What do our customers expect from us? We can recite a list of attributes that could apply both to us
as individuals and to our organisations; integrity, astuteness, professionalism and maybe even
intelligence! But it is undoubtedly true to say that first and foremost clients expect we will do what
we said we would do – to deliver on the terms of a mandate, the contract between us.
But is that it? Is it enough that we feel our work is done once we fulfil the terms of a written
contract? Referring to the above list of assumed attributes, I recall that leadership always featured
prominently.
Is it going too far to say that there is also an implied contract between our clients and ourselves
where we are expected to be their representatives in financial market matters? Our industry often
refers to this as our ESG responsibilities.
Our clients are entitled to expect that the organisations investing on their behalf, distribute their
hard-earned wealth to sovereigns, corporates and ventures where good stewardship or governance
exists at all levels. This is the G.
It is also not unrealistic for them to assume that in allocating capital on their behalf, our
organisations exercise due diligence to ensure benefits are experienced by society in general, or at
least that the overall impact is neutral. This represents the S.
As financial professionals it is incumbent upon us to have plans and procedures in place to ensure
our businesses can withstand shocks in the external environment. But more than that, our role
involves both understanding, interacting with and shaping this external environment to ensure it
delivers returns to our investors both today and into the future. The E.
So, do our customers assume that as financial professionals we know precisely how to respond to a
crisis. We can all agree the environment represents a looming crisis and that we probably do not
require survey evidence to be sure our customers expect us to be equipped to respond positively on
their behalf. But more than this, they would expect us to be on the front-foot, to be proactive.
Our industry claims, with considerable justification, that it has always had long-term investment
horizons. Therefore, as 2020 appears on a new horizon, we need to be doing all we can to ensure
there will be a prosperous long-term for us all to participate in.
