How does a boutique fund house compare to bigger rivals?

FUND GROUPS

Chris Metcalfe, managing director of investment advisory firm IBOSS, explores the benefits and advantages of operating as a boutique fund house.

Comparing a boutique fund management house to its larger counterpart is a difficult task. After all, in fund management, there are some issues too emotive to fit neatly into ratios, formulas, or quantitative-based research systems. If you think about fund groups’ general ethos, and the relationships their managers have with the firm, you can start to imagine the myriad of differences between the two. For one thing, the comparatively smaller number of fund managers within a boutique management outfit means each incumbent manager has a greater impact on the company as a whole. Indeed...