Global investment consultancy bfinance is expanding into offering wealth sector services as wealth managers seek advanced investment strategies.
The firm typically focuses on the institutional space but said changing client needs and a competitive landscape where wealth managers are expanding their client offerings has prompted it to branch out to the wealth space.
These changing needs include offering clients access to strategies such as ESG, absolute return fixed income, alternatives and bespoke or customised portfolios. Bfinance also noted that nowadays there is a greater focus on cost transparency among wealth managers, as they examine transaction costs to provide clients with a full view of their expenses.
“With clients increasingly focused on sustainable and ESG-aligned investments and seeking the flexibility to enter specific opportunities alongside traditional mandates, wealth managers are under pressure to evolve their offerings,” it said.
“This shift is driving demand for solutions that blend custom portfolio design, ESG integration, and access to alternative asset classes. By broadening its wealth sector services, bfinance is supporting managers in providing these sophisticated options, empowering them to meet diverse and complex client expectations.”
Bfinance offers services and research, including manager research and selection, portfolio design, and performance monitoring.
Jamie Downing, bfinance managing director and head of client consulting, said: “We’re seeing a clear shift in the wealth sector, with managers aiming to replicate the sophistication of institutional investors to meet rising client expectations.
“Wealth managers now need to offer more than traditional investment options—they must deliver ESG-integrated strategies, alternative investments, and customised portfolio structures. This demand for advanced solutions has driven significant interest in bfinance’s expertise in manager research, strategic portfolio design, and fee optimisation.”
Earlier this year, Money Management wrote how wealth managers are offering greater personalisation to clients as they look to meet their evolving needs.
The 2024 EY Global Wealth Management Industry Report identified 10 underlying challenges that wealth managers must overcome between now and 2030. In particular, the paper called for greater customisation when it comes to advisers’ client service models as client preferences shift towards greater personalisation, known as “hyper-personalisation”.
“Clients’ financial and wealth advice needs vary widely according to their circumstances, needs and expectations, but the relevance of hyper-personalised advice in strengthening client relationships and client perceived net value is generally undisputed,” the EY report wrote.
