All set for Sunday? I was disappointed nobody started a match thread.
Deferred trip to the Channel Islands now taking place the end of this month. 3 days in Jersey (Royal Yacht) and 2 in Guernsey (Old Government House). Have to have boots on the ground early Monday so will travel via LCY on Sunday and thankfully miss coverage of the rugby match v Romania. Anything to do in Jersey on a Sunday?
I assume there are regular flights between Jersey and Guernsey otherwise itâll be a Bergerac speedboat on the Wednesday night.
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Some helpful pointers for client entertainment across Europe:
Where to woo clients: a city-by-city guide
29 September 2015
Asset management is a people business, where success often depends on strong relationships.
What better way to create strong relationships than take potential clients and business contacts to a good restaurant. But knowing where to go is not always easy, especially in unfamiliar cities.
Here fund industry professionals offer up their favourite restaurants for a working lunch or dinner, ranging from informal options to Michelin-starred venues.
Dublin
Stephen Carty, an asset management partner at law firm Maples, is loath to name his favourite restaurant in Dublin, saying it is already difficult to get a table there.
However, he does recommend the âfantasticâ Asador, which specialises in Irish produce cooked over charcoal and wood fires.
âIt hits the spot of high-quality dining with great atmosphere and energy, and somewhere we would be equally comfortable with clients or socially,â he adds.
Howie Li, from exchange traded fund provider ETF Securities, says Peploeâs on St Stephenâs Green, in the centre of Dublin, or Sophieâs, an Italian restaurant at the Dean Hotel, are among his favourites when he is in Dublin. The latter has a glass wall offering excellent views over the city, he adds.
Townsend Lansing, executive director at ETF Securities, also recommends Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, run by the eponymous French chef and currently Irelandâs only restaurant with two Michelin stars.
Frankfurt
Philip Kalus, managing partner at research firm Acclerando, says when he goes to Frankfurt he always tries to get a table at Ojo de Agua. The restaurant serves wines and beef from Argentina.
Oliver Roll, chief executive officer of fund distributor and consultant 4Alpha Drivers, says the restaurant he most often uses is Brasserie an der Alte Oper, located centrally in Frankfurt.
âThe ambience is very nice. During the summer days one can sit outside [and] have a view of the plaza in front,â he says.
Another option is Flemingâs Club Restaurant, which has a ânice roof garden terraceâ, or the Ivory Club, a good choice for âcold winter eveningsâ, Mr Roll adds.
London
The UK might have had a bad reputation for food in the past, but Londonâs restaurant scene is now one of the most dynamic in Europe.
Mr Lansing says Sweetings in the City of London, the financial centre, is a good bet for casual business lunches. The seafood institution, which has existed for over 100 years, âoffers simple fish and it is very high qualityâ, he says.
He also suggests SushiSamba, a Brazilian/Japanese/Peruvian fusion restaurant in the Cityâs Heron Tower.
âFor people who havenât been to London much, it is a particularly great place thanks to the views,â says Mr Lansing.
Mauro Baratta, joint CEO of research firm MackayWilliams, says a good option is Spring Restaurant in Somerset House, which offers seasonal produce in an understated but very elegant setting.
If you are hosting guests who are not from the UK, a good option could be to take them to the pub for a traditional English lunch or dinner, says ETF Securitiesâ Mr Li.
The Fox and Anchor, beside Londonâs Smithfield market, has âgreat piesâ. âIt is a good flavour of England, especially in the depths of winter,â he adds.
Meanwhile the CEO of one European fund house is a fan of La Petite Maison, a French bistro in Mayfair.
Luxembourg
Stéphane Badey, executive director at Arendt Regulatory Solutions, says his favourite restaurant to take clients to in Luxembourg is Maho, located in the centre of the city in a quarter called the Grund.
âIt is ideally placed in the Grund with a beautiful garden in the back. It is enjoyable both in summer and winter,â Mr Badey says.
âIn summer you can be outside and enjoy the garden, and in winter the interior is very chic and zen, with a wood fire burning.â
The food is good and they have âdecent wine selectionâ, he says. âIt is classy without being too formal.â
Milan
Italy is a foodieâs paradise and Milan is no exception. Simone Rosti, head of UBSâs ETF arm in Italy, suggests Convivium in the Brera area, which he says offers excellent meat and pasta.
It is âinformal but sophisticated enough to have client meetings in front of some top dishes you can experience in Milanâ, he adds.
Another option is Armani CafĂš in the Manzoni area. âThis is a cool place to be in Milanâ, with different Italian plates on offer, Mr Rosti says. â[It is] the right place to run both a formal and an informal meeting.â
MackayWilliamsâ Mr Baratta recommends Savini in Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, right in the centre of Milan. âItâs very traditional both in terms of food and also style â which I quite liked,â he says.
Laura Nateri, Italy country head for Aberdeen Asset Management, says that for a business meeting over coffee and pastries, Trussardi Café or Pasticceria Marchesi are the places to go.
For lunch the Michelin-starred VUN Park Hyatt Restaurant is sure to impress clients. It is âquiet and exclusiveâ, says Ms Nateri. For a better-value option, she recommends La Brisa, which boasts âan internal gardenâ and good food.
Either Il Bolognese or LâUlmet are also great for a business lunch, she adds. Da Antonio e Rita, meanwhile, does excellent pizza napoletana.
In Milan an aperitivo â an after-work snack and drink â is very popular. Some of the best options include Mag CafĂ©, which has great cocktails and is located in âone of the most typical areas for drinks and food in Milanâ, says Ms Nateri.
Mr Rosti says it might be worth visiting the Bulgari Hotel as this is a âfantastic location for a coffee or an aperitivo, mainly during spring and summer periodsâ.
Paris
France is famed for its food, with Paris boasting 70 Michelin-starred restaurants, making it one of the most foodie-friendly capitals in the world.
Arnaud Llinas, head of Lyxor ETFs and indexing, has several favourite restaurants, including Le 39V. This restaurant can be found on âthe top floor of a classic building in central Parisâ, and features a ânice terrace to have a drink before dinnerâ.
Another favourite is La Grande ArmĂ©e, a âtraditional French brassiere in 19th century style, very close to lâArc de Triompheâ, he says.
For those looking for something different, Le Derriere is âquite amusingâ, Mr Llinas adds. âYou are eating in a family flat with all decoration as if you were at a friendâs house.â
Dominique Pignot from the Association Française de la Gestion FinanciĂšre, Franceâs local industry association, is a fan of Pomze, a restaurant that celebrates apples.
Most of the dishes feature apples, while cider and calvados are also on the menu. âThe dishes are made with good-quality products,â she says.
Zurich
When in Zurich Martin Jufer, head of continental Europe for GAM Investment Management, suggests heading to Clouds, a rooftop restaurant at the cityâs highest building, the Prime Tower.
âThe restaurant offers a stunning view over the city, the lake and the mountains,â he says.
Mr Jufer also suggests Gerold Chuchi, where you will find âhomemade, fresh pastaâ and âone of the best burgers in the cityâ.
Marisqueira Atlantico, a âPortuguese restaurant that serves excellent fish menus and good Portuguese winesâ, is another recommendation of Mr Jufer.
Edmund Wandeler, head of business development in Switzerland for Aberdeen Asset Management, suggests Savoy Bar, Restaurant Orsini or Restaurant Kronenhalle for lunch in Zurich, or Casa Aurelio or Grober Ernst for dinner.
One of the easiest places for meetings is Restaurant BĂ€rengasse, Mr Wandeler says. âBĂ€rengasse is the most central place in town. All trams cross there and it is within the Credit Suisse [headquarters],â he says.
âThe fund industry is there every day and also the clients.â
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Wow. Just wow.
Booked a trip to NYC to visit a client today. Flying Wednesday evening. Meeting Thursday morning with client followed by boozy lunch. Followed by a catch up with friends and ex-colleagues for Thirsty Thursday HH. Followed by PTO on Friday and a weekend of general NYC merriment.
CMMMAAAAAANNNNN
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Thereâs no fun(ds) in asset management.
Plenty of cunts though.
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An industry that legitimises flagrant theft of investorsâ money.
Long may it continue.
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I love the Asset Management guys. They think theyâre a cut above the rest and they generally are. Great bunch of blokes.
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Any of you businessmen apply for this new paspport card?
Not yet but I will be doing so once Iâm in a room with decent light. Itâs not a huge hassle carrying a passport around but it helps.
I recommend the following for frequent travellers to the UK:
http://www.themu.co.uk/products/mu-classic
Decent space saver.
The âdevice optimum charge!â FFS sake.
A couple of my colleagues did today. Seemed to work very smoothly on the app.
Signing in en route to Boston. The last US bound flight of the day from Terminal 2.
Red eye home tonight in time for trick or treating
Happy Halloween.
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LCY continues to infuriate from a transfer perspective. My recent Channel Isles week long trip meant collecting bag at carousel (not an airline restriction), check in bag out at departures and back through security despite a fast track access. Made the flight to Dub with just 10 mins spare. They need to start making allowances for those travelling in her majestyâs territories.
Signing in from Gate 211 on way to LCY. A day of business ahead in London before a train to Cheltenham this evening. A day on the lash tomorrow racing before a day of entertaining / being entertained in a Corporate Box in the Princess Royal stand on Saturday followed by a days racing on Sunday.
Lovely
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The looks of bemusement from the trenchcoats at the couple in front of me travelling with a very young child are very entertaining.