EUROPE - Former Watson Wyatt partner Sue Douse has opened her own specialist advisory and marketing outfit with institutional funds as its main client base.

Surrey-based Douse Associates was established “to strategically partner with and represent highly skilled asset management firms and/or those with very distinctive products who do not have a presence here in Europe or who do not have large marketing teams,” said Douse.

Her main client base includes pension and state funds, endowments and foundations, multi-manager platforms and family offices.

“Over the years I have frequently come across really good firms who have not been able to clearly articulate their message in a way that links them with top quality investors.

“In these situations, both the investors miss out on investing with an outstanding organisation and the asset manager misses the chance to achieve success commensurate with the skills of the firm,” she explained.

Douse currently represents two organisations, one of which is a long-only Asia Pacific equities manager based in Sydney. She is also due to provide tailored consulting advice to larger asset management firms.

She is currently heading up the organization alone. “I am not looking to take on anyone in the short-term, but will need some good analytical and marketing support in time,” she told IPE.

She added: “I will represent firms in the appropriate markets for their products and needs but overall as a business, I am looking at European including UK opportunities.”

Douse Associates recently gained registration with the FSA. Douse hopes that the organisations she represents and advises “are successful in their business growth with a strong and aligned client bases”, thereby enabling her to build a “strong and sustainable firm”.

Before establishing Douse Associates, Douse was special advisor with Grail Partners (2005); global head of Schroders product management and consultant relations (2004); Watson Wyatt Investment Consulting partner (1993-2004); and head of international manager research at SEI (1986 -1993).

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