Unicapital challenges notion investing is for the rich

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MARIE ANGELA M. HING

MARIA CONCEPCION Y. FERNANDEZ

By Alexandria Grace C. Magno

LOCAL brokerage Unicapital Securities, Inc. is seeking wider participation in the Philippine stock market by strengthening engagement with retail investors and challenging the long-held perception that investing is limited to wealthy individuals or institutional players.

“Even outside of Metro Manila, we’re doing roadshows, investor education to really educate the normal retail investor. Before, there was a perception that the stock market is only for people with money, it’s only for the rich but really now, it’s anyone can invest,” Unicapital Securities, Inc. President Maria Concepcion Y. Fernandez said in an interview with BusinessWorld.

Founded in 1997, the brokerage firm has evolved from primarily servicing institutional clients to developing online trading platforms and conducting investor education programs nationwide to reach a broader public.

The firm said it goes beyond transaction-driven brokering by providing client-specific guidance on risk and investment opportunities.

“For Unicapital, it’s a very personalized service — that is what we give to our clients. Since we’re very small, we take a look at what our clients really need. We study their finances first and we let them know, especially if it’s for something they want to expand or what,” Marie Angela M. Hing, first vice-president for treasury and fixed income, said in the same interview.

“We take a closer look at whatever they need from us, and we let them know. We give them what strategies from our side we think is best for them. I guess that’s where we are different from the other investment firms.”

Ms. Hing, who joined Unicapital several years ago, said she is driven by addressing structural gaps in the Philippine investment landscape.

Ms. Fernandez, who has nearly three decades of experience in investment banking and stock brokerage, said the market’s evolution has further strengthened her advocacy.

“Our advocacy really is to educate the Filipinos, encouraging them to invest. So, that’s really what drives us. Because the Philippine stock market is one of the oldest stock markets, and yet we are lagging behind our ASEAN neighbors,” she said.

Despite its long history, participation in the domestic capital market remains low relative to regional peers, presenting both a challenge and an opportunity to expand the retail investor base beyond a narrow segment of the population.

“[Most] Filipinos, the investing part is not as important to them, right? We want to educate, especially since we have a young population — everyone’s talking about the demographic dividend. So, that’s the potential of the nation, right? We have to invest in these young people — they just waste their money on spending — and we have to teach them how to save and invest.”

Unicapital, a licensed full-service investment house, offers a range of financial and investment banking services and positions itself as a mid-sized platform that supports emerging and mid-sized enterprises rather than competing directly with large universal banks.

“We saw that retail investors were a very small part of the market and there was not much participation. We pivoted and developed our own online platform. We concentrated on the retail market, which served us well. We saw the opportunity there. It’s where we’re concentrated now,” Ms. Fernandez said.

The company considers broadening retail participation crucial to the growth of the capital market and the wider economy. Ms. Fernandez added that many potential investors are discouraged by perceptions that investing is overly complex or akin to gambling, prompting the firm to adopt a gradual, advisory approach.

“We don’t treat them as clients — it’s like a partnership because what we give, they also give us. It’s a give and take relationship. We tell them what they need and in return, of course, they basically invest with us… Whether it be stocks or bonds or they want a simple loan, they can do everything with us in the group,” Ms. Hing said.

“If we can increase the number of participants in the market, I think we would have done our job,” Ms. Fernandez added.

Despite differences in their years of experience, the two executives share a commitment to redefining the finance profession by breaking traditional gender barriers and reinforcing the importance of continuous learning in a rapidly evolving industry.

“We’re fortunate because you’re being paid to learn all these different industries. For us, it’s exciting. You have to have that growth mindset to be open. You think you know everything, no, you don’t. You always have something new to learn,” Ms. Fernandez said.

“I think one piece of advice would be never stop learning. The finance industry is very fast-moving. Something new happens every single day. It’s a challenging industry, but it’s fun because every day, there’s something new… adaptability is key,” Ms. Hing said.