Tax Efficient

Highlights of the 2015 Alternative Investment Summit, where 218 delegates were able to network and learn from 15 panels and presentations from 36 speakers on topics ranging from growth barriers and opportunities in tax efficient investments to the adviser and investor cases for crowdfunding and P2P lending – plus insights and observations from FOS Lead Ombudsman Caroline Mitchell; Senior Policy Adviser to HM Treasury, Wyndham North; and Seven Investment Management Co-founder Justin Urquhart-Stewart.

These stories of “impact beyond investment” bring to life a national campaign to highlight the importance of venture capital schemes, and evidence the industry’s contribution to the economy through job and wealth creation. The Growth Investor Awards recognise those enabling start up and ‘scale up’ businesses to realise their full potential and drive Britain’s economic recovery.

Celebrating the role of the UK SME fund management community in job and wealth creation, the Growth Investor Awards recognise those enabling start up and ‘scale up’ businesses to realise their full potential and drive Britain’s economic recovery.

Honouring companies and individuals offering value beyond investment, an independent panel of judges looked for those demonstrating innovation in products and services; impact on investee performance; and how they are championing alternative investment.

This video shows you the highlights of the evening.

Goncalo discusses the alternative finance sector as a whole and what it means for advisers, why the new Innovative Finance ISA will be more important for debt rather than equity based crowdfunding and why the UK is miles ahead of the rest of the world when it comes to funding small companies. We also talk about what “localism” means online and what his platform does to help prevent investors being diluted at a later date.

Justin focuses in on the positives of the financial services industry and whether alternative investments are better at the efficient allocation of capital. He also talks about why volatility and liquidity are as important as performance when it comes to portfolio construction and we touch on supporting small businesses and localism.

Danby tells us why some advisers should be considering more alternative investments, and how they can overcome some of the practical barriers that are holding advisers back. We discuss why having an investment committee could be a crucial step and finally we try and answer the key question for advisers – are alternatives worth the time and effort that they need to spend on them?

Ian gives us his view of the current landscape for tax efficient investments in the light of changes to the rules for qualifying companies and pension limits. We also talk about the importance of advisers getting to know the companies they invest with.

Caroline clarifies the role of FOS, the areas they examine when dealing with complaints and what advisers should do when they are contacted by FOS. We also cover complaints over alternative investments in particular and she reveals how many complaints are actually upheld by FOS.

Diana tells us what sorts of clients advisers should to place into VCTs and why the traditional client base is changing and diversifying as advisers use VCTs in a variety of situations. She also explains why advisers need to look beyond the title of a VCT into the underlying basket of investments and what risks advisers need to communicate to their clients.

Chris discusses what advisers should be looking for from VCT managers, the investment case for AIM listed smaller companies and why advisers have justifiably overlooked VCTs in the past – and why they should reconsider VCTs today.