Structured Investment Group (SIG), a new independent specialist provider of investment solutions for independent wealth managers and financial advisers, has officially launched into the UK structured products market.
Kai Tang (pictured), co-founder and director of SIG, told SRP that the firm's belief in its investment analysis and the products it will bring to the market will be backed by the fact that the directors of the company are committed to co-investing in every launch, thereby aligning their interests with those of advisers and their clients.
The firm said that it will bring fresh competition to the UK market with a new approach to developing structured investments that stands apart from other providers.
"I think potentially there is something to be said about our name. We prefer to use the term structured investment rather than structured product," Tang told SRP. "By using the term structured investment, we feel that we will be encouraging a more open attitude to the asset class."
Tang explained the reasons behind this approach: "The obvious point is that 'investment' is a better term for what the end consumers will be investing in as the term 'product' does not capture the unique investment theme that forms the backbone of the strategy; but also the term 'structured product' is often tarnished by past scandals like the precipice bond failures and the collapse of Lehman's," he said.
According to Tang, it is "accepted wisdom and common practice" that all investments should be assessed on their individual merits, and SIG will aim to promote the same good practice of research and review within the structured investment asset class as is already enjoyed by the mutual fund industry.
"We expect independent advisory use of structured investments to continue to grow significantly over the next few years, in particular under the Retail Distribution Review," added Tang.
According to Tang, the firm has a number of interesting forward-thinking structured investments in the pipeline which will be introduced to the UK market shortly. However, he declined to disclose any details.
SIG's investment committee comprises Adrian van den Bok, a hedge fund and proprietary trader and credit strategist; Kai Tang, an independent financial adviser specialising in wealth management and employee benefits; Phoebus Theologites, a non-executive director with 20 years of experience as a complex derivatives trader and strategist across multiple asset classes; and Nitin Anandkar, a non-executive director who is currently a portfolio manager for a multi-asset hedge fund.