History
Personal Investors Group was initially founded by Simone Tedeschi in Hong Kong as a forum for professionals to discuss investment opportunities on a personal account basis. People attending the forum included Asian business leaders from a variety of backgrounds, such as hedge funds and private equity managers, family offices and managers in major Asian corporates and ultra high net worth individuals. The forum was held within the informal, but private environment of Kee Club that sponsored most of the events. Access to the forum was strictly reserved to individuals among 160 total enrolled members selected by a committee on the basis of their background and interest in the specific topic of the forum (average of 50 people attended each time). The typical structure of a forum would include
- an initial presentation of a topic from a strategist (banker, research analyst or hedge fund manager);
- debate among attendees (this being the most important part) and
- (3) a presentation from a leading trader on the most efficient way to implement a certain view of the topic (specific ‘ticker’ of an investment tool for implementing a bullish, neutral or bearish strategy).
As a result of a forum, members were able to place an order with their banker or trading platform to implement their own view (which was enriched by the dialogue with their own co-members).
Most successful topics included: Real Estate in Hong Kong and China; Where do you park your cash when you do not invest: currencies of deposit, gold and other inflation hedge instruments and Oil and oil services companies.
Following the success of the main forum, a smaller and more selective forum was soon formed. This was confined to 10-12 professionals with an interest in specific opportunities and potentially willing to co-invest. This more selective forum soon became an active platform for investing in opportunities principally in distressed debt, but also in commodities, real estate and equities.
It did not take long for the individuals participating to the restricted forum to involve their ‘public’ side in the discussion. Investment opportunities were accessible to members on a personal account basis and to the institutions in which some of them covered leading positions.
At the end of April 2009, Personal Investors Group was registered as a Hong Kong based limited company, focusing on providing strategic advice to private investors in specific opportunities where a confidential and personal approach was needed. Since then, the core of the consulting activity has been advising Asian-based members and their institutions in outbound direct investments in Europe covering retail, technology, luxury goods and distribution sectors.
At the heart of our business it is our network: we serve our network and we leverage on our network, which now ranges from Europe to Greater China.
In addition to our Hong Kong headquarter, we have now established an office in London (in partnership with Octant Capital LLP, a financial institution authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authorities in the UK) and a branch in Milan.