Manager Selection
IPEX clients implement their asset allocation by choosing investment vehicles from the universe of money managers, mutual funds, exchange traded funds and alternative vehicles, as well as by selecting active and indexed strategies. IPEX prepares a comprehensive analysis and makes specific recommendations to assist clients in the selection process.
Importance
Finding the right money manager is critical to realizing investment goals. Unfortunately, the selection of a professional money manager can be a time consuming and bewildering task. It requires a well-defined set of investment objectives, access to a broad base of money manager data and the expertise to match a particular set of investment objectives with a suitable money manager. A poor selection can mean a decline in investment performance or an increase in risk. It can also result in the inconvenience and expense of undergoing another change in managers too soon.
Client Input
In preparing for a manager analysis, IPEX will try and gather as much information as possible from the client. A client’s investment objectives, asset allocation, risk tolerance, preference for active or passive management, and most importantly, existing money managers that the client may prefer to retain, are all factors that we take into consideration in analyzing prospective managers. IPEX tries to ensure that a client has properly addressed all of these issues before seeking out a new manager. Quite often, these threshold issues will have a larger impact on an account's performance than the selection of the actual money manager.
Searches and Evaluations
IPEX provides both Manager Searches and Manager Evaluations. In the case of a Manager Search, IPEX identifies and selects the money manager candidates. In the case of a Manager Evaluation, we evaluate the money manager candidates. The two services are distinct, as in some cases the money manager candidates are designated by the client. The designated money managers may be firms that are currently managing assets for the client or firms that have been referred to the client by some other source.
Fiduciary Responsibilities
As IPEX is unaffiliated with any money management organization, clients can be assured that we will be objective and unbiased in providing both Manager Searches and Manager Evaluations. When IPEX performs a Search or Evaluation, we help clients to fulfill their fiduciary responsibilities by ensuring that they receive comprehensive, accurate and objective information, from an independent firm, regarding all aspects of the managers that they are considering.
