HNW Individuals' Changing Needs Not Met By Industry - Survey

Harriet Davies

29 October 2009

The wishes of high net worth individuals have changed since the financial crisis, but the perceptions of their needs by wealth managers have not kept up, says a new survey by SEI Global Wealth Services.

In the financial crisis many investors realised they were not well informed about their underlying positions -holding assets with more risk and less liquidity than they realised.

Consequently, HNW individuals now place a higher value on being able to access up to date information about their exposure to different assets. They appreciate being able to access information online, and receiving a high quality reporting and statement service, the firm said in a statement.

Funds are increasingly emphasising the transparency of their investments as a selling point, suggesting the wealth management industry is starting to capitalise on these opportunities.

Based on its survey, SEI has come up with recommendations for the delivery of information to clients including: delivering information electronically, creating a web portal for clients, and the systematic delivery of pre-defined packages of reports about the characteristics of different investor segments.