World Wealth Report

2008

State of the World’s Wealth ........................................ 2 HNWIs Retrench to Safer, More Familiar Investments ......................................... 14
Green Investing Gains Traction in 2007 ..................................................... 18 HNWIs’ Pursuit of “Passion Investments” Is Not Deterred By Economic Volatility ...................................................... 21

Spotlight: Wealth Management Firms Adapt to Meet Unique Needs of Growth Markets .............................................................. 24
Aligned Service-Delivery Models Can Drive Significant Value ....................... 26 A Rightly-Sized and Executed IT Strategy Can Reduce Risks of Entering a New Growth Market ................................. 28 Wealth Management Firms Encounter New Challenges When Addressing Growth-Market Needs ................................................... 30 The War For Talent Intensifies ................................................................... 31

Appendix A: Methodology ............................................ 34 Appendix B: Select Country Breakdown........ 35

To Our Readers,
In our 12th year evaluating what are considered to be the key indicators impacting the global high net worth marketplace, we are pleased to present the 2008 World Wealth Report. Together, Capgemini and Merrill Lynch utilize more than 20 years of collaborative experience to analyze the macroeconomic factors that drive and inhibit wealth generation and to better understand how they influence high net worth individuals (HNWIs) around the world.

By most standards, 2007 was a very eventful year—for the wealth management industry, and the entire global economy. The first half of 2007 consisted of steady worldwide growth, while the second half was marked by a sharp divergence between mature and emerging economies. The U.S. economic slowdown weighed heavily on key mature regions. However, strong performances