Six ways Navigate International by Glacier Invest makes offshore portfolio construction easy
02 July 2024
Navigate International is the new evolution of Navigate, but it’s so much more than an improved version of Glacier International’s flagship suite of offshore solutions launched in 2012.
By adding Navigate International to Glacier Invest’s (the largest discretionary fund manager in South Africa) value proposition, we’ve created a robust offshore solution. Now, with Glacier Invest driving Navigate International, we’ve taken much of the heavy lifting from the offshore portfolio construction for advisers. Game-changing advantages to the adviser that could not be offered before, now come standard, whether they require an off-the-shelf or a bespoke solution.
Below, we examine how Glacier Invest supports the delivery of Navigate International and the value added to an adviser’s practice.
1. What goes into portfolio construction is implicitly understood through time and effort
Offshore portfolio construction can be a lengthy and meticulous process, with little room for error if shortcuts are taken. Given an investible universe of over 300,000 global funds, advisers face significant pressure to make informed selections based on comprehensive market intelligence.
South African advisers, generally, have a certain style of constructing portfolios. Typically, they would outsource asset allocation in the portfolio to the underlying asset manager. When it comes to the time spent on putting a portfolio together only with the asset managers and solutions that advisers are familiar with, it could take a week or more to complete. It is likely that the adviser may not have conducted due diligence on the asset managers, and they wouldn’t have been afforded the opportunity to meet with the managers face to face. Additionally, advisers wouldn’t have conducted deep-dive research into the funds or their asset allocation. Therefore, the portfolio presented to clients might not necessarily be the most appropriate for meeting their investment objectives and would pose an investment risk.
2. Glacier Invest ensures expanded research capability
Glacier Invest offers the research and due diligence capacity essential for portfolio construction. This encompasses market and fund analysis, asset classes, sectors, and geographies. The expertise is provided by Glacier Research and Sanlam Investments Multi-Manager. As an independent discretionary fund manager (DFM), Glacier Invest leverages the full range of expertise and resources within the Sanlam Group to deliver a world-class portfolio management and consulting value proposition.
3. Advisers can be part of decision-making
Typically, asset allocation decisions are made by the underlying fund managers within a specific risk profile. With Navigate International, advisers can be part of the conversation where there is an appetite to participate in these asset allocation decisions.
4. Glacier Invest’s skill, scale and simplicity benefit advisers – and clients
Glacier Invest boasts skilled investment professionals who offer comprehensive support while considering an adviser's practice requirements. Its scale enables cost-effective access to top managers, advanced portfolio construction techniques, and tactical expertise. The strategy is driven by client preferences, legislation, and advice-led solutions, ensuring simplicity and greater transparency.
5. SmartPortfolio – the digital backbone of portfolio construction
Glacier Invest’s contemporary technology allows portfolio managers to create a solution for any investment problem in collaboration with the adviser. Through SmartPortfolio, advisers are able to utilise a vast amount of data on asset classes and return expectations, as well as investment instruments, and truly optimise investment solutions.
6. Solutions Architecture underpins Navigate International
Glacier Invest provides advisers with an unrivalled and fully customisable investment proposition that enhances and enriches the investment experience for clients. In close collaboration with advisers, Glacier Invest crafts solutions to meet diverse client needs through flexible design – something we refer to as ‘Solutions Architecture’.
Navigate International truly is an example of Solutions Architecture in action, which combines purpose, client centricity, and solutions and ensures the delivery of market research, manager research, portfolio management and portfolio construction – in one offshore solution.