As you are no doubt aware, banking and investments have been a core service in the UK since the 19th century. However the stock market today is very different to how it was back then and it has certainly gone through many changes, many depressions and many wars. Since CPN has been running for such a long time, we have had to adapt to these changes in asset management to keep our business model fresh and current. Over the last 40 years, our asset management model has developed significantly, especially in relation financial planning advice.

CPN has been in the investment business for over 40 years. P E & JP  Investment Management started a fund switching operation which commenced in the 1970’s. The business model consisted of a small number of wealthy clients simply being moved between Equity Funds and a deposit fund. This meant that a lot of personal attention could be given to each client, and we developed very strong relationships. This was the era when your financial advisor was a very close friend and confident.

In the 70’s, this was all that was it was possible to do under current trading legislation in wealth management. However fund switching gradually became more and more popular and the ways to switch became more innovative. The rules concerning investment bonds relaxed and PE & JE Investment Management opened its first Broker Fund in 1984. The broker fund launch was a roaring success, and it produced returns of over 60% in its first year alone.

The broker fund business model was further developed in  1986 after a handover to CPN Investment Management, who then went on to open a “Broker Fund” with Guardian Royal Exchange. One of our greatest achievements has been that our head financial advisor managed to avoid black Monday 19th October, when so many other firms lost millions .On 16th October 1987 all money held under management was switched to deposit and all CPN clients avoided the 1987 World Stock market crash and held onto their savings.

With current broker funds performing so well, in September 1988 CPN decided to launch another Broker Fund with Royal Sun Alliance for their clients and their wealth management operation. This fund is still being traded today. Unfortunately, as commonly happens with investment firms, Royal Sun Alliance closed to new business in 1999. However we have many clients who have had their money within the fund since before 1999 and it is still performing excellently. Our reports show that our clients have seen a 23% average per annum growth since the fund was started.

Since the 1990’s “Broker Funds” have mostly disappeared in financial planning advice. However CPN, accustomed to changing with the market, managed to continue to provide the service through the a complex fund switching model. The modern day investment bond allows us to switch in and out of the stock market. This means, just as before, we can avoid market crashes as our clients’ money is not stuck in the markets as they tumble downwards. The open architecture of the external fund links make them even more attractive as an investment vehicle.

What makes our current investment advisor model so attractive, is that we switch funds with no transaction charge or tax implications influencing our decisions which are made solely on anticipated stock market movements. We can utilise deposit funds as a haven in times of uncertainty or when the markets are in a period of decline.

In the About Us Section, we have published performance charts to show how or investment advisor managed client’s funds during the credit crisis which hit us in September 2008 and dipped to biggest its low in March 2009. Our fund switching model allowed us to overcome the difficulties relating to the recession and to  still turn around a period of growth for our clients. We are very proud of this record, and want to continue our outstanding performance in the many years we will be trading ahead.