On behalf of everyone at LGT, I’d like to wish all of our clients and friends of the firm a very happy new year and prosperous 2025! Against the backdrop of a volatile macroeconomic landscape, the year also marked a period of significant progress across key areas of the business. I’d like to take a moment to reflect on some of the milestones and achievements from the year gone by.
Financial markets in 2024 generally performed well, but were shaped by significant geopolitical activity, a widespread drop in inflation and the dominant influence of the "Magnificent Seven" tech stocks polarising returns, particularly in the US. Next week, we will be delving into what this year holds for financial markets in our Investment Outlook 2025, authored by Chief Investment Officer, Sanjay Rijhsinghani, and his team of experts. This publication provides an overview of the global economic landscape, as well as key macroeconomic trends that we believe may shape the year ahead. We hope you find it insightful.
Looking beyond financial markets, 2024 was an exciting year for us as a business. The opening of our Manchester office in March was a significant milestone, reflecting our commitment to supporting clients through a local presence and enhancing the bespoke service we provide. Our Manchester office forms part of a significant regional expansion across the UK and Jersey over the last couple of years, enabling us to welcome exceptional talent to our business as we invest in our platform to service clients across the country.
Another key highlight was the successful operational integration following our 2023 abrdn Capital acquisition. We are delighted to have ensured a smooth and seamless transition for our new clients and their assets. Client trust is paramount to us and we remain dedicated to delivering the highest level of care and a personalised service to all our clients, whether with us for many years or those who have recently joined the LGT family.
Sustainability is at the heart of our strategic priorities as we continue to embed responsible practices across our business to support our 2030 net zero targets.
In 2024, we enhanced our approach through ongoing development of a framework that will allow those clients who are interested in investing sustainably to do so, without compromising their financial goals. The appointment of a Chief Sustainability Officer, Phoebe Stone, reflects our commitment to these principles and aligns us with the long-held priority of our family owners to run a responsible business and make a meaningful impact.
Community involvement remains central to our culture. Over the past three years, we have been proud to partner with Demelza, a charity that supports children with serious illnesses and their families. In 2024, we raised £222,253, bringing our total contribution over the course of the partnership to nearly £500,000. Our support took many forms – from sporting events to individual fundraisers and volunteer days. As we close this chapter, we look forward to our new partnership with Grief Encounter, a UK charity dedicated to supporting bereaved children and their families. We are excited about the opportunity to make a real difference to this small charity supporting a great cause, and will be putting together a programme of fundraising, volunteering, and advocacy.
Despite the turbulent global economic backdrop, LGT Group achieved strong growth in 2024. This has allowed the business to make significant investments in technology to enhance our clients’ digital experience. Last year we invested significantly into our IT infrastructure, adding resources in areas such as improving our client portal and CRM capabilities and capturing the benefit of generative AI, with a bespoke and secure engine now embedded within the business. The resilience and long-term approach of LGT should be a comfort to clients in a volatile world, as should its robust financial strength and global reach, but as ever we remain extremely grateful to our valued clients and their ongoing support of the business.
We are optimistic about the future and remain dedicated to helping our clients navigate an ever-evolving financial landscape - thank you for your continued trust and partnership. We look forward to working with you in the year ahead and wish you a successful, healthy, and fulfilling 2025.
This communication is provided for information purposes only. The information presented herein provides a general update on market conditions and is not intended and should not be construed as an offer, invitation, solicitation or recommendation to buy or sell any specific investment or participate in any investment (or other) strategy. The subject of the communication is not a regulated investment. Past performance is not an indication of future performance and the value of investments and the income derived from them may fluctuate and you may not receive back the amount you originally invest. Although this document has been prepared on the basis of information we believe to be reliable, LGT Wealth Management UK LLP gives no representation or warranty in relation to the accuracy or completeness of the information presented herein. The information presented herein does not provide sufficient information on which to make an informed investment decision. No liability is accepted whatsoever by LGT Wealth Management UK LLP, employees and associated companies for any direct or consequential loss arising from this document.
LGT Wealth Management UK LLP is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom.
