Signia Wealth, the UK-headquartered wealth management boutique, has helped advise EME Capital on its offer for Theo Fennell, as well as helping introduce co-investors to the acquisition of Mirfield 1964. Both deals are examples of direct investments, an approach which is gaining momentum in the industry, the firm said.

These types of deals are part of Signia’s entrepreneurial strategy, which provides investment opportunities to clients which prefer direct investments in private equity, the firm said.

According to the firm, the majority of its clients are entrepreneurs who tend to favour direct investments because they want a deeper level of involvement in how their money is managed and invested. 

“In addition, having been involved in businesses all their lives, clients have an in-depth understanding of asset classes such as private equity, and tend to gravitate towards direct investments where they can see tangible results”, Nathalie Dauriac, chief executive officer and founder of Signia Wealth, told this publication.

As an asset class, Signia has invested around £300 million in private equity over the last three years providing services that ensure transparent investments.

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Dauriac considers the Theo Fennell transaction “a powerful illustration” of a direct private equity offering, which clients with an interest in ethical investing are tending to lean towards.

“It demonstrates how our unique approach to investment fosters bespoke business relationships you rarely find with more prescriptive wealth management offerings,” she added.

In this respect, matching clients with the right investments, which can accommodate growing ethical demands is a contemporary challenge for Signia Wealth. For that reason, the firm has created an advisory board with experienced industry experts like Jon Moulton, John Caudwell, Sir Keith Mills and Mike Balfour. The aim is for the firm’s wealth management team to draw on the expertise of the board in order to provide for appropriate investments and sound advice.

“Our team at Signia Wealth works in synergy with our advisory board and has forged a network of well-known businesspeople, clients and professionals”, Dauriac added.

According to the Signia head, the firm often come across opportunities that larger institutions would not have access to. She puts this down to the firm’ strategy of looking to source deals where the founder shareholders have themselves aligned their interests with potential clients. 

“As a result we are able to present our clients with new and niche opportunities that few people would come across without access to some of Britain’s top professionals,” Dauriac concluded.  

Signia Wealth was established in March 2010 and has since then made a number of appointments in order to bolster its expertise as a financial advisor to clients in the ultra high net worth arena. Notably, the recent hire of former Schroders UK Private Bank chief executive officer, Rupert Robinson, as head of wealth management, was a bit of a coup for Signia. Since its launch the firm has grown its business by focusing on ultra high net worth individuals with a preference for direct investments. This has allowed the firm to reach over £2 billion in assets under supervision, as of 31 May 2013.