Joshua Rotbart, Managing Partner of his gold investment, distribution and storage firm J. Rotbart & Co, gave delegates at the Hubbis Wealth Management Forum in Manila a valuable guide to the value of gold as an investment for wealthy private clients. He focused the talk through the prism of “The Role of Gold in a De-De-Dollarised World”, reporting that gold is assuming an even more important role in the evolving global financial landscape, particularly in the context of diminishing reliance on the US dollar for international trade and reserves.

In a recent presentation titled “2024: A Year of Normalization and a Nice Tailwind for Credit,” Romain Miginiac, Fund Manager and Head of Research at Atlanticomnium SA, offered delegates at the Hubbis Independent Wealth Forum in Dubai an in-depth analysis and optimistic outlook for credit markets, particularly focusing on the European financial sector. As a seasoned professional steering the GAM Credit Opportunities Strategy, Miginiac shared his expertise on why subordinated debt of European financials presents a compelling opportunity in the current economic environment. This article surveys the key points of his presentation, highlighting the potential that lies within the financial sector for investors.

The Hubbis Independent Wealth Management Forum of March 6 in Dubai saw a panel of independent wealth experts assemble to discuss how the industry should align the right strategies, operational models and tools to ensure they can compete effectively and deliver the best outcomes for their clients, their team members and their owners. One of the experts on the panel was Dean Kemble, Chief Commercial Officer at GSB Capital. Established in 2021, GSB Capital recently attained CISI CharteredTM status from The Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI) in January of this year, becoming the first-ever international firm and the first in the Middle East to achieve that recognition. The accolade is a feather in the cap for GSB, which Ross and Alison Whatnall founded. In a recent interview with Hubbis, Dean explained that GSB has been providing an increasingly wide range of wealth management and broader financial services to clients seeking high-quality investment, financial planning, private banking, lending and corporate finance expertise. During this panel discussion, he offered his insights into what the independent wealth platform needs for operational and client-centric success.

Talos is a B2B software provider specializing in digital asset trading solutions for institutions on the buy-side and sell-side of global markets. Hubbis recently had the opportunity to connect with Samar Sen, Head of APAC for the firm, who gave us insights into the primary challenges faced by institutions wanting to get involved in the world of Digital Assets today. He delved into the challenges faced, the opportunities on the horizon, his key priorities, and how Talos supports firms in their transition toward participating in the greatest financial revolution of the 21st century.

REYL Intesa Sanpaolo has been one of the early leaders in the evolving landscape of the UAE’s financial sector. It believes that its position as a boutique independent wealth firm is ideal for achieving the best client outcomes and for the firm’s ongoing strategic growth. We spoke again recently with Fadi Barakat, Chief Investment Officer at REYL Finance (MEA) in Dubai, for some updated perspectives on the UAE operations and ambitions within REYL Intesa Sanpaolo, a family-controlled business that dates back originally to 1973 in Switzerland, that has been operating in the UAE since 2015. Under the current leadership of François Reyl since 2008, the founder’s son, the Bank has navigated the complexities of global finance to amass nearly USD39 billion in assets under management. With a strategic footprint across ten locations, including London, Europe, Dubai, Singapore, and the US, REYL Intesa Sanpaolo epitomises the boutique private bank model that thrives on personalised service and innovative financial solutions. Fadi describes REYL Intesa Sanpaolo’s operation in the DIFC as a small to medium-sized boutique private wealth management firm, functioning essentially like a multifamily office. He says the UAE is a big market for the bank and links in ideally to REYL Intesa Sanpaolo’s booking centres in Geneva and Singapore. He explains that the UAE operation is keenly building a significant presence, leveraging the overall market’s growth and its network of skills and relationships within the wider Group.

I have just spent a week in India with Michael Stanhope of Hubbis. We had the good fortune to meet with 125 senior executives of some of Hubbis’ clients, all of whom are leading local State and commercial banks, international private banks, independent wealth managers, multi-family offices, asset managers, law firms and fiduciary services providers.

Investing in art has long been an intriguing but complex endeavor, offering a unique set of opportunities and challenges for those willing to navigate its waters. While the financial value of art has been established by the consistent performance of top-ranked artists, there are several factors to consider when delving into this world. And in the current climate of economic uncertainty, high net worth individuals (HNWIs) are increasingly turning to alternative investments like art and collectibles.

Harmen Overdijk, CIO of the leading external asset management firm that connects the US and Asia, Leo Wealth, is committed to the firm’s efforts to upgrade its digital technologies. Indeed, he recently explained to Hubbis that the firm is investing heavily in upgrading its global platform across all facets of operations, investments, administration, analytics and reporting. The key missions are to boost capabilities, enhance capacity, improve productivity, elevate the investment offering, help team members with automation, and upgrade the client experience. Harmen was one of our three experts who spoke at the Hubbis Digital Dialogue event on December 7th that focused on the opportunities and challenges around digital transformation and implementation.