Close Brothers Asset Management - Non-Executive Director

Non-Executive Director - Close Brothers Asset Management

Close Brothers Asset Management is one of the UK’s largest and longest-established providers of high-quality financial planning advice and discretionary investment services. We aim to build and preserve our clients’ wealth by providing a complete, personalised and professional service. We have specialised in managing client portfolios for over 40 years and our investment team and financial planners are supported by more than 550 staff, working from 8 offices across the UK.

About the Role

Close Asset Management (UK) Limited (“CBAM”) wishes to appoint a non-executive director (NED) with extensive asset management experience in an FCA regulated business to the existing CBAM fund operator board. The appointment is in response to the FCA’s Asset Management Market Study Policy Statement (PS)18/8 and the candidate should be in a position to commence the role by 1 April 2019.

The main fund range comprises thirteen multi-asset class, risk targeted funds launched in early 2010 and now with asset under management in excess of £4bn. The funds are UCITS unit trusts and are vanilla in nature. In addition, there are three standalone funds with combined assets of around £75m; these are vanilla funds and are structured as a NURS OEIC, a UCITS unit trust and a UCITS OEIC.

The board of CBAM expects the newly appointed NED to assist in ensuring that the statutory and governance duties of the organisation are discharged effectively; to help instil a culture of continual improvement; and to act in the best interests of the fund shareholders and unitholders. In particular, the NED will be responsible for assisting the board develop the value assessment report for the funds, as described in PS 18/8.

The role will require the NED to be notified to Companies House and approved as an Approved Person and (subsequently) a Senior Manager with the FCA.

Key Responsibilities

• Considering the interests of the fund shareholders and unitholders, procure that they are treated fairly and consider the value for money that they receive as investors;
• Providing a current industry perspective on matters relating to pricing, costs and management of the funds;
• Keeping abreast of regulatory developments in the UK and EU, and ensuring that CBAM’s policies are in line with recent and anticipated regulatory changes;
• Providing constructive challenge to the policies, proposals and plans developed by CBAM;
• Contributing to the quality of board debate by providing appropriate challenge and intellectual analysis;
• Giving counsel, advice and support to the chief executive and executive team;
• Promoting the highest standards of corporate governance and regulatory compliance; and
• Adhering to and enactment of the Company Principles, namely demonstrating a commitment to the client, excellence in service, teamwork and operating with integrity.

Time Commitment

The estimated time commitment is around 10 days per annum. In the first instance there may be a requirement to attend additional training or induction activities over and above the usual time commitment.

½ day per Board meeting and 1 ½ days preparation and travelling on the basis of 4 meetings per annum, plus ad hoc correspondence, review and meetings, as required.

About you

• Candidates would ideally have regulatory and governance experience gained within a financial services organisation (with extensive asset management activities) either by having served as a lawyer, regulator or executive director.
• Previous experience as a NED would be an advantage.
• They will be capable of contributing to broad strategic debate at the board as an independent non-executive.
• Candidates will be accomplished individuals who have the intellect, strategic thinking, energy and enthusiasm to contribute to CBAM’s future strategic growth.
• The successful candidate will possess a number of personal qualities including:
  • Gravitas and credibility to interact effectively with key stakeholders on behalf of the group;
  • Energetic but not overbearing, with a real interest in adding value;
  • Strong analytical skills, and an ability to assess information quickly, objectively and accurately;
  • Effective relationship building and communication skills; an articulate, personable, enthusiastic manner;
  • Supportive but with the confidence to challenge and question appropriately;
  • Personal commitment to key values of trust, discretion, reliability, honesty and the Company Principles;
  • The highest ethical standards of integrity and probity; and
  • Independence of judgement and an enquiring mind.

Equal Opportunities

As an employer, Close Brothers is committed to equality and valuing diversity within its workforce. We provide equality of opportunity and will aim to ensure that no employee’s or candidates are subject to discrimination on grounds of any characteristics including but not withstanding gender, gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation, race, colour, nationality, religion, age, disability, working pattern, caring responsibilities, political beliefs.