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Global Financial Services Firm Unveils Wealth Management Operations, Targets UHNW Clients
Eliane Chavagnon
24 June 2013
Cantor Fitzgerald, the
New York-based international financial services firm, is stepping into the wealth
management industry, eyeing individuals with at least $5 million but with an
emphasis on those with $50 million, Reuters
reports, citing an emailed statement from Stan Gregor, co-chief executive of
the new unit called Wealth Partners. According to the news
service, a spokesperson confirmed that the firm is branching out from its core
business of electronically trading bonds with other brokers and plans to start
managing assets for wealthy individuals “around the end of the year”. Chief executive, Howard
Lutnick, has “amassed a wide range of new businesses to offset lower income
from trading commissions that have fallen due to technology and declining
volume,” it said. Gregor joined the firm
earlier this year from Wells Fargo, where he was a private banking executive. As highlighted in the
report, the wealth management industry is becoming more popular as firms search
for “steady fees” to offset more volatile investment banking and trading revenues.
Many firms have also been negatively affected by low interest rates in recent
years, resulting in certain business segments lagging others. It is worth
noting that the wealth management market, is, however, highly competitive. Wealth Partners will bring
in independent investment advisors and brokers, who Gregor reportedly said prefer charging
fees rather than selling commission-based investment products. Besides its US locations, Cantor Fitzgerald has a strong presence in Europe - with offices in London, Paris, Milan, Nyon and Zurich - as well as branches in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East.