Chris Taylor, the former managing director at Incapital Europe in London, has resigned from his position as managing director or Incapital Europe but immediately emerged in the UK structured products market with the launch of a new consultancy firm, The Investment Bridge.
The Investment Bridge, Taylor told SRP, will not be a structured products provider itself, but its services will include offering independent consultancy sitting between investment banks and product providers, connecting them to IFAs and wealth managers and vice-versa: “The aim of the new firm is to connect investment banks, issuers and providers with advisors and end investors with the benefit of total independency, and vice-versa to offer specialist ansd expert services to wealth managers and IFAs seeking to interface with and engage investment banks in the construction of bespoke and exclusive structured investment propositions for clients,” said Taylor. He added that services offered would not be restricted to products, and that management consultancy services to issuers seeking entry to or advancement in the market would be fundamental aspects of the new firm's offering, as well as providing expert input to the due diligence processes of wealth managers and IFAs seeking to assess providers and products.
Taylor said the new firm will not restrict its specialised consultancy services to structured products but will also provide other ‘specialist’ investment propositions, including funds: “The new firm will talk investments as opposed to products,” he said. “There is an income fund proposition in the pipeline, and an interesting growth proposition, for the UK wealth management space, with the emphasis upon the higher net worth end of the advisory channel.”
Taylor's resignation from Incapital Europe comes after the resignation of fellow MD Mark Dickson. Taylor and Dickson founded Blue Sky Asset Management in 2006. The firm was sold to US-based Incapital in 2010. Taylor will retain a consultancy relationship with Incapital Europe, through the Investment Bridge.