Rockingstone Advisors today announced the formal launch of its wealth management practice, with the mission of providing sophisticated, multi-asset investment strategies to individuals, families and small institutions.

"Rockingstone addresses a gap in an under-served market for portfolio management," said Brandt Sakakeeny, Managing Partner, "occupying a niche between index and mutual funds on one side and more complex and costly hedge funds and fund-of-funds on the other. "

The firm’s approach is facilitated in part by innovation in exchange-traded funds, which allow Rockingstone to gain exposure to multiple asset classes more cost effectively and efficiently than would have been possible five years ago, and in part to its rigorous fundamental analysis and disciplined investment process.

The firm also expects to benefit from widespread client dissatisfaction with the current wealth management offerings provided by some of the major money-center banks and brokerage firms. Sakakeeny highlighted, "According to market statistics, 63% of wealthy Americans have lost faith in financial institutions, which is not surprising when in a recent survey The Economist newspaper notes that ‘a lot of private banking has not been about advice, but pushing product.’"

"We believe the present environment is a particularly propitious time to launch our wealth management practice," Sakakeeny concluded, "financial markets have stabilized but we do not believe the global imbalances driving economic dislocation have subsided, if anything they may be deteriorating."