Institutional and
Non-Profit Investors

We understand the challenges and complexities faced by an institution and its investment board. We tailor our support to help leadership deliver more effectively for the institution.

We feel it is important to understand the larger picture to be most effective, so our philosophy on investment management is likely an important consideration. Our approach to investing is guided by a disciplined process and a philosophy informed by over 200 years of experience. We believe that the only investment results that matter are the ones that are after fees, taxes, or other expenses. We work to reduce those elements by (1) managing some client assets in-house, avoiding third party manager fees, (2) being attentive to tax reduction strategies, and (3) focusing on lower cost solutions. For most of our clients, risk is as important as return, so we spend even more time seeking out ways to lower a client’s risk exposure through negatively correlated assets, asset allocation, and option strategies.

Some key differences in how we manage money are:

• 1We have access to sophisticated analytics and due diligence across the entire asset class spectrum and can aid leadership in choosing and continuously evaluating appropriate strategies and allocations. We have partnered with one of the leading independent manager evaluation firms which advises nearly 500 billion in assets and specifically over 50 billion in the non-profit arena.
• 2We have access to world class buy-side research and reporting allowing us to provide Institutions a more nuanced view of their positioning and risk posture. Additionally, we can function as an extension of the board for strategy and investment analysis as well as ad hoc data fulfilment.
• 3Unlike many other investment advisers, we distinguish ourselves by managing most of our client’s assets in-house. We draw on lessons that have been learned in over 200 years of collective experience. Furthermore, we procure research from leading financial firms renowned for their expertise in investment research and quantitative analysis. By managing investments in-house, we not only meet performance expectations but also eliminate the incremental costs associated with engaging third-party asset managers, while reducing the potential for unintended concentration risk if independent managers end up investing in highly correlated positions.
• 4We can incorporate asset classes that many others don’t have the resources to tackle. Examples include energy, timber, real estate, private and/or distressed credit and private equity. We have also partnered with one of the leading global independent manager evaluation firms to help us identify and monitor the best-of-class third-party managers for inclusion into your allocation where appropriate.
• 5We believe that fixed income is an overlooked asset class by many investment advisers. Additionally, institutions (banks and brokerages), in an effort to mitigate firm risk, increase efficiencies and scalability, and adhere to certain benchmarks, have instituted policies that force investments into fixed income portfolios that are suboptimal. These firms have lost their focus on their clients, in particular Institutional and Non-Profit Investors which typically have complex objectives and risk tolerances. Managing fixed income portfolios for these clients requires a high degree of customization in investments, the construction of a detailed Investment Policy Statement with the appropriate performance benchmarks, and reporting. A detailed understand of the specific nature of the institution and organization is essential. At Fidelis, we take a customized approach to each fixed income portfolio we manage. The result is better risk adjusted performance and no surprises in this part of the portfolio. In short, we measure success by achieving the asset protection, income, and required return goals of each client individually.
• 6Any successful investment plan must complement the organization’s overall plan. This sets the required return and risk parameters that drive proper investing. For Institutions and Non-Profit Investors, this requires very customized approaches, taking advantage of structure and asset location to maximize the probability of achieving the organization’s optimal outcomes. Understanding the timing and magnitude of any inflows and outflows needed to support the objectives of the organization is critical to developing an optimized investment strategy.