Ethics in focus: Is your investment adviser keeping proper records?

LIFE is full of rules. But while our parents and teachers might have taught us rules in our childhood and youth, what used to be black-and-white often turns grey as we grow older and enter the working world.

The situations we face seem increasingly complex. As we push boundaries, the temptation to "bend the rules" looms ever larger. Over time, and before we realise it, our moral compass may well be pointing in a different direction. Sounds familiar?

In investment management, arguably more so than in many other industries, it is imperative that clear rules are established to resist such temptations and to ensure our moral compass remains pointing firmly in the right direction. As custodians of other people's money, investment managers are placed in positions of trust, and with this power and duty, comes responsibility.