Oracle Capital Group’s growth has been rapid, virtually doubling its size and its services almost every year since the financial crisis. When Yury Gantman joined the group six years ago it was a small relocation service firm aimed at assisting high net and ultra high net worth individuals (HNWIs and UHNWIs) from Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan with their move to the UK.
When joining the group, what was then called Ashton Rose, it consisted of around 10-15 staff. Today, it is one of the largest MFOs offering tailored services to UHNWIs from emerging market countries. The firm has 15 different departments, services over 30 fami-lies as well as other clients, employs over 100 people speaking 22 different languages and has seven interna-tional offices. Oracle is now considering further expan-sion into South East Asia.
Having moved from a focus on relocation services exclusively to Russian-speaking clients, Oracle Cap-ital has moved into legal, property, asset finance and insurance and corporate services, in addition to wealth structuring, alternative investments and charity work. Currently some 70-75% of its client base still comes from Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan but increasingly the firm is building up its bank of other international clients.
Gantman said the group’s evolution to an MFO may appear quick but it has been a result of gradual pro-gress. The quality of service on offer has brought in more clients, through recommendations, who in turn have requested additional assistance in different areas. The development into so many service areas may also appear fast, Gantman said, but it has been cautiously done. All areas were analysed well ahead of their intro-duction and were based entirely on demand and interest from clients. While there is no set time for each depart-ment to start earning its own way, so far all are suc-cessful. Each department submits monthly reports and all department heads meet quarterly to discuss areas of interest, review achievements as well as problems. “If they are struggling we analyse the reasons and try to provide support for them to improve.”
Last year the group introduced an advisory board to help assist with the firm’s swift growth. “We felt we needed an objective, independent opinion of whether we were doing it right. We want to keep strategically expanding and their skills will enhance our efforts to do so.”
The group recently introduced a legal case manage-ment division, a first of its kind in the UK. Gantman noted many clients have varying legal issues and in sourcing their own legal representation have ended up with exorbitant costs and case delays. Oracle’s service procures the best lawyers in the individual specific field needed and helps to manage the process and budget. If the client is ultimately unhappy with the service, they can get their money back.
Oracle Capital has, on the back of increased interest in alternatives, added its first dedicated fund, the Oracle Paradis Wine Fund and the firm intends to expand this range into other investment areas such as art and precious metals.
Finally one of the most popular of its services, started a little over a year ago, is a lifestyle management divi-sion offering a VIP concierge service. Each client has their own personal lifestyle manager available to take care of any requirement, from booking a private jet to sourcing the best UK schools, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In fact this ethos of personal service and acces-sibility at anytime has been essential in establishing the group’s strong reputation and client loyalty, which in turn has helped to fuel its growth.
“There is no set amount of time we prescribe spending with clients, every case is particular and per-sonal. Myself, as well as all department heads must be available to clients 24/7. We all keep our passports to hand to be able to f ly out at a moments notice if we are needed. Every single client has their own individual relationship manager, which speaks their language; we know and recognise every single birthday and special events in our clients’ lives.”
“We extend the same process into our own working environment – we’re not just a family office by name, it’s our culture within the group.”
