our members to hear directly from the markets they serve.” Also on the cards is Fintech on the Seas 2027, which comes after the incredible success of the first two editions. The response from speakers, delegates, sponsors, and international partners confirms that the event has claimed a worthy space in the digital-finance calendar. BVI Finance will also seek to deepen regulatory and policy discussions, attract an even bigger global audience, create more opportunities for business development and knowledge exchange, and continue promoting the BVI at international conferences and events. It will also be prioritising people as the BVI cannot remain a successful financial centre without preparing the next generation of local professionals, so that they know the industry inside out and are ready to lead it. “The future of the BVI’s financial services industry will depend as much on its people as on its legislation,” Shamahl told us. “Through the Tomorrow’s Leaders Internship Programme – which connects college, university students, and graduates with leading firms and institutions across the BVI financial services sector – BVI Finance and participating firms are helping young British Virgin Islanders gain the experience, mentorship, and professional connections needed to become the industry’s next generation of leaders.” To learn more about BVI Finance, visit the company website. Contact: Shamahl Smith Company: BVI Finance Website: bvifinance.vg
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