Investment professionals rely heavily on high-quality insights and research to make informed decisions, but accessing this information isn’t always straightforward.
For many professionals, valuable research is scattered across multiple platforms and locked behind logins, leading many to find themselves spending more time searching for insights than acting on them.
Having worked in the industry, Sean Thompson identified this challenge early on. Motivated by a desire to address this critical gap, he launched the cio investment club in January 2024.
In an interview with Financial Promoter, Thompson explains that the club is founded on the belief that asset owners deserve free and easy access to investment research, insights and asset manager content, without the constant hassle of logging into multiple sites.
Providing insights without barriers
cio investment club’s website offers investment research and insights without paywalls or login requirements, aiming to make this information more accessible to asset owners.
“The frustrations I hear from asset owners are they want to read something that they have to first log in before they can read it,” he says. “We try not to gate it, which means that someone goes straight to a piece of content that an asset manager has uploaded and can easily access it without the need to log in.”
Thompson adds that the club produces its own investment insights based on common industry themes and asset managers also contribute content to the site. This enables the website to serve as a central hub for insights, which supports its goal.
To make access to content even easier, Thompson adds that cio investment club has also launched an app to put valuable investment insights right at members’ fingertips.
“You can download the app, which makes it even more freely and easily accessible because you can access it on your mobile phone without having to go to Google search. It’s there,” he says. “You download the app, and you’re immediately into the website and can register for events.”
Bringing insights to life
Though, insights aren’t just limited to written content as investment professionals also gain value from in-person discussions. Recognising this, cio investment club also incorporates events into its offering as part of its broader approach.
Thompson hosts a variety of events throughout the year, including investment breakfasts and lunches as well as roundtables. These different formats are designed to accommodate to members’ varying preferences for how they engage with insights.
Some may favour informal, broad discussions in a relaxed professional setting over a meal, while others prefer focused conversations on specific topics in roundtable sessions. According to Thompson, offering varied formats ensures the club meets the needs of all members.
He adds that keeping events small and intimate is key to encourage active engagement: “We keep our events small because then they become more engaging. People feel more comfortable being a part of the discussion, as opposed to in the back of the room.”
To extend the impact of its event discussions, Thompson notes that after each roundtable, a whitepaper is produced and distributed to asset owners. This approach ensures a wider audience can access the insights and diverse perspectives shared during these focused conversations.
Tailoring insights to member needs
Engaging members and delivering valuable insights hinges on understanding the topics they truly care about. To achieve this, Thompson says the cio investment club employs several methods to gather member feedback and tailor its content accordingly.
Firstly, he explains that a survey is sent to all members twice a year asking about their interests, such as what topics and themes they want to explore, the insights they wish to hear from asset managers and the subjects they want to discuss.
Additionally, Thompson notes that hosting a variety of events allows him to observe firsthand what topics resonate and capture members’ interest.
Finally, Thompson highlights the importance of tracking what members read on the club’s website, not only asset manager content but also the club’s own insights and white papers. This data offers valuable clues about the topics that resonate most with members.
“We put all of that together to better understand what individuals are looking for,” he says.
Not only does understanding what members want to hear shape the topics discussed at events but it also enables cio investment club to tailor its content, delivering specific insights to audiences based on their individual needs.
Thompson notes that some events are available to all within the industry to attend, but then other times, events concentrate on specific industries thanks to these insights.
By recognising that one sector may face unique challenges or seek information on topics less relevant to others, Thompson explains that breakfasts can be tailored to address the specific needs of pension, insurance or charity investors.
“We’re targeting a particular audience to ensure that when we’re presenting to those people, we’re talking about the relevant things that are applicable to their businesses,” he says.
Boosting reach through social media
While all businesses hope that quality work will naturally attract customers, Thompson acknowledges that this alone isn’t enough. To boost membership, he has embraced social media, especially LinkedIn, as a key platform to promote the club’s content and events and engage with potential members.
Though, he aims to further amplify the club’s brand presence on social media. After managing the operation alone for 18 months, he recently hired his first employee, Chloe Irapah, as an administrator. With a background in marketing, her appointment seeks to help strengthen and expand the club’s social media strategy.
“That’s the whole point of her being bought in, to help us with brand awareness and going out there and getting more people involved,” he says.
Beyond social media, the club also relies on the close-knit community of asset managers and owners to drive growth through positive word-of-mouth.
Thompson explains that by focusing on high-quality events and content tailored to topics that genuinely interest members, those who attend or use the site are more likely to share positive feedback within their networks.
“For us, it is about that continuing to deliver the events we’re doing and making sure that the topics and themes are relevant to what they want to hear about,” he says. “That in itself, starts people talking. People start talking to their colleagues.”
The next steps
Just 18 months after its launch, the cio investment club has already numerous events and produced a wealth of online content and Thompson says there are no plans to slow down.
Having already hosted an event in Bermuda, he now has ambitions to expand internationally, with particular focus on Hong Kong, Singapore, and Dubai.
“My vision is that I’d like to see the CIO Investment Club become an international club,” he says.
He adds that the club’s core purpose is to bring people together in a welcoming environment, helping them access and explore the investment topics they want to learn more about. This approach, he says, is not just relevant to the UK as investment professionals worldwide stand to benefit and are increasingly showing interest.
What started as a simple idea, to make investment research more accessible and meaningful, has quickly grown into a platform that brings insight and discussion to the forefront.
By removing barriers and focusing on what asset owners actually want to know, the cio investment club is carving out its place in the industry. And with plans to take that approach global, Thompson’s mission is only just getting started.