The name being whispered at expatriate cocktail parties among those in the know is West Capital International. The Japan-based company is a privately owned investment firm, known for its traditional values and discretion. They work with international private clients, trusts and foundations building portfolios that make healthy returns while safeguarding assets.
The founders had a saying they never tired of repeating: in the world of investment management, the professional is always personal. From the upper management Tokyo offices to the parking attendants, all employees are constantly reminded that their clients are everything and without them they are nothing. The absolute foundation of ensuring clients meet their investment goals is having excellent client relationships. The nexus of this is attentive service and strong relationships between clients and their investment advisors.
West Capital Intl. finds many advantages to being headquartered in Japan. This forward thinking country is known for its futuristic technology and efficient infrastructure and ease of mobility. The currency is a safe haven and the economy and political landscape are stable. Asian markets set the tone for international trading and being located in an Eastern time zone provides an edge in competitive markets.
THE K.I.S.S. PRINCIPLE
“Keep It Simple, Stupid”. This phrase made famous by the U.S. Navy in 1960 was originally attributed to Kelly Johnson, an aircraft engineer. One would get no argument from Warren Buffett that this sums up the most effective long term investment strategies even in our high tech world. Clients ultimately want one thing: financial security. This means different things to different people but generally boils down to having enough money for the duration of one’s life and keeping that money safe.
Regardless of tax laws and trust formations, there are four essential steps that investment advisors take to secure their clients’ financial future:
Step 1: Identify and prioritize obligations, needs and wants.
Step 2: Establish a comfortable and appropriate risk/reward tradeoff to establish the pace of growth.
Step 3: Make a defined and objective investment plan.
Step 4: Review the portfolio and update the investment plan on a set schedule.
The foundation of this entire process is the relationship between the client and the advisor. This is the essence of why the professional is personal. In order for financial professionals to best help clients, they need to know who their clients are – really know them. What are their hopes, fears, dreams…how aggressive are they comfortable being in the market…will they need cash for any reason in the next year or two or three? Most people are not as self-aware as they like to believe when it comes to their relationship with money and investments. Studies show that people tend to overestimate the risk and market volatility they are comfortable with, and underestimate what their income needs will be when they retire. This is where working with a seasoned advisor pays off in the short term. And having an established written investment plan to keep decisions objective in emotion situations is where it pays off in the long term.
SHOW ME THE MONEY!
First class service and strong relationships are wonderful. But at the end of the day, any wealth management company’s job is to make you money. The backbone of investment selection is the research department. The analysts at West Capital take a macro view to scour the globe for potential opportunities.
This is followed up by a rigid screening process that makes use of proprietary due-diligence parameters to sift through investment candidates. Computerized programs allow the analysts to evaluate hundreds of possibilities but it’s the wisdom of experience that culls the wheat from the chaff. Even in this modern day and age, with lightning fast trading programs and artificial intelligence, there is no substitute for human instinct and gut reactions.
The final step in investment selection is the individual client. Investment advisors consider each and every investment recommendation to ensure that it is appropriate for an individual client’s investment goals and risk profile. Purchasing a security should always move the client forward towards achieving the goals put forward by the investment plan, and allow the client to sleep in peace. This requires a human touch and brings the process back full circle to demonstrate once again the absolute importance of good relationships.
About Us: West Capital International is a privately owned wealth management company based in Tokyo, Japan. They manage off-shore portfolios for expatriates and other private clients, including trusts, estates and foundations. They are recognized for their skills in generating high risk-adjusted returns in combination with superior asset protection services. They welcome new clients and invite interested parties to learn more at www.westcapitalintl.com.
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