COVID-19 update
How we are preparing to minimise disruption to our business
We will continue to provide business updates on this page, as well as sharing updates on market developments in our news and insights articles.
You will be aware that the ongoing outbreak of COVID-19 in the UK is continuing to have an impact on individuals, businesses and services. The situation is still changing as new information becomes available, and we continue to act in accordance with the latest government guidance.
We have been working hard to ensure our key services and operations continue to function throughout the pandemic. We have followed our coordinated business continuity and pandemic response plans since news of the coronavirus first emerged. The goal of these plans is to protect our employees, enable us to service clients and continue to manage their investments, all with a minimal level of disruption if the situation escalates.
Many of our employees are now successfully working from our offices as well as at home. Client and business meetings may now take place either virtually, or in person where our clients and employees are entirely comfortable to do so. Our priority is the wellbeing and safety of our clients and employees, and we have set out clear principles to be followed for all in-person meetings where this is the case.
We recognise that this remains an uncertain and still evolving situation, but we are well prepared and are doing everything we can to protect our employees and ensure we continue to deliver a seamless service to clients.
If you have any queries or concerns, please speak to your Business Development Director or the IFA Relationship Team.
Are my clients’ investments safe?
As a well-established wealth manager with a reputation for proving high-quality services, we take our responsibility to clients very seriously. We are authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Our conduct is subject to the FCA’s detailed rules including those for the protection of client money and assets. These rules require the strict separation of company and client money and assets. This means that in the highly unlikely event of insolvency, clients’ money and assets would be ring-fenced so that general creditors have no legal right to these.
A more in-depth explanation of the steps we take to protect client money and assets can be found in the factsheet to the right.
Close Brothers Asset Management is a trading division within Close Brothers Group plc (CBG), a leading UK merchant banking group and FTSE 250 Company with a proven and resilient business model, which has served us well over many years and through a number of economic downturns in the past. CBG has a strong capital position, well above the minimum requirements expected by the regulatory authorities, as well as maintaining additional internal buffers to further support our capital headroom.
We have a long track record of supporting clients through a wide range of challenging market conditions, and are confident that our resilient approach and the deep expertise of our people leave us well placed to navigate the current uncertainty, and to continue serving clients throughout.