Wealth & Finance International - January 2017

Wealth & Finance International 76 High Quality, Low Volatility Returns tandish traces its roots back to 1933, when its predecessor firm, Standish, Ayer & Wood, Inc., began managing fixed income portfolios for US financial institutions, banks and in- surance companies. Standish currently offers a wide range of credit-based and specialty bond strategies for pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, central banks, endowments, foundations, insurance companies and other institutions. Standish’s mission is to provide clients with superior and consistent investment performance that, when combined with sophisticated invest- ment counsel, creates a partnership that embraces their challenges and meets their goals. Standish recognises that because of our institutional clients’ level of sophistication, our client service program plays an important role in our overall relationship with our clients. While portfolio managers will meet with clients regularly, we also have dedicated client portfolio managers, relationship managers and product managers who spend the majority of their time working directly with their respective clients. Our client portfolio managers, relationship managers and product managers are investment professionals who attend investment team meetings and have detailed knowledge of our investment processes, as well as in depth knowledge of the specifics of the portfolios which are as- signed to them. This structure allows our portfolio managers to focus on managing our clients’ portfolios, while also ensuring the client has day- to-day access to Standish personnel that know the portfolio intimately. In addition to constant contact with our investment professionals, Standish provides clients with regular, thought-provoking content to reinforce/challenge current perspectives as well as, provide market updates. As the market evolves and clients seek insightful pieces from their investment managers, Standish is focused on evolving as well and delivering for our clients. Areas of growth in the financial service marketplace We believe there are currently three areas of growth in the financial service marketplace: absolute return, customised solutions and environ- mental, social, and governance (ESG). In Europe, we have seen tremendous growth in sustainable investing from insurance companies, defined benefit plans, and sovereign wealth funds. Standish became a signatory to the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investing in 2012 because we believe the Principles are consistent with our long-term approach in allocating capital. Not only are we committed to incorporating ESG factors into our research process but we are also exploring the launch of dedicated product. Staying ahead of emerging developments in the industry As an integral part of a global fixed income investment firm, we under- stand that imminent risks and opportunities can impact valuations in our market. Inefficiencies in the municipal bond market afford oppor- tunities to investment managers who are experienced on both a macro and individual security perspective. Our firm-wide fixed income process is designed to uncover value and exploit market inefficiencies by marrying fundamental and quantita- tive analysts that first defines and clarifies that macro view and then emphasises sectors where valuation and fundamentals are strongest. Our single sector investment teams, such as our municipal bond team, provide security selection ideas within each sector, creating a true best ideas portfolio. Our investment professionals are highly seasoned and educated with direct interaction with clients who are an important source of knowledge and feedback to the process. Internal culture - supporting staff to provide the very best service The following five cultural attributes support our goals of delivering out- standing products and performance, providing excellent client service and growing our relationships with current and future clients: Team: Our investment teams work closely together in a highly respectful and professional manner. Working as a team is critical to the free flow of information within and among our investment teams. Client Focus: Everyone is very cognizant that we are here, first and foremost, to serve our clients. We believe that instilling a client focus throughout the organisation leads all associates to take those extra steps to deliver results. This focus feeds into our willingness to accommodate our clients’ needs and provide high quality service. Collegial: At Standish, we describe ourselves as having a ‘hallway cul- ture’. People’s doors are open and people are free to walk into another person’s office for a conversation. This has proven to be an effective way to share ideas and ensure the best research is reflected in our investments for clients. Experienced: Standish has a highly-experienced group of investment professionals, many of whom have been with the firm for many years. We believe our experience allows us to understand markets better and develop the convictions necessary to make good investments and effectively manage risk. Headquartered in Boston, MA USA, Standish is a dedicated fixed income manager with over US$151.8 billion in assets under management (preliminary as of September 30th 2016). S FI160025