ETFs were one of the few asset classes to enjoy inflows during the financial crisis, and the wealth management industry is increasingly using them to reduce costs and offer clients access to new markets. Ceri Jones reports

Private clients are coming back to hedge funds but are investing in different types of vehicles than those they favoured before the crisis, and are now looking for transparency, liquidity and control. Yuri Bender reports

As the ETF industry continues to expand, and is now attracting private clients, these vehicles are widening access to the types of investments that were previously only available to institutions. Elisa Trovato reports

Bank of London and The Middle East (BLME) – a newly established, UK-regulated Islamic bank, with its own Sharia Supervisory Board – needed an overhaul of its technology to fulfil its expansion plans. Based since 2007 in London, the largest Islamic financial centre outside the Muslim world, BLME’s focus on high net worth customers demanded a modern yet cost-effective technology solution, enabling it to offer differentiated services to this discerning customer base. Nigel Dennison, BLME’s head of asset management and markets, and Adrian Gayler, head of private banking, explain to PWM the details of their bank’s business model and how they hope to enhance this through the implementation of the Oracle Flexcube private banking solution

BNP Paribas and Fortis are determined to remain focused on product distribution and investment performance during their ongoing merger, reports Yuri Bender

The offshore banking world is changing as it adapts to cater for international private clients looking to operate within regulated environments, writes Cath Tillotson, and it is the Swiss who are leading the pack

Andrea Cecchini tells Elisa Trovato why he believes the financial crisis has left Italian domestic managers in a stronger position and describes the initiatives aimed at improving Eurizon’s distribution strategies