Post-Brexit UK will continue to offer significant opportunities, say the AWM industry
21/11/19
London, 18 November 2019 - PwC’s new report, Brexit and beyond: Assessing the impact on Europe’s asset and wealth managers, outlines the chief findings from qualitative interviews with senior executives at more than 20 global asset and wealth managers (AWMs) covering both the preparations for Brexit made by AWMs so far and their views of what the future holds for their businesses and the industry as a whole.
As the political and economic climate around Brexit continues to provide uncertainty across the globe, many AWMs feel confident that they are prepared for Day One following the UK’s departure from the EU – deal or no deal. But for them, this is only the beginning of the story. AWMs are now beginning to think hard about what comes next – above all, about how to best position their businesses for future growth and profitability.
“We received a clear message that the UK will remain a very important part of Europe’s finance ecosystem beyond Brexit. To this end, and to prevent further fracture, uncertainty and costs for business and investors, there is a strong desire among our clients for close alignment based on regulatory equivalence between the UK and the EU27,” said Andy O’Callaghan, Global Asset and Wealth Management Advisory Leader.
The report details the position of AWMs on Day One after Brexit, how they anticipate their operating models changing further in the months and years that follow, and how they see the long-term outlook for the industry as a whole.
Five key takeaways from the report:
- More than three years after the referendum, there is still little clarity about the future relationship between the UK and the EU. While the EU’s equivalence regime offers a potentially powerful insurance policy against future uncertainty, AWMs may suffer collateral damage if trade negotiations become politicised.
- Most AWMs we interviewed say they are ready for Brexit, helped by the interventions of Europe’s supervisory authorities, and should be able to continue operating largely seamlessly, even in the case of no deal. However, market and economic volatility is a concern.
- The future for the UK’s AWM sector is now unclear. Policymakers and the AWM sector will need to focus on cementing the UK’s status as a centre of excellence for portfolio management while deciding the extent of tax and/or regulatory alignment is a viable option for driving funds growth.
- EU27 centres such as Ireland and Luxembourg now have an opportunity to consolidate and grow their substantial funds industries, but fragmentation and domestic competition pose a potential risk to the industry.
- EU27 AWMs are still unclear about the best way to access the lucrative UK market.
ENDS
Notes
During September 2019, PwC conducted qualitative interviews with senior executives at more than 20 global AWMs across all asset classes, as well as several industry bodies. Interviewers spoke to a broad range of managers based both in the UK and in EU27 jurisdictions, including Ireland, France and Luxembourg, representing both traditional and alternative assets.
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