Why New Zealand is considered an economic success story and a safe haven for investors

Unlike many larger OECD countries, New Zealand did not suffer the severe recession that hit most of its peers.  Many investors and others wondered why and this was largely due to the strict banking and lending standards that New Zealand has in place. This regulatory environment meant that the subprime loan market, which caused the recession, didn't affect the country, since New Zealand had virtually no subprime market to begin with. When a country’s banks are not making risky loans, the effects from an economic slowdown are not nearly so severe as they inevitably must be in other countries that do have an unsound subprime loan market.

New Zealand enjoys other financial advantages from which its investors profit.  The economy of the country is diverse.  Moreover, its central government has successfully positioned its economy as a global leader amongst smaller nations.  In the currency exchange market, this has constantly held true. New Zealand’s comparative advantage is maintained, even as the U.S. economy improves.  Likewise, the currency has gained as well and in fact, the currency of New Zealand is considered the  second best performer against the U.S. dollar among 16 major peers tracked by Bloomberg in 2014, with gains approaching 4%: unlike others, such as Canada, which suffered the biggest loss at -3.6%.

Recently, New Zealand’s dollar has further benefited from a Central Bank that in 2014 became the first in the developed world to raise interest rates since 2011.  At the same time, an economic revival is currently in progress, boosting its currency.  It is also noteworthy that New Zealand’s currency has been unaffected by plummeting oil prices.  That is largely due to the fortunate fact that the country is not nearly as commodity-dependent and resource-reliant as are so many others.

The land of the Kiwi has a vibrant export economy – dairy production being its flagship export commodity. The developing world has a thirst for increased dairy usage and New Zealand’s economy will be the beneficiary of this for many years to come. New Zealand is also very stable politically, as well as financially, and it enjoys one of the highest standards of living of any OECD country. There is very little corruption and both ruling parties are centrist in ideology.   Thus, no wild policy swings can be expected if the government changes.

According to Luigi Wewege, CEO of boutique Auckland, New Zealand investment firm Vivier & Co: "New Zealand not only offers investors a secure place to deposit their money but also financial returns that far exceed what’s available in most Western countries.” Luigi adds that: “Unsurprisingly, we’ve seen a global uptake in investors who want to enjoy the attractive rates New Zealand offers, without undue exposure to exchange rate risk."

Due to New Zealand’s relative close proximity to Asia, too, it has long been considered a safe haven for investors from Asia’s developed countries, particularly China and Japan. These investors are also attracted to the country’s lifestyle, with its good schools, low crime rate and clean environment.  New Zealand in turn counts China as its largest export market, and speculation is rife that policy- makers there will take emergency steps to stimulate the struggling Chinese economy and in so doing give a further boost to New Zealand’s strong dollar.

New Zealand’s economic success story offers investors peace of mind, knowing that they can invest safely, and with high confidence in their yield outpacing that of comparable investments virtually anywhere else in the world.

About the Author

Jay Douglas writes exclusively for the Los Angeles and Santa Monica Business Examiner. Jay is also the founder and Owner of Prediction Tracking which was started in early 2009 as a way of measuring the results of prognostications, who too often make forecasts with little accountability on whether they're accurate or not. Prediction Tracking posts interesting predictions in a myriad of categories, and then tracks events concerning the future.

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Established in 2008, Examiner.com has revolutionized the creation of original content at scale through tens of thousands of freelance contributors and its own national editors. We are a multifaceted media company with over 17 million monthly unique visitors to our consumer website and dozens of high-profile clients through our custom content solutions, OnTopic.com.

About Luigi Wewege

Luigi Wewege is the founder of Vivier Group & CEO of its Auckland based financial services arm Vivier & Co. He is also the Managing Director of its sister companies Vivier Investments, Vivier Developments, Vivier Home Loans and Vivier Mortgages.

Vivier & Co

Vivier and Company Limited (‘VCL’) is registered in New Zealand under number: 1130618. VCL is a member of Financial Services Complaints Limited a New Zealand Government approved Dispute Resolution Scheme, and maintains an insurance policy with Standard and Poor's A+ rated insurers, providing a NZD2,000,000 indemnity on any one claim/loss in the aggregate.

For further details, please contact

Press at Vivier Group

Level 31, Vero Centre, 48 Shortland Street Auckland 1010, New Zealand

+64 9 889 3998

press@viviergroup.com

https://vivierco.com

Endeavour Magazine interviews Luigi Wewege, CEO of Vivier & Co on the outlook of Boutique Financial Services

Endeavour Magazine interviews Luigi Wewege, CEO of Vivier & Co on the outlook of Boutique Financial Services

Auckland, New Zealand

The Global Credit Crunch had relatively little effect on the New Zealand banking sector. In part, this fortunate stability was a result of the health of the country’s financial market and lending sector, which always faced much sterner regulation and control than many other countries during the boom years between 2002 and 2007.  For such reasons, since the 1990s, New Zealand has been the destination of choice for global investors, who have been well rewarded for their faith. Particularly, those from countries such as Japan and China, who flocked to place their household savings in New Zealand, have since received interest rates well above their domestic offerings. 

“This has seen a global uptake in investors who want to enjoy the attractive rates offered from New Zealand, without exposing themselves to exchange rate risk,” says Luigi Wewege, CEO of Vivier & Co, one of New Zealand’s most prominent financial companies. 

Founded in 2001, the company was heavily focussed on domestic assets and New Zealand clients. “More recently,” Luigi tell us, “the management team has found a way to obtain secure, higher yielding investments. It therefore decided to take advantage of the company’s good reputation and efficient cost base to offer our services worldwide. These include above average deposit rates, coupled with security and lasting stability.”

This boutique financial institution now services the unique needs of an international clientele. While headquartered in Auckland New Zealand, Vivier Group enjoys a presence on virtually every continent with offices in Johannesburg, Lima, Orlando, Dublin, London, Paris, Munich, Dubai and Hong Kong, “We also have many clients outside these main hub cities,” Luigi is quick to point out.

He continues to note that, as a Financial Service Provider, Vivier & Co’s business is relatively straight forward. Put simply, they offer a higher interest rate on savings - in any major currency - than available almost anywhere else. The company also maintains a Bankers Blanket Bond with Standard and Poor's A+ rated insurers, providing a NZD2,000,000 indemnity on any one claim/loss in the aggregate.  This is a simple and effective product that satisfies a global problem for investors seeking a higher yield but with complementary safety.  Additionally, they offer bank accounts to companies and individuals who wish to do business outside their country but face difficulties opening an account abroad.

“As regards to distribution, we have an international advisory board, with members based around the world,” he says. “And we offer local customer service directly through teams responsible for each major language and/or jurisdiction.”

While New Zealand may have dodged the worst of the global credit crunch, institutions like Vivier & Co still face their share of hurdles. The underdevelopment of a buoyant financial service sector in multiple locations is one of them, “Outside of highly developed hubs such as Singapore and London it is difficult for people to gain access to boutique financial services,” Luigi points out. 

The other hurdle is a lack of consumer awareness about the meaning of boutique financial services, which means that Vivier staff often face the challenge of explaining the advantages to clients.  But when it comes to personal service, they are very well looked after.

The staff working at Vivier & Co benefit from a companywide devotion to their development. “We are offering products that are not available via the usual high street banks,” Luigi says, “so it demands a more personal level of customer contact, in particular when dealing with clients that look for tailored solutions going beyond the scope of traditional services.”

 “A Boutique Financial Institution must attract and retain staff who are incentivised to deliver these investment solutions efficiently and effectively,” he adds. “Smaller than a traditional bank, we can be more flexible and focused with our staff as well as with our clients.”

Development includes a full scope of industry training, as the financial regulators in New Zealand set strict rules in relation to anti-money laundering and ‘knowing your client’.  All of Vivier & Co’s staff are well versed in these rules and apply them in their day to day work. Examinations are also available for RFAs and AFAs, Registered Financial Advisers. The company also has to belong to a dispute resolution scheme. This ensures clients can have confidence when they deal with a financial adviser: that they are professional and meet appropriate standards of competence, care and diligence. Training takes the form of attendance at seminars on compliance and related matters.

Luigi points out some of the specific customer services for which Vivier & Co are renowned: “We offer above average returns along with far higher security than normally available. Interest can be paid gross without any deduction of tax,” he says. “We have also limited the amount of costs for transfers on inward and outward deposits, minimalized account charges and removed market risk volatility.”

And, importantly, Vivier offers a more personalised customer contact that can be found almost anywhere else. This particular aspect of the company, their person-to-person approach, is one of the keystones to its position in the industry. Luigi explains that after-sales service and customer commitment are critical elements of the business, “We cannot and do not take our clients for granted, as happens with many high street institutions,” he says. “We listen to each client’s particular needs and develop a deep understanding of his or her financial goals.”  

In this way, they can work together to make the best financial decisions, something that is hard to achieve with a retail bank. It’s yet another reason why Vivier & Co is so highly respected and enjoys relationships with such a great number of satisfied customers who not only return, but also spread the word: “A positive recommendation from a client is worth its weight in gold,” he adds.

Of course, Vivier & Co is not the only financial operation offering boutique services but has found the best solution to outplaying the competition is by offering far higher quality. Thusly, they continue to make highly selective loans, secured directly or indirectly against real estate located in the UK and Ireland, both of which are stable members of the European Union, while at the same time, ensuring costs are contained by providing straightforward products and keeping a close eye on overheads.  

“This winning combination allows us to continue offering above-average interest rates and thus staying ahead of the other players in the market place,” is the company’s mission statement.

With 2014 almost at an end, Luigi is looking at the next year with anticipation and excitement, as there are a number of new developments on the horizon.

Earlier in 2014, after several months of negotiations, the purchase was completed of Vivier Mortgages Limited, a Dublin based home loan company. This will enter them into the mortgage industry, as well as offer a chance to take part in the fast moving Irish economy. Similarly, the Vivier Property division has recently established an association with first rate, experienced developers in the United Kingdom. This will allow the group to invest in a wide range of residential real estate that will expand the asset side of the balance sheet and offer even more security to their clients. Finally, the Vivier Technology division has entered the scene as a crucial part of the offering, “A short while ago, the company mandated a top design firm to rewrite the entire website.” Luigi explains, “At the same time, we have signed up with a new debit card organisation, affiliated with VISA and MasterCard. This will allow us to simplify account opening procedures and online banking as well as to improve data protection and functionality from anywhere in the world.”

Each of these projects has demanded significant human resources, Luigi explains, “The group has called on experts and specialists worldwide to accomplish these goals, which have required considerable capital.”

This capital was sourced by the shareholders and demonstrates the level of confidence they have in the company’s long term goals, “Quite rightly they trust that this investment will be vindicated by stable expansion of the client base, growth of the balance sheet and ultimately the success of the group as a whole.” Luigi concludes. 

About Don Campbell

Don Campbell is the Director of Editorial and Business Generation at Littlegate Publishing LTD where he has facilitated the growth of the internationally read publication Endeavour Magazine as well as a number of standalone, industry specific publications available at Littlegate.

About Littlegate Publishing

Littlegate Publishing LTD is the publisher of choice for corporate decision makers and boardroom icons seeking the latest business news, profiles and opinion articles. Our benchmark publication Endeavour Magazine adorns the desks of some of the world’s most iconic corporate leaders as well as the fastest growing businesses in a range of industries. 

About Luigi Wewege

Luigi Wewege is the founder of Vivier Group & CEO of its Auckland based financial services arm Vivier & Co. He is also the Managing Director of its sister companies Vivier Investments, Vivier Developments, Vivier Home Loans and Vivier Mortgages.

About Vivier & Co

Vivier and Company Limited (‘VCL’) is incorporated and registered as a Financial Service Provider in New Zealand under registration number: 1130618. VCL is a member of Financial Services Complaints Limited a New Zealand Government approved Dispute Resolution Scheme and maintains an Insurance Policy with Standard and Poor's A+ rated insurers, providing a NZD2,000,000 indemnity on any one claim/loss in the aggregate.

For further details, please contact

press@viviergroup.com

Luigi Wewege, CEO of Vivier & Co on why New Zealand is considered a secure destination for investment funds

Fortunately, the Global Credit Crunch had relatively little effect on the New Zealand banking sector.  A striking contributory cause was the health of the New Zealand financial market, due largely to the quality of its lending sector.  In New Zealand, this has faced much sterner regulation and control than had, regrettably, become the norm in many other OECD countries during the property boom years of 2002-2007. 

Another huge attraction today, when considering safety for global investors, is New Zealand’s secure social and political environment, which has very largely stayed constant throughout the past 150 years.  Politically, both of the two main political parties neatly reflect the populace, in that they are just a smidgen to the left or right of centre, which is pretty much how New Zealand sees itself. This is not a country that encourages or in fact tolerates extremists.

New Zealand is also considered one of the most honest and least corrupt places in which to do business; this is a well-deserved reputation, of which New Zealand is passionately protective.  All in all, there are few places that could be considered a better place in which to invest your funds.

For these reasons, since the 1990s, New Zealand has increasingly found itself a destination of choice for global investors.  They have been well rewarded for their faith, particularly those from Japan and China, who have flocked to place their household savings into NZ currency issues, reaping an interest rate well above the domestic offering.  Chinese investors have also been buying huge tracts of good NZ farmland as well as residential homes in Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city.   

Global investors who want to enjoy the attractive rates of New Zealand without exposing themselves to exchange rate risk now have a further option: our easy to open Vivier & Co deposit accounts.

About the Author

Luigi Wewege is the founder of Vivier Group & CEO of its Auckland based financial services arm Vivier & Co. He is also the Managing Director of its sister companies Vivier Investments, Vivier Developments, Vivier Home Loans and Vivier Mortgages.

Vivier & Co

Vivier and Company Limited (‘VCL’) is incorporated and registered as a Financial Service Provider in New Zealand under registration number: 1130618. VCL is a member of Financial Services Complaints Limited a New Zealand Government approved Dispute Resolution Scheme and maintains an Insurance Policy with Standard and Poor's A+ rated insurers, providing a NZD2,000,000 indemnity on any one claim/loss in the aggregate.

For further details, please contact

press@viviergroup.com