Wealth management platform Finnomena, Franklin Templeton to bring investment solutions to Thai investors

THAILAND-BASED digital wealth management platform Finnomena on Monday announced a business partnership with global asset management firm Franklin Templeton.

The collaboration will focus on bringing investment solutions provided via Finnomena's digital platform, as well as access to investment insights by Franklin Templeton Academy, an education programme which offers a global investment curriculum, both firms said in a joint statement.

Finnomena plans to expand its private banking target segment in Q1 2021 with an initial customised portfolio involving a minimum client outlay of 10 million baht (S$445,000).

In the second half of the year, the startup is also looking to embark on a "unique approach to goals-based wealth management" with Franklin Templeton, targeted at the mass retail and affluent segment for clients with at least 500,000 baht, or about US$16,660 in assets, the companies said.

The solution from Franklin Templeton reflects a patent pending approach to goal optimisation, with further potential to broaden the use of this technology, they added.

According to the firms, investors will be able to perform portfolio analysis and view insights on their customised portfolios, something that was previously accessible only to high-net-worth individuals in Thailand.

Said Finnomena's group chief executive Jessada Sookdhis: "Previously, only investors with at least 50 million baht worth of investment were eligible to experience solutions from global asset management companies. Through this partnership, we have significantly lowered the minimum investment sum, and will offer both financial products and investment knowledge to all our clients in Thailand."

Dora Seow, country head of Singapore, who oversees Franklin Templeton South-east Asia's (ex-Malaysia) business, said: "This is the first business partnership that Franklin Templeton has with a digital wealth platform in Thailand. We have been keenly watching the digital wealth advisory space and want to partner with top digital players in growth markets, of which both Thailand and Finnomena fit the bill perfectly well."

Separately, in January last year, the startup announced that it had bagged US$10 million in funding via a Series B round co-led by Openspace Ventures and Gobi Partners.