Fiduciary Advisory & Non-Discretionary OCIO Services – FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Our Partnership Model & Non-Discretionary Approach
What exactly is a non-discretionary OCIO, and how is it different?
A traditional OCIO takes full control (discretion) over your portfolio. Our non-discretionary model is a partnership where we provide all the institutional resources—research, due diligence, and implementation support—but you retain final approval on all investment decisions. Think of us as your fully-staffed, expert investment office that you direct. You gain the expertise without sacrificing control.
We're a small team with a limited budget. Can we realistically access OCIO-level services?
Yes. Our entire model is built for stewards of capital like you—family offices, endowments, and smaller pension funds. We provide the deep, institutional-grade analysis and support typically reserved for much larger organisations, but in a flexible, cost-effective structure tailored to your size and needs.
How do you measure and report on the time savings for our committee?
We begin with a diagnostic of your current governance process—tracking time spent on meeting preparation, data aggregation, and manager monitoring. After partnering with us, the savings come from our centralised reporting, pre-digested analysis, and proactive management of your fiduciary framework. Clients typically report a reduction of 10-60% in time spent on oversight activities, freeing them to focus on high-level strategy.
Our Responsible Investing & Systemic Analysis Philosophy
How is your approach to Responsible Investing different from standard ESG scoring?
We believe standard ESG scores are often noisy, backward-looking, and miss the most critical risks. Our approach is systems-level. Instead of asking “What’s your ESG rating?” we ask: “What is the geopolitical architecture of your supply chain?” and “How do you price the cost of a broken license to operate?” We focus on the historical, moral, and structural factors that drive long-term risk and return.
Can you help us integrate our values without compromising returns?
Our philosophy is that truly understanding systemic risk is fundamental to achieving durable returns. We don’t see a trade-off; we see an alignment. By identifying companies and managers built for long-term resilience, we aim to build portfolios that are both principled and positioned to perform. We focus on material issues that affect financial outcomes, avoiding purely exclusionary or symbolic gestures.
What are "custom metrics," and how do you use them?
We move beyond generic data points to create proprietary metrics that quantify specific, material risks. For example, we might analyse a portfolio’s exposure to “Supply Chain Concentration Risk” (reliance on fragile geopolitical corridors) or “License to Operate Vulnerability” (operating in regions with high water stress or social unrest). These custom metrics translate abstract concepts into actionable, financial analysis.
Our Process & Services
We already have an Investment Policy Statement (IPS). Why do we need your help?
Many existing IPS documents are not built for the structural challenges of the 21st century, such as supply chain fragility or the energy transition. We help you refine your IPS to integrate these modern risks as core components of your fiduciary duty, ensuring it acts as a dynamic roadmap for decision-making, not just a static compliance document.
What does a "Portfolio System Review" involve?
It’s a forensic analysis of your portfolio through our unique, historically-literate lens. We look beyond asset allocation to understand the underlying systemic risks and inheritances of your holdings. We assess if your managers are equipped for this new landscape and identify any hidden concentrations or misplaced capital that traditional analysis might miss.
How do you find and vet investment managers?
Our due diligence goes far beyond questionnaires. We assess a manager’s temperament, process, and long-term alignment. We probe their understanding of the historical and geopolitical context of their investments. We seek partners whose definition of “value” includes the resilience of the systems their companies depend on.
Practicalities
What is the typical client engagement process?
It begins with a no-obligation Diagnostic Conversation to explore a specific portfolio challenge through our lens. If we proceed, we typically start with a Portfolio System Review to establish a baseline. From there, we build a phased engagement plan tailored to your needs, which could include framework development, thematic implementation, or ongoing manager monitoring.
Who is your ideal client?
We work best with sophisticated, long-horizon investors who feel that the highest cost is often a missed insight. This includes Family Offices, Charitable Foundations, Endowments, and Pension Funds ($50M–$250M AUM) who understand that the old investment maps no longer match the territory and are seeking a partner to help them navigate the new landscape.
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Disclaimer: Little Square Capital Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This is a financial promotion. All investments carry risk. Past performance is not a guide to future performance.