Regulatory Matters

The company currently operates under the following regulatory regimes.

In The United Kingdom

Alexander Beard is a trading name of Alexander Beard Global Services Limited, an appointed representative of Alexander Beard Investment Management Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Alexander Beard International Benefits (UK Branch of a Dutch B.V.) is deemed authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Details of the Temporary Permissions Regime, which allows EEA-based firms to operate in the UK for a limited period while seeking full authorisation, are available on the Financial Conduct Authority’s website.

In the United States of America

Alexander Beard (USA) Inc. is a registered investment advisor with the United States Security Exchange Commission ("SEC"). We are a member of Alexander Beard Group of Companies Limited. Registered in England No. 2144184.

In Australia

Alexander Beard (Australia) Pty Ltd trading as Alexander Beard (Australia) and Dave Stone are Authorised Representatives of Sentry Financial Services Pty Ltd ACN 113 531 034 AFS Licence 286786.

To view our registration, please click here: Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC)

In South Africa

Alexander Beard RSA (Pty) Ltd trading as Alexander Beard. A registered Financial Services provider by the Financial Services Conduct Authority FSP 11599.

To view our registration, please click here: FSCA
You should then insert the following FSP number: 44175

In The Netherlands

Alexander Beard International Benefits B.V. is Deemed authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Details of the Temporary Permissions Regime, which allows EEA-based firms to operate in the UK for a limited period while seeking full authorisation, are available on the Financial Conduct Authority’s website. Reference No. 725120.

Alexander Beard International Benefits B.V. is gevestigd te ’s-Hertogenbosch, KvK ’s-Hertogenbosch nr. 60817410. Alexander Beard International Benefits B.V staat als financieel dienstverlener in het kader van de Wet op het financieel toezicht geregistreerd bij de Autoriteit Financiële Markten, nr. 12043464.

In France

Alexander Beard (France) SAS is registered with the French trade register under nr. 818839227, is a registered advisor in financial investment (Conseiller en Investissement Financier-CIF) appointed by the national association of financial advisors ANACOFI-CIF (Association Nationale des COnseillers FInanciers-CIF) under nr E008399 and regulated by the French financial markets authority (Autorité des Marchés Financiers - AMF), is a registered broker regulated by the banking and insurance sectors’ supervisor (Autorité de Contrôle Prudentiel et de Résolution – ACPR), is an intermediary in banking transactions and payment services (Intermédiaire en Opérations de Banque et Services de Paiement – IOBSP).

To view our registrations, please click here: ORIAS
You should then either search under the company name or insert the following reference : 16001914

Our Principle for Treating Customers Fairly

The Alexander Beard Group’s principle is to balance the client’s needs with that of the firm’s, to be clear about what the firm and its products and services offer and to be unambiguous about our fees and levels of service.

Specifically this requires that:

our clients should clearly understand the nature of the services we provide, including our terms, conditions and charges.
our client’s must clearly understand the risks inherent in the markets in which they invest through us.
we must communicate to our clients in an open, clear and understandable manner.
we must have a thorough understanding of our clients’ investment objectives, investment experience, attitude to risk, financial standing and resources.
we must be clear about the suitability of the recommendations we make to our clients.
we will not promise to provide services we are not able or equipped to deliver.
we will embed the concept of "Treating Customers Fairly" within our company culture.
our complaint procedures must be clear, unambiguous and impartial.
we will regularly assess the effectiveness of our policies in respect of Treating Customers Fairly.

Complaints (UK)

As a Financial Adviser you expect first class service from us and that is what we aim to provide.

If there is a problem or if you are not happy about the service you have received from us then please tell us and we will try to put things right.

If you don’t understand something or you think that there is a problem, ask us for an explanation.

We need to know and understand what the problem is. If we do, we can often resolve matters quickly and easily. If you wish to complain please contact the Compliance Manager at:

The Alexander Beard Group of Companies
14-16 Rossmore Business Village
Inward Way
Ellesmere Port
Cheshire, CH65 3EY.

Telephone 0151 346 5460.

All complaints are dealt with in line with the regulations and procedures laid down by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Financial Ombudsman Service and can include any expression of dissatisfaction, whether oral or written, from or on behalf of a client.

The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) is an agency for arbitrating on unresolved complaints between regulated firms and their clients. Full details of the FOS can be found on the following website - http://financial-ombudsman.org.uk/

Please note that the Financial Ombudsman Service only has jurisdiction on advice and business carried on from the United Kingdom.

Financial Ombudsman Service
Exchange Tower
London
E14 9SR

Email: complaint.info@financial-ombudsman.org.uk
Website: www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk
Telephone: 0800 023 4567 or 0300 123 9123 (from a mobile)

Our firms first point of contact for resolving any disputes is info@abg.net

Complaints (The Netherlands)

Klachtenregeling

Uiteraard stellen wij alles in het werk om u zo goed mogelijk van dienst te zijn. Indien u echter toch niet tevreden bent over onze dienstverlening, vragen wij u dit ons direct te laten weten. Onze procedure klachtenregeling vind u hier. Wij zullen ons uiterste best doen om uw klacht zo snel mogelijk te verhelpen.

Mochten wij gezamenlijk niet tot een bevredigende oplossing kunnen komen, dan kunt u met uw klacht terecht bij het:

Klachteninstituut Financiële Dienstverlening (KiFiD)
Postbus 93257
2509 AN Den Haag

Telefoon: 0900-3552248
Website: www.kifid.nl.
Ons aansluitnummer bij KiFiD is 300.016120

Alexander Beard Investment Management Limited - Conflict of interest Statement

Alexander Beard is privately owned with no allegiance to any insurance company.

Although we’ll always try to act in your best interests there may be situations where we or one of our other clients has some form of interest in the business being transacted for you. If this happens or we become aware that our interests or those of one of our other clients conflict with your own interests, we’ll write to you and ask for your consent to proceed before we carry out any business for you. We’ll also let you know the steps we’ll take to make sure you are treated fairly.

There may also be circumstances where a potential conflict arises due to a strategic business decision, or to the ownership of the business. We therefore feel it important to disclose the following potential areas of conflict:

Alexander Beard is part of Alexander Beard Group of Companies Limited which has several other financial services businesses worldwide. Details of all companies can be found at:

https://www.abg.net/our-locations

On occasion we may either refer a client to, or receive a client referral from, a business within the Group. Where appropriate, Alexander Beard may work in conjunction with another Group business for a client that has financial assets in more than one country or may engage with an overseas entity for professional guidance, for example regarding an overseas tax regime that is pertinent to any advice that we may give a client. However, the following will apply in all circumstances:

Alexander Beard will be acting on its own behalf and not on behalf of the Group or any other Group entity.
Alexander Beard will be acting in the interests of the client and not those of the Group or an individual Group entity (unless those interests are aligned).
As a UK regulated entity, Alexander Beard’s activities will be fully insured in the UK

2. We have appointed Albemarle Street Partners Investment Management Ltd as Discretionary Fund Managers to run our Model Portfolio Service on a discretionary basis. Albemarle Street Partners is a trading name of Atlantic House Investments, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Catley Lakeman May.

Catley Lakeman and May has a commercial arrangement with Alexander Beard, from which a potential conflict of interest may arise.

However, these two arrangements are not interdependent; Alexander Beard retains the right to end the appointment of Albemarle Street Partners with no implications for the commercial arrangement between Catley Lakeman and May and Alexander Beard.

Moreover, Alexander Beard has outlined the following circumstances under which the appointment of Albemarle Street Partners may be terminated, amongst others:
Failing to perform as per the agreement,
Prolonged underperformance of the investment funds,
Failing to communicate key information, and
An unreasonable or significant increase in costs.

Please ask if you would like to see a copy of our conflicts of interest policy.