A new co-branded Raymond James branch is opening and will be called The Investment Boutique, led by Helena Bakunowicz.
The new branch will specialise in the provision of investment management services to a select number of individuals. The emphasis will be on a highly personalised service, where the construction of portfolios is tailored to the precise needs of each client.
Helena will be supported by an administrative team, as well as an established and growing investment committee of well-regarded experts from across the industry. The intention is for them to bring experience as well as independent thinking to allow ongoing evaluation of the investment process. Individuals come from fields such as Financial Planning, Fixed Interest and Alternative Assets. The firm will initially service high net worth clients in the Home Counties with investable assets in excess of £1.5million.
Prior to becoming a Raymond James Branch Principal, Helena worked in the wealth management industry for seven years, where she was part of a team managing bespoke portfolios for a diverse set of clients, with a particular focus on high net worth individuals.
On working with Raymond James, Helena said: “The value of a good investment manager is in the strength of the relationships they establish and the quality of the service they provide to their clients. Raymond James has enabled me to build my own business without constraints, building on my own network of contacts and offering a strong technology solution and back office support that allows me to fully focus on client service. There is a strong entrepreneurial ethos in the network that suits my own approach and allows me to create the firm I know will succeed.”
On The Investment Boutique’s plans for the future, Helena commented: “I plan to rapidly expand the team to add diversity of opinion and a broad range of expertise. Our aim is to accommodate the needs of the client by being operationally agile, taking advantage of the latest technology and fostering a proactive approach to investment. I see it as a real strength that I can balance these advantages with my industry experience, proven record of building strong client relationships and investment solutions, which are the traditional advantages associated with a more established business.”
David Hazelton, Head of Business Development at Raymond James said: “Helena has an entrepreneurial mind set and a commitment to client service which we share. It is with pleasure that we welcome The Investment Boutique to the Raymond James network. We look forward to supporting Helena with our specialist tools and support, while she provides an exceptional investment management service to a select number of high net worth clients.”
Black MondayOn 19 October 1987, the stock markets experienced a dramatic plunge that prompted many firms to shut down their trading desks and turn off their phones to minimize internal losses. Raymond James refused to do the same. Our desks stayed open to help meet clients’ needs, resulting in our first and only unprofitable quarter since the firm went public in 1983. |
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Who was Raymond James?The Raymond in our name is actually from Edward Raymond, owner of a 15-employee mutual fund sales group, Raymond and Associates, along Florida’s west coast. He sold his company to Bob James on 15 July 1964, on condition that the surviving firm be called Raymond, James & Associates. Three days after the sale, Ed Raymond was involved in a near-fatal automobile accident and never joined the firm. Nonetheless, even after Raymond had passed away, Bob James insisted that his name remain on the door – ahead of James’ own. That was a promise he made to Ed Raymond three days before the accident, and Bob James was a man who kept his promises. |
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Bear Market of 1974The severe bear market of 1974 threatened the existence of Raymond James, which was bleeding capital by the day. Tom James, his father and other leaders took extreme measures to keep the firm afloat, slashing costs, foregoing paychecks and even attempting to sell the firm for just enough capital to protect client assets and retain as many associates as possible. The story could have ended very differently if not for a sharp upturn and continued rebound in the stock markets late in the year. |
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Taking Raymond James PublicWhen consideration was being given to taking Raymond James public, Tom James penned a letter to shareholders (largely employees at the time). ” … the public offering should be considered as a statement of our independence. While this is a psychological rather than an economic rationale, it is nonetheless very important. We have asserted for some time that we are not interested in becoming a small part of a very large corporation. That assertion results mainly from the inclinations of management rather than the economic benefits associated with either alternative. The public stock offering affords us the opportunity to enjoy a little bit of the best of both worlds. While shareholders will be given liquidity at fair market value, we will still have the ability to control our own destiny.” After 40+ years of Tom’s leadership, upon becoming CEO, Paul Reilly was often questioned about whether the company might ultimately surrender its cherished independence and be acquired by some larger entity. His response: “Not while I’m around.” It’s a theme that continues today. |
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