To grade the quality of an investment manager's practice and eventually to publish ratings in the Investment Management Report-Asia, RCP & Partners' team assesses the quality of staff and team interaction; performance; track record length; trading culture and portfolio turnover; the mix and stability of the clientele; information technology; research quality; staff communication; efficiency; and the premises.
On the business management side, the following traits are held up to scrutiny: the firm's size and financial strength, its international stature and roots, profitability, financial disclosure, rate of growth, the quality of its client relations, the reporting process, access to managers and marketing.
The management team is interviewed and back-office systems are surveyed.
The examining team assesses the firm's vulnerability to competition; its business development achievements and compliance means.
The management firm's system of checks and balanced, and its professional support, also come in for review.