Insights
By: Richard Hill
Our network is our USP – Richard Hill
The vital role of relationships in the direct investment process
For Richard Hill, our Head of Private Markets Advisory (PMA), Stonehage Fleming’s network is the principal asset for him and his team in sourcing private investment opportunities for clients and building out mutually beneficial relationships.
“For me, our network is our unique selling point. The nature of our relationships with some of the world’s most influential families and wealth creators puts us in a very privileged position in terms of connecting the right people to the right investment opportunities,” he says.
Richard and his team provide independent corporate and family business advisory services to investors, shareholders and companies at every stage of the business lifecycle. Together, they have developed a Private Markets Advisory platform designed specifically to harness the benefits of our network, making full use of the family office network to help families and individuals action their direct investment objectives. “There are certain individuals in the business who not only have phenomenal personal networks but also access to other networks that are incredibly useful for what we do.”
What differentiates Stonehage Fleming’s PMA offering is the family office approach, explains Richard. “Traditional direct investment vehicles for clients often neglect the relationship element necessary to establish lasting, deeper associations – the key to opening up meaningful outcomes for all parties. Developing our PMA platform was a natural step for a business like ours. It separates us from the more ‘institutional’ private banks and the mass retail propositions from the broader wealth management sector.”
While many competitors talk about their family-focused approach, notes Richard, few really understand how wealthy families want to work. “Working with families is all we’ve ever done. It’s the core business of Stonehage Fleming. In my experience, the clients we deal with actively want enduring relationships. To be a leader in the private markets advisory space requires a longer-term mindset. You have to embed those relationships into your process. That, and be good at building them in the first place.”
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