Investment solutions for wealth managers and financial intermediaries

We offer independent research and advice, discretionary investment services and, single and multi-asset funds through highly-rated third party asset managers. Our solutions span geographies, asset classes and public and private markets. We can help you build custom portfolios and identify opportunities for your clients. We can supplement your own team’s efforts and act as an extension of your team. We are flexible in how we work with you and we adapt our services to help meet your needs.
Common challenges faced by wealth managers

Investors look to their wealth managers and financial intermediaries to help them build well-diversified portfolios, source and access high-quality asset managers and strategies, invest in a sustainable manner, monitor risks and manage overall investment costs.

Building and managing investment portfolios takes time, precision and focus. For wealth managers and financial intermediaries, there are a range of additional challenges that limit their time to providing exceptional service to clients. These include sourcing and selecting traditional and private market opportunities from a global universe, integrating and monitoring environmental, sustainability and governance (ESG) considerations, managing operational demands and costs, competitor differentiation and navigating complex regulatory environments.

Leveraging our extensive, research, advice and implementation services and range of investment solutions, we can help you build portfolios that are designed to potentially deliver future growth. Below are five benefits of working with us in which we aim to help you achieve your investment goals. 

Investors look to their wealth managers and financial intermediaries to help them build well-diversified portfolios, source and access high-quality asset managers and strategies, invest in a sustainable manner, monitor risks and manage overall investment costs.

Building and managing investment portfolios takes time, precision and focus. For wealth managers and financial intermediaries, there are a range of additional challenges that limit their time to providing exceptional service to clients. These include sourcing and selecting traditional and private market opportunities from a global universe,

integrating and monitoring environmental, sustainability and governance (ESG) considerations, managing operational demands and costs, competitor differentiation and navigating complex regulatory environments.

Leveraging our extensive, research, advice and implementation services and range of investment solutions, we can help you build portfolios that are designed to deliver future growth. Below are five benefits of working with us to help you achieve your investment goals.

Five factors that could impact investment outcomes

Comprehensive and impartial research can help you identify high-quality asset managers and strategies. Our team of dedicated research professionals can help act as an extension of your in-house expertise. We conduct extensive forward-looking research on investment asset managers, across public and private markets globally and we aim to provide you with holistic and sound insights to support your investment decisions. You can review existing asset managers, or choose new ones based on your preferred criteria.

We aim to help you meet your clients investment objectives within a well-managed risk framework through leveraging our expertise in building well diversified risk profiled investment portfolio, dynamically managing them in the ever changing market conditions and providing access to quality asset managers across traditional and alternative asset classes.

Your clients expect prompt execution of investment ideas and a robust risk management framework. Our dedicated and experienced teams can help you achieve this. Our infrastructure and risk management framework and tools are designed to allow you to monitor a portfolio’s performance and the drivers of that performance. You can leverage the insights and reporting to provide effective, timely communications to your clients and help guide their decision-making.

Integrating sustainability into portfolios remains high on the agenda for most investors. In addition to the environment and climate factors, some place a high importance on integrating DEI factors or are looking to make a broader impact to society. We can help support you and your clients in defining, executing and monitoring your sustainable investing objectives.

Managing investment portfolios comes with significant operational burden that take time away from your core focus, your clients and meeting their investment objectives. Our extensive range of investment services could help you reduce your administrative burden and free up more time to spend delivering on your clients’ investment wishes. We are flexible and have developed our services to help suit your needs, by either supplementing some of your work, or working as an extension of your in-house team.
Top considerations for financial intermediaries in 2023
Learn more about the top six considerations for wealth managers and financial intermediaries in 2023.
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Why wealth managers choose to work with us

Wealth managers and financial intermediaries come to us as a gateway to a wider universe of investment opportunities. Our products and services contain a range of core building blocks fit for the full range of client portfolios and risk profiles. We have expertise across geographies, asset classes, public and private markets, and can help you offer quality investments to your clients.
  • Impartiality 
    Our independent global research covers a wide range of managers spanning every asset class, including private and illiquid portfolios. We select managers based on a combination of qualitative and quantitative analysis and our assessment is forward looking.
  • Functionality 
    Our strong operational investments platform and tested continuity plans means that you are better placed to respond to market challenges and ensure that even in times of crises, you are still able to provide your clients with the same level of services.
  • Flexibility 

    We understand that wealth managers and financial intermediaries have a wide range of challenges and priorities and are well equipped to support you through the breath of our capabilities and our flexible operating model.

     

  • Cost efficiency
    Our heritage as an institutional investment consultant means we have the scale to negotiate on manager fees. This allows us to construct and implement portfolios, designed by our strategy and asset allocation specialists, while passing any savings directly onto you.
  • ESG expertise
    We have extensive ESG experience and can leverage our investment services, solutions and products to help fulfil the needs of your own client base. We can also develop, execute and monitor a strategy specifically for you and your clients.
  • Individuality
    We know that every business is different, so we tailor our services to suit your overall objectives. We work with you to understand what you are trying to achieve and present you with a choice of solutions that make sense for your objectives.

How we supplement your investment and research capabilities

Amit Popat, Partner and International Business Leader details the ways we can flex to support your in-house research function.

Mercer investments and retirement consulting: How we can help

Whether you’re an employer, institutional investor, nonprofit organization, financial intermediary or family office, Mercer investments and retirement consulting aims to help you develop an investment solutions strategy unique to your situation, as well as provide the service and support you need.
  • Implementation and OCIO
    We can help you define, develop and implement your investment strategy by addressing areas such as governance, risk, sustainability and diversification. We flex our services to suit your needs and help you achieve your investment goals.
  • Sustainable investments 
    We help you build a sustainable investment strategy that integrates environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations; diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) factors and seeks an optimal mix between positive change and favorable returns.
  • Alternative investments
    Leveraging our existing relationships with hundreds of asset managers around the world, we can help you identify and source new investment strategies, opportunities, ideas and innovations across private markets and hedge funds. 
  • Strategic research 
    Become a member of the MercerInsight® Community today to get access to strategic research from hundreds of thought leaders around the world, including Mercer and third-party publishers. It’s complimentary and easy to join.
  • Asset manager research 
    By subscribing to MercerInsight®, an alliance with eVestment, you can gain access to data, analytics and our forward-looking research on asset managers and thousands of investment strategies across both public and private markets. 
  • Managing investment risk
    Our Mercer Sentinel team can help you conduct due diligence and mitigate operational risks across your portfolios and strategies. We assess asset managers, custodians and other service providers to help you deliver on your governance objectives.

Related insights

    Leverage our breadth and depth

    16.2T

    $16.2 trillion in global assets under advisement

    354B

    $354 billion in global assets under management1

    12K+

    More than 12,400 investment strategies rated2

    7K+

    More than 7,000 asset managers rated3

    1 Unless otherwise noted, AUA and AUM is presented in United States Dollar (USD). Assets Under Management as of March 31, 2023 and Assets Under Advisement as of December 31 2022. As of March 31, 2023, the U.S. Assets Under Management of Mercer Investments LLC are $125bn and the U.S. Assets Under Advisement are $2.2tr.The assets under advisement data (AUA Data) reported here include aggregated assets under advisement for Mercer Investments LLC [and its affiliated companies globally (Mercer)]. The AUA Data has been derived from a variety of sources, including, but not limited to, third-party custodians or investment managers, regulatory filings, and client self-reported data. Mercer has not independently verified the data sourced from third parties in compiling the AUA Data. Where available, the AUA Data are provided as of the date indicated (12/31/22. To the extent information was not available as of the Reporting Date; information from a date closest in time to the Reporting Date, which may be of a date more or less recent in time than the Reporting Date, was included in the AUA Data. The AUA Data include assets of clients that have engaged Mercer to provide ongoing advice. Global AUA includes clients that have engaged Mercer to provide project-based services at any time within the 12-month period ending on the Reporting Date, as well as assets of clients that subscribe to Mercer’s Manager Research database delivered through the MercerInsight® platform as of the Reporting Date.The assets under management data (the AUM Data) reported here include aggregated assets for which Mercer Investments LLC [and its global affiliates] provide discretionary investment management services as of the dates indicated. The AUM Data reported here may differ from regulatory assets under management reported in the Form ADV for Mercer Investments. For regulatory assets under management, please see the Form ADV for Mercer Investments which is available upon request by contacting Compliance Department, Mercer Investments 99 High Street, Boston, MA 02110.

    2 June 30, 2022,  

    3 June 30, 2022

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