Purpose-driven wealth management
GSB Capital
Restoring industry trust
The UAE’s economic and regulatory environment is quickly evolving as technological advances fuel a dynamic but highly competitive cluster of financial services looking to serve the local market. However, as social consciousness develops, many first-movers have continued to exploit light regulation to their advantage. For example, financial service advisors can work without the necessary training or qualifications. As such, the guarantee of impartial advice is often compromised, with many uncertified practitioners employing invasive tactics to sell products that are not always the most suitable for their clients. While the implications of these practices on investors are being addressed through improved dialogue and regulation, the consequences on social development are less known. While many highly qualified and licensed professionals battle misrepresentation, scepticism and distrust, these financial advisory practices reduce economic growth in developing economies. Discouraging conscious investors and diverting funds from high-performing sustainable, environmental and social development investments.
Because everyone should gain from a good investment.
Headquartered in Dubai and with offices in Geneva and London, GSB is a highly conscious wealth management, personal and institutional financial planning company, placing the utmost importance on human growth alongside financial guardianship and protection. With the help of Firstwater, the company’s brand-building journey began with a business and brand impact assessment, qualified by further qualitative and quantitative research. Despite a clear commitment to positive impact investing, GSB had yet to define an actionable philosophy and value proposition. We engaged employees to gather insights and help reveal and articulate the company’s mission, purpose and vision. This process helped to identify four strategic guardrails in the form of guiding principles. Used to eliminate complexity and ensure clarity and consistency across the stakeholder experience, these principles were championed through training and guided product and service innovation and development. GSB has also rolled out an employer brand programme to attract and retain the best talent, enable ethical scaling, and ensure measurable impact as the business grows.
Only investing in clearer futures
GSB is built on a simple belief that everyone should gain from good financial investment, with the company’s mission to create, protect, and grow wealth. But only in the most ethical and responsible ways possible. Ensuring the company builds upon its strong awareness and credibility since launch, our programme was a natural next step in its growth story. Empowered by a purpose-driven strategy, actionable and measurable impact goals, and a carefully constructed architecture and identity, the new system truly represents the value GSB creates. Clients and prospects can identify and understand offerings and why, in a saturated marketplace, this company of people is different. With teams able to explain the company’s full portfolio of solutions and the benefits to all stakeholders, not just shareholders and investors.
Joining global brands of excellence.
The business and brand impact assessments included B Corp’s B Impact and Firstwater’s Brand Clarity Assessments. These comprehensive evaluations underscored GSB’s dedication to a higher purpose and a purpose-driven strategy. These efforts culminated in GSB’s recent announcement of becoming an officially Certified B Corporation. This certification is a testament to the company’s unwavering commitment to social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.
“The Firstwater team has been instrumental in dramatically transforming our brand. They understood what we were trying to achieve and succinctly developed an amazing brand strategy. We recommend Firstwater to anyone who wants their brand to lead their industry from the front.”
— Alison Whatnall, COO
Credits
Research Partner: Rob Sinclair, Conscious Brands
Creative Director: Ian Kiloh