Client Consulting Services: Start-up Service

Combining the skills and experience of the programme management team - see Programme Management insert, the "Start-up" service aims to do everything necessary to assist the fund manger in the launch of their fund and the creation of a mini-financial institution. From the moment Morgan Stanley is appointed, until after the launch of the fund, clients benefit from the most experienced "start-up" team working with them on their project. Depending on each new client's needs, Client Consulting Services will assemble a "start-up" team that will partner with the client for the duration of the project.

By partnering with clients from day one of the project to the first day of trading and beyond, the "start-up" team will advise and support the fund manager through many of the complex decisions needed when starting a new company. Covering areas that many fund managers may be unfamiliar with, the team relieves the manager of the burden and complication of creating their company. Morgan Stanley recognises that each client is unique and will work with the client to tailor a solution to match any given requirement.

The "start-up" services includes the location of appropriate office space, in conjunction with commercial property agents with whom Morgan Stanley has built up relationships over a number of years. Having helped launch many of the major European hedge funds, the start-up team knows not only what the typical space requirements will be at the outset, but also what extra capacity should be considered to accommodate typical growth.

Morgan Stanley also assists in the appropriate "fitting out" of the office, taking it from an empty shell to a fully functional investment hub. This will include the design and installation of the office infrastructure, furniture, partitioning and decoration, IT hardware and software and telephony solutions. The start-up team also provide "best practise" advice as to likely technology requirements for portfolio management systems, local area networks or third party information vendors such as Bloomberg or Reuters.