We specialise in applying the latest behavioural-science insights to research and analysis for proposition design, fund construction, and risk-model validation.
We leverage world-class academic credentials and decades of industry experience to improve commercial outcomes by guiding people to the best possible decisions.
Our unique blend of expertise, and application of the latest academic insights into how people make decisions and react emotionally to that process can add valuable insight to many areas of financial services, from retail banking to wealth management, pensions, and insurance.
Consistency of advice is a crucial concern for any firm. If what is deemed suitable for a client can differ depending not only on which adviser within a firm they speak to, but also on the prevailing mood of a particular adviser, then that firm has a problem. Our noise audit asks advisers to recommend a suitable risk level plus a high-level asset allocation for hypothetical clients. Without a robust measure of risk capacity, advisers' recommendations for the same client can be highly variable.
Investment advice is increasingly moving online, and many firms are exploring new offerings that are purely digital or that combine digital and human advice. Our Suitability Compass product is designed to work in a whole range of client situations, from simplified or restricted advice for a first-time investor through to holistic financial planning for a high net-worth individual. We have supported multiple large clients to tailor Suitability Compass to their exact requirements, helping them deliver the best advice no matter their proposition.
Interest in ‘responsible investment’ (the collective term for investments which seek to achieve some combination of economic, social and environmental goals) is growing fast, but adoption of available solutions has lagged. Our work has helped investors, and the institutions that serve them, to better understand what is important to them and what trade-offs they are willing to make. Profiling is the key to personalising both a portfolio and the narrative that reassures the owner they’ve made the right call.
Dr Greg Davies is a specialist in applied behavioural finance, decision science, sustainable investing, and financial wellbeing.
He founded the banking world’s first behavioural finance team at Barclays in 2006, which he led for a decade.
In 2017 he joined Oxford Risk to lead the development of behavioural software to help people make the best possible financial decisions.
Dr Davies holds a PhD in Behavioural Decision Theory from Cambridge; has held academic affiliations at UCL, LSE, Imperial, and Oxford; and is author of Behavioral Investment Management.
All rights reserved © 2024