Corporate Excellence 2019

138 CORPORATE VISION / Global Excellence 2019 , 8 CORPORATE VISION / Issue 6 2019 May19379 SCMDirectwas foundedbyAlanandGinaMiller as an innovative, disruptivewealthmanager that puts clients’ interests at theheart of everything theydo. Recently, thefirmfound success inCV’s CorporateExcellenceAwardswhere theywere selected as theMost TrustedOnline InvestmentManager of 2019 –UK. Following thiswin, we profile thefirmand caught upwithGina Millerwhoprovideduswitha glimpse into the innerworkings of the award-winning company. Passion for Performance and Ethics Created as an antidote to the 2008 financial crisis, SCM Direct combines aca- demic research with years of practical experience to provide a Smart, Common-sense and Modern approach to wealth management. Cautious, principled and method- ical, and as the Founders – Alan and Gina Miller, have significant sums of their own money invested alongside clients, on exactly the same fees and terms; they embody the sentiments ‘actions speak louder than words.’ The DNA of the organisation is to be a force for good in UK fund management by operating with 100% transparency, honesty and never forgetting the human face of looking after people’s money. As vocal campaigners against rip-offs, dubious behaviour and anti-consumer practises, the SCM Team are passionate about what they do and always strive to treat their investors with the utmost respect and integrity. Going further into detail, Gina begins by inform- ing us of SCM Direct’s investment strategy, product range and fair fees. “Here at SCM Direct, we run a hybrid actively managing pure Exchange-Traded Funds (ETF) investment strategy based on tactical asset allocation. We offer investors, starting from £10,000, access to Discretionary Portfolio Management services that were traditionally only offered by private banks and wealth managers to High Net Worth, rich investors. Retail clients can invest in a choice of three core portfolios, in three currencies - £, € and US$, with three 50/50 mixes via three investment methods – General Investment Accounts (GIA), ISAs and SIPPs. “By concentrating on global multi-asset allocation, we can sig- nificantly impact positive portfolio returns by spreading investment pots across global asset classes which can boost returns as well as dampen down volatility. Using asset allocation to invest in differ- ent assets that respond differently to the same market forces, SCM can smooth investment returns as some assets will be perform- ing well when others perform badly. However, it is important to remember that all investing involves risk and that there can be no guarantees.” Working behind the scenes to ensure that the firm are able to de- liver these award-winning services is the dedicated, experienced and hard-working team which forms the backbone of SCM Direct. When discussing the internal cul- ture, Gina is keen to highlight the significant role the team play in the overall success of the firm. “It is no secret that our staff are a key component of our success. The organisation is imbued with a kind, friendly, helpful culture where we go to great lengths to ensure people understand our products, costs and processes.” Looking ahead to what the future holds for the firm, the team at SCM Direct will continue to aim to deliver an impeccable service, ensuring that they fulfil their clients’ investment goals, as well as preserving their strong sense of responsibility. Bringing the interview to a close, Gina signs off by revealing what lies ahead for SCM Direct. “2019 is our 10-year anniversary and we are excited about building on the firm foundations of success with institutional clients across corporates, charities and Family offices. For retail clients, we launched our JISA (Junior ISA) accounts in March 2019 and will be launch- ing a diligently constructed ESG Portfolio in September. We will also continue to educate and en- courage more women to become actively involved in investing and looking after their financial health. Lastly, we will of course also con- tinue to hold the regulator, the FCA and industry bodies to account, campaigning against bad industry practices and have a strong, principled responsible corporate voice.” Web Address: www.scmdirect.com Twitter: @scmdirect