When is a boutique not a boutique?

Size, specialism, remuneration and culture are the four main criteria that define an investment management boutique

Galvanised by Arsenal's smash and grab win last weekend, I set about writing this with renewed vigour. The very thought of thousands of very blue Blues trudging past endless boutiques along the King's Road prompted a look at the literal definition of a boutique. A trip to the Oxford English Dictionary's website revealed this to be 'a small shop selling fashionable clothes'. Having recently moved from a large firm to a smaller, so-called 'boutique', I am often asked what the main differences are between a boutique and a larger asset manager. The almost obsessive need for the investment ind...