From IPOs to Global Real Estate Investment... KTB Securities Expands Ultra-High Net Worth Client Services

[Asia Economy Reporter Ji Yeon-jin] Korea Investment & Securities is expanding its 'GWM (Global Wealth Management)' service, launched in September 2020, targeting ultra-high-net-worth individuals.

GWM provides comprehensive domestic and international asset management for individuals, supports corporate finance such as initial public offerings (IPO) and mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and offers asset succession solutions including inheritance and gifting necessary for business succession. It also delivers specialized services for ultra-high-net-worth individuals such as real estate sales and development.

Yoo Sung-won, GWM Strategy Director (Executive Director), who accumulated unique asset management expertise while working at Deutsche Bank Hong Kong PWM and UBS Hong Kong GWM, oversees the service. Kim Kyu-jung, Director of the Asset Succession Research Institute and widely known as a real estate expert, provides advisory services covering both residential and commercial real estate. Additionally, experts in tax, global asset allocation, and other fields support multidimensional asset management.

GWM focuses on expanding asset management beyond Korea to the global stage. This is because ultra-high-net-worth individuals manage large funds and often reside overseas themselves or have children living abroad, making global investment inevitable. Alternative investments such as real estate are managed not only domestically but also in global markets like the United States, and tax consulting covers overseas taxes as well.

Another differentiator is the synergy with Korea Investment & Securities’ strength in investment banking (IB). Ultra-high-net-worth corporate owners are highly interested not only in personal asset management but also in corporate asset management. Leveraging IB capabilities, the service supports key demands of corporate owners such as IPOs and M&As, offering solutions that cover the entire lifecycle from IPO preparation to growth and succession.

Specialized products are also offered for ultra-high-net-worth individuals with ‘pension fund-level needs.’ Through investment cooperation with IB and participation in project financing (PF) deals, clients can join as investment partners in Korea Investment & Securities for global commercial real estate acquisitions, M&A, acquisition financing, and other global institutional specialized products. Collaborating with Credit Suisse, which has strengths in global asset allocation strategies, various specialized products have been launched. The global asset management firm Neuberger Berman’s global private company investment fund was also launched as a GWM exclusive product, successfully completing early subscription.

Since March last year, real estate investment advisory services have been offered to ultra-high-net-worth individuals with high demand for commercial real estate transactions. Market analysis and advisory experts, including Kim Kyu-jung, Director of the Asset Succession Research Institute, directly provide customized real estate solutions such as sales transaction advice, lease investment consulting, and sales structure consulting. The service has been strengthened through consecutive business agreements with real estate information company ‘Realty Korea,’ real estate fractional investment platform ‘Lucent Block,’ and real estate brokerage platform ‘Disco.’

To satisfy the high interest of high-net-worth clients in leisure activities and maintaining prestige, GWM is expanding partnerships with professional institutions in various fields such as legal services (Barun Law Firm, One Law Firm), high-end marketing (Bulgari Korea, Rolls-Royce, Dankook University Graduate School of Business, Hana Tour, K-Doc, Gana Art), and corporate organizations (Korea Federation of Medium-sized Enterprises, Korea Small and Medium Business Association).

Yoo Sung-won, GWM Strategy Director, said, “Experts in each field provide comprehensive solutions, specialized institutional products are offered through affiliates, and differentiated services are provided through partnership networks. We will provide family office and asset succession services at a global IB level through diverse investment products and global asset allocation.”