Maintaining absolute independence is a non-negotiable tenet.
All investments are channelled through Asset Managers. No investments are placed through Life Insurance company channels unless absolutely relevant.
Investment strategies can be conservative to aggressive, local or foreign, growth or income based.
The choice of Asset Manager is critical as this is where your investment has the opportunity to grow, where the potential of your money gets manipulated. The Asset Management company must be independent in their thought processes, preferably be an independent business: not owned or controlled by banks or insurance houses. I prefer them to have fixed house views and buy lists that remain consistent despite fund manager changes. They must not be susceptible to month-end price manipulations and they must be transparent in terms of processes and costs.