BPI Wealth designs first PH marine conservation fund

SAILING SEASON BPI Private Wealth kicks off Signature Yacht Race Series 2. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

BPI Wealth is here to show that its continued support to the Philippines’ growing sailing community can also leave a legacy of sustainability.

On the day the asset management unit of the Ayala Group’s banking arm announced the second season of the BPI Private Wealth Signature Yacht Race Series, Maria Theresa Marcial, company president and CEO, took the opportunity to unveil an upcoming BPI Wealth product: an investment fund that will support marine conservation advocacies and projects.

The groundbreaking fund is targeted to set sail in June 2025, in time for the celebration of World Oceans Month. BPI Wealth has yet to reveal the final design of the new product, but Marcial says the product will target small investors.

”I think this will be the first of its kind in the Philippines,” Marcial tells reporters during the media launch held at the upscale Manila Polo Club, where BPI Wealth threw an awards gala that celebrates the accomplishments of the first season and sets the course for an exciting year ahead for sailing teams in the country.

“In terms of concept, it’s really to set aside a portion of the fund to be contributed to organizations that will implement marine conservation projects and initiatives … It’s not so much [to] invest in instruments that focus on sustainability because the investment universe is not very broad, at least in the Philippines,” she adds.

Targeting retail investors

“Target really is a broader set of retail investors because the intention is to structure it as an investment fund. And like all the investments of BPI Wealth, the minimum investment amount is P1,000,” she continues.

Overall, the new investment fund will allow BPI Wealth clients to “not only do what they love but also contribute towards a sustainable future for our seas,” Marcial says.

And there is no other company that can better create and manage the Philippines‘ first marine conservation investment fund than the largest standalone trust corporation in the country itself.

By the end of 2023, BPI Wealth boasts of P1.22 trillion worth of assets under management (AUM), marking a 40 percent increase from 2022. But it gets better from there as the BPI unit aspires for a 20-percent growth in AUM in 2024.

That is all part of BPI Wealth’s ambitious goal to manage P3-trillion worth of clients’ assets by 2026. For one, BPI Private Wealth—the company’s rebranded private banking business whose customers include high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals—sees loans this year reaching P12 billion as it launches new projects.

And the decision to announce the new fund while BPI Private Wealth kicks off the second season of the signature yacht race series makes the initiative more meaningful.

Yacht race: Stakes higher

In 2023, the series sparked a movement to grow the local sailing community, promote sustainable tourism and raise awareness about marine conservation. A total of 23 yachts participated in the first season, with four yachts completing all the legs of the series that took skippers and their crew to some of the most stunning sailing destinations in the Philippines.

This year, BPI Private Wealth says the stakes are higher, but the mission is greater: to race for the future of Philippine sailing and protect the beauty of the Philippine seas for generations to come. The partnership with WWF Philippines is also expected to grow stronger, as BPI Wealth renews its commitment to uphold environmental stewardship.

”In 2023, we reignited the passion. We set sail toward our vision to grow the sailing community, promote the Philippines as a sailing destination and raise awareness toward marine conservation,” Marcial says.

”With all the issues surrounding our marine ecosystems, now, more than ever, we have the power to shape conversations that put our seas at the front and center by promoting a deeper love and connection to the Philippine seas,” she adds.