Philosophy
Why families choose FOREM.
For more than a decade, we have built portfolios for clients who want more than a relationship manager assigned by an algorithm. We are a boutique by design — small enough to know every position in every portfolio, and disciplined enough to operate by institutional standards.
What we believe
Four principles that shape every decision.
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01
Every portfolio is unique
No two clients have the same goals, time horizon, tax situation, nationality or family circumstances. We treat each portfolio as a one-of-a-kind construction — never as a copy of last quarter’s model.
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02
Individual securities first
We hand-pick bonds and select equities through our own quantitative methods, and use funds only when they are the most efficient way to gain an exposure. That way we control what truly matters: which name, at which price, for which client.
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03
Our incentives match yours
FOREM does not sell proprietary products and does not receive sales commissions from issuers, distributors or asset managers. We are compensated through our advisory fee.
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04
Your capital stays where it should
Assets are held at institutional custodians — J.P. Morgan, UBS, BNY Mellon, RBC, Raymond James, Interactive Brokers or Mercantil. FOREM does not take custody of client funds: you keep full ownership and full visibility.
Independent advice
Why an independent adviser instead of a bank advisor?
Many of our clients come from private banks. This is what changes when your advisor works for you, not for an institution.
- Who the advisor works forYou. As fiduciaries, we are obligated to act in your best interest.
- How the advisor is paidAn advisory fee disclosed in writing. No sales commissions.
- What is recommendedIndividual bonds and stocks from the whole market. No proprietary products.
- Where your assets are heldAt the custodian you choose: J.P. Morgan, UBS, BNY Mellon, RBC and others.
- Accounts at other banksConsolidated into one view.
- Who you talk toThe same senior team that manages your portfolio, 24/7.
- Credit, margin & trading costsRates we negotiate with the custodians, passed on to you.
Typical bank advisor
- Who the advisor works forThe bank, whose products and targets may come first.
- How the advisor is paidOften a mix of fees, commissions and product incentives.
- What is recommendedFrequently the bank’s own funds and structured products.
- Where your assets are heldOnly at that bank.
- Accounts at other banksUsually outside the advisor’s view.
- Who you talk toA relationship manager who may change over time.
- Credit, margin & trading costsThe bank’s standard pricing.
Comparison of typical structures, for illustration. Individual banks and advisors differ.
The hidden cost of packaged products
What you pay matters as much as what you earn.
Many clients arriving at FOREM are already invested through private banks, mutual funds or structured products, and rarely know what those vehicles actually cost. Layers of advisory fees, expense ratios and embedded spreads can quietly absorb a meaningful share of long-term returns.
Typical layered structure
FOREM
* Custodian, brokerage and transaction costs are charged separately by third parties. Our fees are described in Form ADV Part 2A, Item 5.
Run the numbers yourself
Move the sliders. See what fees cost over time.
Adjust years, capital, gross return and fee levels. The chart updates instantly to show how a small difference in fees compounds into a large difference in outcome.
Layered structure
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Lower-cost structure
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Difference
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Hypothetical, illustrative calculation only — not a projection of any account or of FOREM’s results. It assumes a constant gross return and constant total fees, compounded annually. Actual returns vary, are not guaranteed and may be negative; past performance does not predict future results. FOREM’s fees are disclosed in writing before any engagement and described in our Form ADV.
See how much of your return is going to fees.
Send us your current holdings. We will prepare a confidential cost analysis and show you what a transparent structure could look like for your portfolio.