COVID-19 and IIG's Investments 

To our broad community.

Published: March 12, 2020

Like everyone, we continue to monitor the experts’ recommendations to ensure we act with care and responsibility. I have no doubt you share our position of empathy and understanding while this virus is having effects in families and communities around the world.

Our most urgent priority has been supporting our team and our community’s wellbeing, including – like most companies – ensuring business continuity. We are very familiar with working flexibly and remotely, having already reduced travel for environmental reasons.  We will continue to encourage our staff, friends and broader IIG family to take care of themselves and their loved ones as a priority.

The markets have experienced significant turmoil over the past fortnight, and we expect this volatility to continue over for some weeks. We are clearly now in a low interest rate / low cash rate environment and we expect this to be the “new normal” long after the immediate effects of coronavirus have abated.

While we expect remaining strong demand for, and the performance of, “alternative” investments (with low correlation to traditional asset classes like equities and bonds), we continue to monitor the broader markets and will continually assess and respond to evolving risks to our portfolio that might arise.

Our portfolio of unlisted property and alternative investments does not experience volatility in the same way as public market investments so we have the opportunity to methodically understand the risks and mitigations without as much noise. Our investment teams are working through our portfolio with their usual diligence.

We also note that the COVID-19 outbreak has illustrated the value of economically, environmentally and socially resilient local communities.  At times like these, it’s even more important to ensure that all of our actions, not just our investments, promote the wellbeing of both people and planet. Please take care of yourselves and those around you. As always, we like to hear from you, so please feel free to reach out.

 

Daniel Madhavan – CEO