FINANCIAL ALLIANCE organised a 'wealth forum' recently at Capital Tower which was attended by some 200 guests and clients.
The main highlight was a presentation by FA's Director of Wealth management (Economy and Market Strategy) Sani Hamid on why the market is set for a strong rally.
Part of this has been covered in SANI HAMID: "Don't miss out on possibly the biggest equity rally in years" and
SANI HAMID: 'Best Time Now To Accumulate Equities'
After Sani's presentation and a panel discussion, Victor Wong, Director of Wealth Management (Product and Investment Advisory) at Financial Alliance, asked the panel: "What are you investing your own money in?"
Below are their answers. Their investing interests cut across asset classes and demonstrate that every investor is different -- in terms of investment expectation, risk profile, domain knowledge, strategy, etc.
> Rupert Rucker, Head of Product Management for Asia, Schroders Asset Management: "I really like the dim sum bond funds, or dim sum bonds. You get an appreciating currency, it's very stable and there's a 4% yield.
"I'm not greedy. If I can get between 5 and 10% out of an investment, that's fantastic. I'm not looking for 20% or 30%."
> Kristy Fong, investment manager, Aberdeen Asset Management: "Call it loyalty or laziness, but a lot of my money goes into the Aberdeen funds.
"I have a regular savings plan. It's not just in Asia but also emerging market and, recently, I dipped into US and European funds. I don't have a lot of money!"
> Chia Tse Chern, co-head of Asia fixed income, UOB Asset Management: "I've bought some gold coins from Singapore Mint. I buy gold every year. I'm a non-equity guy. I can't talk about fixed income now... Take the following with a pinch of salt -- I like Chinese equities and Japanese equities. These two markets have done poorly over the last several years and are beginning to perform but are still very cheap. For various reasons, these are buys."
> Sani Hamid, Director, Wealth Management (Economy and Market Strategy), Financial Alliance: "If you take whatever I have and subdivide them into 3 groups, I am heavily invested in our own portfolio, especially the one that is coming up which I showed you.
I am heavily invested in gold. A month or so ago, I asked my mother-in-law to put money into gold - whenever you ask your mother-in-law to put money into something, you jolly well be 120% sure. She does the cooking and she can easily poison me! I'm also pretty bullish on property --not Singapore but property across the Causeway like around Iskandar. These are the things I am invested in with conviction."
