Wealth Management in Spain 2009

Published by: Datamonitor

Published: Aug. 10, 2009

Table of Contents

Overview

Catalyst

Summary

Methodology

Executive Summary

Santander is one European bank that has weathered the storm with a cohesive identity

Spanish HNW investors have acted more defensively over the past months

Spanish HNW investors are looking for their wealth managers to be proactive

Spanish HNWs want guidance, but will seek more adventurous investment products in two years' time

SPECIAL FEATURE: THE RISE AND RISE OF SANTANDER

The turmoil of 2008 has wrought havoc on banks all over the globe

There have been significant changes among the top global wealth managers

Santander has seen phenomenal growth in its AUM as a result of organic growth and acquisitions

There was generally declining profitability for wealth managers between 2007 and 2008, but Santander saw some rise in its profits

Santander's wealth management business is generally well regarded by wealth managers in Spain

However, the standing of Santander is regarded as more modest by Spanish wealth managers

Santander's product and service capabilities are well regarded by Spanish wealth managers

The quality of Santander's service capabilities are well regarded by Spanish wealth managers

Spain's banks have largely weathered the storm... so far

Spanish regulations require higher reserves than has been the case in other countries

Santander has a growth model that can be emulated

In 2008, Santander boosted its presence in the UK by creating Santander Private Banking UK

Santander has key strengths underlying its expansion, which others in the industry recognize

There are some key values which Santander has embraced in its expansion

SPAIN'S WEALTH

Spanish households play it safe and maintain their savings levels, but still do not manage to increase their net financial assets

The financial assets of Spanish households deteriorated over 2008

Spain's wealth is being driven by a good rate of household savings but there should be some concern about rising debt levels

Savings by households in Spain are adequate but debt levels are set to increase further, putting a brake on wealth expansion

The Spanish BME Exchanges lost the same percentage in value as other European exchanges in 2008

Spanish household balances have moved significantly away from equities in favor of deposits

Spanish households show an inclination toward more safe investments

Wealth Data in 2009

THE SPANISH HNW INVESTOR

Spanish HNW investors are cautious and need guidance from their wealth managers

Spanish HNW investors have moved away from equities and into cash

Wealth management service implication: clients need guidance to take advantage of the market recovery

Innovative global example: ClientFirst Wealth Management in the US provides online tools to help educate its clients

Over the next two years, investors will cautiously start to return to asset classes currently out of favor

Wealth management service implication: provide clients with regular market commentary, and advise them when and where to invest in order to participate in the recovery

Innovative example from the US: Investment News provides insight into a client communications operation

Spanish investors are looking to equities and alternative investments as the economy starts to recover, but still also want to guard their cash

Wealth management service implication: offer clients innovative capital-protected products to see them through the economic uncertainty

Innovative example: UBS launches capital-protected product to satisfy demand for equity products

Innovative example: Macquarie has a capital protected Geared Equity Investment product

Spanish HNWs demonstrate an appetite for risk but are lacking knowledge of financial products and consequently rely on their wealth managers

HNWs exhibit an above average appetite for risk, but are somewhat confused about the impact of the market turmoil on their investment portfolios

Wealth management service implication: Spain should aim to raise the bar and educate clients more about investment matters

Innovative example from Switzerland: UBS is investing in educating its clients

Spanish HNWs are loyal to their wealth managers; they are much more likely to leave to manage their money on their own rather than defect to another wealth manager

Wealth management service implication: wealth managers must continue to refine client-focused operational models

Spanish HNW investors are overwhelmed by the current uncertainty

Clients are clearly seeking guidance from their wealth managers

Wealth management service implication: wealth managers need to understand the fundamental attitudes of their clients

In two years' time, HNWs will still need some guidance from their wealth managers across a range of investments

Spanish investors are looking toward an advisory asset management service from their wealth managers

Within an overall desire for guidance from their wealth management service, Spanish HNWs are seeking more adventurous investment products in two years' time

Property funds will be back on the investment map in Spain

Innovative example: new property fund aims to hit the 'bullseye' of prime London market

Innovative example: Aviva's Norwich Union offers Asia Pacific new property fund

Wealth managers should be actively communicating with investors to speed the return to money market funds

THE SPANISH WEALTH MANAGER'S VIEW

There are three key areas where wealth managers are focusing their resources in two years' time

Paying attention to brand, image and reputation and being proactive in introducing clients to investment ideas are the best routes to customer acquisition

Wealth managers can proactively enhance their level of personal service to help the image of the firm

Wealth managers in Spain see personal relationships as their biggest strength and brand, image and reputation as their biggest weakness

Spanish wealth managers believe that the way to increase share of wallet is to focus on an enhanced product range

The key to increasing share of wallet is to encourage clients to hold more products

Wealth managers need to give clients several points of contact within the bank in order to be successful at retaining HNW clients

Wealth managers in Spain are more likely to talk to their clients by telephone less than other European wealth managers, with investors mostly wanting to talk about their portfolio allocations

Spanish clients are being contacted by phone less frequently than in other countries

Spanish wealth managers are better at getting in front of their clients

Overall Spanish HNWs mostly want to talk about their portfolio allocations when they speak to their wealth manager

APPENDIX

Definitions

The drivers of growth in the wealthy population

Income growth (combined with inflation, changes in GDP by sector, household savings rates and debt levels)

Investment returns (market capitalization, interest rates and bond yields)

The following measures are not, in themselves, drivers of wealthy population growth

Market capitalization

GDP

The following measures are not drivers of wealthy population growth except under very restricted circumstances

Primary residence value growth

Inheritance

Methodology

Wealth Management Market Leaders Survey 2009

Global Wealth Model

The UK sub model

Global sub model (for all other countries)

Forecasting methodology

Continuous refinement to the understanding of liquid wealth distribution

Datamonitor's wealth numbers compared with other wealth numbers

Definitions

Western Europe

Bibliography

Further reading

Ask the analyst

Datamonitor consulting

Disclaimer

List of Tables

Table 1: Wealth managers' views of Santander's wealth management services

Table 2: Wealth managers' views of Santander's wealth management service

Table 3: Wealth managers' views of Santander's wealth management service

Table 4: Personal disposable income per adult in Europe, 2004-08

Table 5: Household savings rates as a percentage of disposable income, 2004-08

Table 6: Disposable income per adult and household savings rate, Spain 2004-2008

Table 7: Market capitalization of European and US stock exchanges, 2004-08

Table 8: Deposits increased over 2008, while bonds, equities and mutual funds all witnessed declines in their levels

Table 9: What proportion of your HNWs' portfolios is allocated to the following five asset classes?

Table 10: HNWs' portfolio allocation now versus in two years' time

Table 11: HNWs' portfolio allocation by product area now versus in two years' time

Table 12: HNW attributes on a scale of 1 to 4 (1 = very low, 2 = somewhat low, 3 = somewhat high, 4 = very high)

Table 13: HNW attributes on a scale of 1 to 4 (1 = very low, 2 = somewhat low, 3 = somewhat high, 4 = very high)

Table 14: What are HNWs demanding today?

Table 15: In two years' time, how much demand do you expect from HNWs for the following product areas?

Table 16: The key messages and relative merits of company and industry communication

Table 17: What product areas will your wealth management service focus most resources on in the next two years?

Table 18: What will determine HNWs' choice of wealth management service over the next two years?

Table 19: What are your company's biggest strengths and weaknesses today?

Table 20: What is the most effective means of increasing share of wallet today?

Table 21: What is the best way to retain clients today?

Table 22: On average, how often do your relationship managers speak by phone to each HNW client?

Table 23: On average, how often do your relationship managers speak in person to each HNW client?

Table 24: When speaking with clients, what do they most want to talk about today?

List of Figures

Figure 1: Santander's standing is only modestly regarded by wealth managers in Spain

Figure 2: Santander is perceived to be strong in its advisory service and its technology capabilities

Figure 3: Santander's wealth management operation is well regarded in terms of the quality of its relationships with clients

Figure 4: Spain is consistently among those European countries with higher savings rates

Figure 5: Rising disposable income and a fairly constant rate of household savings boost levels of saving in Spain

Figure 6: The BME Spanish exchanges lost a percentage of their market capitalization in line with the European average

Figure 7: There was a significant fall in the overall value of financial assets held by households in Spain during 2008

Figure 8: The majority of HNW wealth in Spain is invested in the 'cash or near cash' asset category, with this accounting for 27% of all investments

Figure 9: In the next two years, Spanish investors will return to asset classes currently out of favor

Figure 10: In 2011, the majority of high net worth assets in Spain will be invested in equities, accounting for 28% of all investments

Figure 11: HNW investors in Spain have a higher risk appetite than the average European HNW investor

Figure 12: There is a greater risk of HNW clients in Spain leaving to find another wealth manager than the average European HNW investor

Figure 13: In Spain, HNW investors' greatest demand is for opportunities to profit in the current environment

Figure 14: In two years' time, the greatest demand amongst HNW investors in Spain will be for foreign currency investments with 95% of HNW investors demanding this category of product

Figure 15: Wealth managers in Spain will be focusing most of their resources on financial planning in two years' time

Figure 16: HNW investors in Spain are most influenced by brand, image and reputation in their choice of wealth manager

Figure 17: The greatest strength of wealth managers in Spain is their personal relationships with clients

Figure 18: The best way for wealth managers in Spain to increase share of wallet is to target relationship managers on cross-selling products

Figure 19: The best way for wealth mangers in Spain to retain HNW investors is to give the client several points of contact within the bank

Figure 20: In Spain, wealth management relationship managers speak to clients by phone approximately once a month

Figure 21: Wealth management relationship managers speak to clients in person approximately once a quarter

Figure 22: The majority of clients in Spain want to speak to their wealth manager about their portfolio allocations

Abstract

Introduction

The country's serious economic issues are having a major effect on Spain's onshore wealthy population. Although Datamonitor forecasts a recovery in Spain's wealthy population by 2011, the next few years will be difficult for wealth managers trying to keep existing clients, and win new ones.

Scope

• HNW demographic and attitudinal attributes based on our Wealth Management Market Leaders Survey 2009.
• Sizes, segments and forecasts the number of affluent individuals across 10 liquid asset bands from EUR50k.
• Extensive primary research from 20 wealth management companies highlights their strategies for revenue growth, acquiring and keeping clients.
• Aggregated data covers onshore liquid assets including cash and deposits, mutual funds, direct investment in equities and direct investment in bonds.

• Spain is in recession, but its banking industry has thus far showed some resilience. All this may be set to fall as the recession deepens and unemployment reaches higher levels in Spain. With continuing economic turmoil and asset prices in freefall, Spanish HNWs have had to fight to protect what they have got, switching their assets into cash.
• HNWs are overwhelmed by the current uncertainty and want guidance from their wealth managers, including their views about how long they expect the current crisis to last as well as opportunities to profit from the downturn. A greatly enhanced personal service on the part of Spanish wealth managers is vital.

• Understand the HNW population's investments by sector and geography, appetite for risk, and reasons for choosing/leaving their wealth service.
• Assess market attractiveness by reviewing size and growth forecasts for the potential wealthy client base five years ahead.
• Assess the threats and opportunities for wealth managers by understanding how peers are planning to grow revenues, acquire and keep clients.

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