City Asset Management Celebrates its 30th Anniversary
1 FEBRUARY 2018
City Asset Management was incorporated in February 1988 by Viv Coghill, Ian Mill and David Lesser and since then, we have grown to a team of 50 people looking after ~£600m. Today we celebrate our 30th anniversary and thank our clients who have entrusted their wealth to us, our excellent team and ex colleagues all of whom have done so much to build this business.
The firm launched shortly after the 1987 crash and despite this, a small office was taken in Farringdon Road, complete with resident tramp who had to be moved from the doorway every morning. At that time, Viv’s wife Hilary performed the role of book keeper whilst doing research into collectives whilst Ian focused on equities. Over the following years more people were added to the business and as we grew, we waved goodbye to the resident tramp and moved over the road to new offices. This started a long running tradition of staff and family acting as the removers and in this instance Viv and Hilary’s son Nick (our current CEO) and his school friends proceeded to carry furniture down flights of stairs and over the road, culminating with the huge office safe in a scene that would have made Laurel and Hardy proud!
In 1990 we acquired Chartered Asset Management which kick-started the growth of the business and more investment managers and financial advisers joined the business over the years. Farringdon Road remained our home for much of the 1990s before another move in 2000 (again facilitated by family and staff) to Old Street where Silicon Roundabout was in its infancy.
Sadly in 2012, Viv Coghill passed away suddenly and his son, Nick, took over the business to ensure continuity and to build on the foundations that had been laid. In 2013, we moved offices to our current home in Bishopsgate, albeit reluctantly, using a professional firm to help with the move.
Today as we reflect on the past 30 years we look back with pride on how we got here and the fantastic staff that have contributed over that time. Most importantly, we are blessed that many clients and their families have supported us and many will have endured the non-stop building work of Old Street, probably had lunch at The Eagle in Farringdon Road and maybe even traipsed up the stairs in Clerkenwell Road via smoke filled offices.
We also remember that, in the end, our success depends on our relationship with our clients, providing a service they value and generating the investment returns they need to meet their financial goals. We will keep looking to the future and growing the business but we will not forget the past and who we are.
This document may include forward-looking statements that are based upon our current opinions, expectations and projections. Investment markets and conditions can change rapidly, and as such the views and interpretations expressed should not be taken as statements of fact, nor should they be relied upon when making investment decisions. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements and actual results could differ materially from those anticipated by any forward-looking statements.
Past performance is not a guide for future performance. The value of your investment can fall and you may not get back the amount invested.