Established in Ireland in 1989, Custom House offers a global hedge fund administration service through its fully integrated network of offices in Malta, Chicago, Dublin, Luxembourg and Singapore, 24 hours a day during the working week and recently awarded the FundDomiciles.com Best Administrator for Malta award
This ‘around the clock’ service covers all aspects of day-to-day operations, including maintaining of a fund’s book and records, carrying out valuations, calculating the NAV and handling all subscriptions and redemptions. As at 30th November 2009, The Custom House Group administered over 600 funds and sub-funds for more than 200 investment management clients and total assets under administration in excess of US$36 billion.
Custom House uses the PFS-PAXUS (“PAXUS”) a fully integrated fund administration system and reporting is effected through CHARIOT, Custom House’s secure password protected web-reporting platform for managers and investors. Custom House is fully SAS70 compliant and the Dublin office was the only hedge fund administrator in the world ever to be awarded a Moody’s Management Quality Rating.
Custom House Malta
Following the agreement to merge the fund services business of Equity Trust into Custom House’s business in May of 2008, it was decided to re-domicile “Custom House Holdings Ltd”, the group holding company from the BVI (British Virgin Islands) to Malta and change the name to Custom House Global Fund Services Ltd (“CHGFS”). The merger received regulatory approval in September 2008 and CHGFS became the parent holding company of the expanded group of Custom House companies. CHGFS is also recognised as a fund administrator and licensed as a custodian of FoF.
Following the licensing phase, three members of staff were recruited and sent to the respective Dublin and Luxembourg offices for training. The training focused on the Custom House approach in dealing with Fund Administration. What immediately became apparent was the fact that the group strongly believed in its human aspect and has a pragmatic and decision making approach which makes the group very dynamic. The Group strongly believes that the best form of motivation is in giving ownership and autonomy to its staff at all levels, a philosophy passed on to all employees recruited.
Custom House Malta has been identified to carry out specific tasks which best suit the nature and characteristics of the local labour market. A year later it appears the decisions made were correct as, thanks to the local efforts and the group’s overall strategy, the initial objective of eight members of staff by the year end was exceeded and today includes 22 members of staff.
Throughout the year the company was not only involved in fund administration/corporate governance aspects but as a result of the synergies with the Equity Trust Group is also dealing in the Corporate Service Business line and is in the process of administering a retirement scheme. In fact, the company is also an authorized Trustee, and considering other lines of business to be able to meet all potential customer expectations as specific investment vehicles seem to be proving popular in the current economic climate.
Considering the economic conditions over this last year and the way the local company developed as well as the level of business enquiries coming in, the group is justifiably optimistic and has ambitious plans for Custom House Malta.
In 2010 the Group is now looking into furthering its investment in two principal areas. As the volumes of confidential data transmitted is expected to increase in line with the work carried out, the IT/Telecommunication infrastructure has to be further enhanced and upgraded. Currently, a careful assessment is being carried out to assess the various options and possibilities.
Throughout the year the company also expects to tap into the labour market, in an attempt to recruit staff which will fit in the Custom House environment. These will be individuals who will take ownership for work assigned, will be committed to a long term project and are capable of working in a young and dynamic team environment.
Contact details:
Albert Cilia - Managing Director
60 Tigne Towers (Ground Floor) Tigne Street Sliema SLM3172
Email: albert.cilia@mt.customhousegroup.com
Custom House Global Fund Services Ltd is authorised by the Malta Financial Services Authority