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Fisher Investments Selects Advent International and ADIA as Strategic Partners in Minority Common Stock Investment
Fisher Investments’ Founder Ken Fisher Maintains Majority Controlling Interest
PLANO, Texas, June 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Fisher Investments (“FI”) announced today that Advent International (“Advent”) and a wholly owned subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (“ADIA”) have agreed to make a minority investment in Ken Fisher’s namesake firm, Fisher Investments. The investment by Advent and ADIA of at least $2.5 billion and up to $3 billion values FI at $12.75 billion. Following closing, which is expected to occur later this year, Ken Fisher will remain active in his current role as FI’s Executive Chairman and Co-Chief Investment Officer, and FI management led by CEO Damian Ornani will continue to drive the company. The investment will not impact FI’s clients, employees or day-to-day operations. Completion of the transaction is subject to certain approvals and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions.
The transaction was part of Ken Fisher’s long-term estate planning and allows FI under the leadership of Damian Ornani the ability to continue operating as an independent privately held investment adviser, wealth and asset management firm. FI manages over $275 billion for over 150,000 clients globally, including 120,000 US private clients and 185 of the world’s largest and most well-known institutional clients. An additional distinguishing feature of FI is its substantial international institutional and high net worth operations—currently serving over 30,000 private clients across 16 countries and offices on four continents, with plans to continue expanding its global footprint.
Ken Fisher, the Founder and Executive Chairman of FI, will sell personal holdings in FI to Advent-managed funds and ADIA. For Advent and ADIA, the deal was an opportunity for a long-term investment in one of the world’s largest investment advisers. Investors in the Advent vehicles include Lunate Capital Limited managed funds, Mousse Partners, and FI’s longtime largest institutional client, South Korea’s National Pension Service (NPS). This is the first outside investment in FI, with previous FI ownership solely among family and employees. After the transaction closes, Ken Fisher will retain a majority of beneficial ownership and of voting shares exceeding 70%. There is no further FI investment transaction contemplated. The investment in common shares includes neither options nor non-common stock preferences and includes proportional voting to the investors’ beneficial ownership. Upon closing, David Mussafer, Managing Partner at Advent will join the board of directors at FI.
Damian Ornani, longtime FI CEO, said, “This transaction gives us the independent runway with truly exceptional institutional investors who can bring us their wisdom, value our unique culture and goals, and want us to keep doing what we’ve always done, bigger and better, while pioneering never yet done solutions to benefit our clients and employees.”
Ken Fisher said, “This transaction is aimed dually at estate tax and planning purposes while assuring that FI will maintain its traditional culture, growth evolution and devotion to exceptional client service. FI has been my life. While my health is excellent, this transaction with an atypically long holding period for a private equity transaction will ensure FI’s long-term private independence and culture should anything untoward happen to me. And, we will have the support of world class partners who understand us operationally and culturally, and value what we are and will be.”
David Mussafer, Managing Partner at Advent said, “We are excited to be backing one of the top brands in financial services that is trusted by its clients for its personalized approach towards wealth management. Ken, Damian, and the rest of the management team have built a tremendous organization over the past 45 years. We’re honored to partner with them in supporting FI’s next phase of growth while upholding the company’s unique culture that is core to its success.”
J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and RBC Capital Markets served as joint financial advisors and Paul Hastings served as legal advisor to FI in this transaction. Ropes & Gray served as legal advisor to Advent. Gibson Dunn served as legal advisor to ADIA.
About Fisher Investments
Founded in 1979, Fisher Investments is an independent, fee-only investment adviser. Fisher Investments and its subsidiaries manage over $275 billion across three principal businesses—Institutional, US Private Client, and Private Client International. Founder and Executive Chairman Ken Fisher wrote the Forbes “Portfolio Strategy” column for 32 ½ years until 2017, making him the longest running columnist in its history. He now writes monthly for the New York Post and discreet unique columns in native language, varying by country, in 25 major nations, spanning more countries and more total volume than any other columnist of any type in history. Ken has appeared regularly on major TV news like Fox Business and News, BBN Bloomberg and CNN International. Ken has written 11 investing and finance books, including four New York Times bestsellers. For more information, visit www.fisherinvestments.com.
About Advent International
Founded in 1984, Advent International is one of the largest and most experienced global private equity investors. The firm has invested in 420 private equity investments across 43 countries, and as of December 31, 2023, had $94 billion in assets under management.* With 15 offices in 12 countries, Advent has established a globally integrated team of over 300 private equity investment professionals across North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia. The firm focuses on investments in five core sectors, including business and financial services; health care; industrial; retail, consumer, and leisure; and technology. For 40 years, Advent has been dedicated to international investing and remains committed to partnering with management teams to deliver sustained revenue and earnings growth for its portfolio companies.
For more information, visit
Website: www.adventinternational.com
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/advent-international
* Assets under management include assets attributable to Advent advisory clients as well as employee and third-party co-investment vehicles.
About Abu Dhabi Investment Authority
Established in 1976, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (“ADIA”) is a globally diversified investment institution that prudently invests funds on behalf of the Government of Abu Dhabi through a strategy focused on long-term value creation. For more information, visit www.adia.ae.
Media Contacts:
For Fisher Investments
Naj Srinivas
Executive Vice President, Corporate Communications
[email protected]
For Advent International
Leslie Shribman
Head of Communications
[email protected]
For ADIA
Garry Nickson
ADIA Corporate Communications & Public Affairs
[email protected]
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CUBE, a leader in Automated Regulatory Intelligence (ARI) and Regulatory Change Management (RCM), has released a report detailing significant compliance challenges faced by global financial services firms today. The report serves as a strategic resource for compliance departments, incorporating insights from esteemed compliance professionals and regulatory experts within the industry.
Dr. Yin Lü, CUBE’s Global Head of Product for Artificial Intelligence, describes the recent environment in financial services as tumultuous, driven by rapid technological advancements, stringent regulatory scrutiny, and intense consumer demand for new products and services, all within a compressed timeline.
The report categorizes the primary compliance issues into five key areas: the rapid pace of regulatory changes, proactive risk management, the complexities of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) criteria, data privacy concerns, and the challenges of operating within tighter budgets and rising costs.
One significant point of concern is the expanding scope of regulations, exemplified by the constant updates to the UK’s payment frameworks post-Brexit and the U.S. regulatory bodies’ efforts to regulate cryptocurrencies, digital wallet services, and shadow banking. Since the 2008 financial crisis, CUBE’s regulatory inventory has tracked over 40 million regulatory documents affecting the banking sector, highlighting the complex landscape compliance professionals must navigate.
Dr. Lü emphasizes the importance of staying ahead of risks to mitigate increasing penalties for non-compliance. She notes that recent enforcement actions have focused on lapses in recordkeeping, cryptocurrency fraud, and weaknesses in corporate governance, with fines related to unmonitored phone usage topping $2 billion since 2022.
The report also discusses the growing ESG divide, noting the difficulty compliance officers face due to conflicting demands and evolving standards across various jurisdictions. With over 600 active ESG standards and frameworks, achieving compliance is increasingly challenging.
Data privacy remains a critical concern, with privacy laws expanding significantly since 2023 under heightened regulatory demands to protect consumer data. AI and machine learning are invaluable in helping compliance teams manage complex international frameworks through horizon scanning and data mapping.
Furthermore, Dr. Lü highlights the pressure on compliance functions to do more with less, suggesting that integrating AI into compliance processes is crucial for managing costs and enhancing efficiency. She advocates for transitioning to machine-driven and human-validated compliance workflows to maintain alignment with the latest regulations and reimagines the potential of compliance teams to enhance financial stability and protect businesses and consumers alike.
Source: ibsintelligence.com
The post Can AI & ML revolutionise compliance in financial services amid regulatory challenges? appeared first on HIPTHER Alerts.
BlueFlame AI, a generative AI platform designed specifically for alternative investment managers, has successfully completed its Series A funding round, raising $5 million.
The round was 25% oversubscribed, reflecting strong investor confidence, and led to a new company valuation of $50 million. The funding sources included BlueFlame’s extensive industry network, strategic partners, and a notable contribution from the management team.
Established by experts in cybersecurity, FinTech, and governance, risk management, and compliance (GRC), BlueFlame AI is a leader in incorporating artificial intelligence into the alternative investment management arena. The company leverages cutting-edge AI and machine learning to create innovative solutions that transform the operations of investment managers, with a focus on enhancing security, privacy, and compliance.
The newly acquired funds will fuel BlueFlame’s accelerated growth plans. The company intends to broaden its services, improve its generative AI platform, and hire additional high-caliber staff, including client success managers, engineers, product managers, and operations personnel.
This expansion is part of BlueFlame’s strategy to continuously improve its client support and develop new AI technologies that streamline data integration and enhance operational efficiency.
Since its launch in October 2023, BlueFlame has rapidly expanded, now employing over 20 professionals and serving global clients who manage hundreds of billions of dollars in assets. Its clientele includes private equity managers, hedge funds, and wealth managers who benefit from BlueFlame’s integrations with over 20 system providers and its more than 50 pre-built workflows that boost operational capabilities.
Raj Bakhru, the CEO of BlueFlame AI, highlighted the critical role of AI in contemporary investment strategies, stating, “AI has become an essential tool that alternative investment managers recognize as crucial for streamlining operations, enhancing efficiencies, and supporting advanced strategies. The value of AI is evident, and our investors are keenly aware of the challenges and opportunities in harmonizing structured and unstructured data using AI, while also adhering to compliance, security, and regulatory demands. This funding is a strong endorsement of our business model, our technology’s robustness, and the value we add to the industry. With this capital, we are poised to focus on our primary objectives of product innovation and delivering exceptional value to our customers, as we continue to explore new ways for our clients to use AI to minimize time on routine tasks and focus more on achieving results for their investors.”
Before this funding round, BlueFlame had not reported any prior investment rounds, indicating that this Series A represents a significant initial step in their journey to advance FinTech solutions within the investment management sector.
Source: fintech.global
The post Investment tech innovator BlueFlame raises $5m to advance AI capabilities appeared first on HIPTHER Alerts.
Latest News
CBUAE issues Sandbox Conditions Regulation to boost innovation in financial services sector
The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) has recently introduced the Sandbox Conditions Regulation, aimed at fostering a conducive environment for startups and global fintech companies.
This move is designed to enhance creativity and innovation within the financial sector by providing a structured regulatory and supervisory framework. The regulation is also expected to bolster the financial sector’s competitiveness and contribute to the UAE’s economic expansion.
Regulatory Framework and Participant Conditions
The regulation sets out specific criteria that participants, including startups, fintech firms, and established businesses offering innovative financial services, must meet. It permits these entities to trial new business models, products, and services for a set period while adhering to ongoing regulatory requirements to safeguard the interests of all parties involved.
Enabling Proactive Supervision and Regulatory Compliance
These stipulations allow the CBUAE to proactively monitor and address innovations through its supervisory activities, assisting participants in aligning their operations with regulatory standards.
Application Requirements
To qualify, applicants must introduce a technologically innovative financial product, service, solution, or business model that could potentially benefit consumers and/or the broader industry. Participants are also expected to show an intention to expand the proposed service across the UAE after completing the sandbox program.
Promoting Innovation and Protecting Stakeholders
Khaled Mohamed Balama, Governor of the CBUAE, remarked that the release of the Sandbox Conditions Regulation underscores the UAE’s dedication to nurturing innovation and advancing a knowledge-based economy. The framework not only encourages experimentation and positive contributions to the economy but also prioritizes consumer protection and the interests of all stakeholders.
The regulation has been officially published in the Official Gazette and is now in effect.
Source: economymiddleeast.com
The post CBUAE issues Sandbox Conditions Regulation to boost innovation in financial services sector appeared first on HIPTHER Alerts.
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