A. Advisory Business
Kensys, Ltd (referred to herein as “Kensys,” “Firm,” “we,” and “our”) is an independent
investment advisory firm registered as an internet-only investment adviser with the U.S.
Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). An internet-only investment adviser provides
investment advice to almost all of its clients exclusively through an interactive website. The
company was formed in 2020 as a Limited company in the United Kingdom and is currently
owned by Stéphane Renard and Edwy Zoonekynd primarily. For more information about them
please see the brochure supplement (Form ADV Part 2B).
B. Portfolio Management Services
Portfolio management services are provided on a discretionary basis. This means the client
grants the Firm ongoing and continuous discretionary authority to make, and to enter orders
with a broker/dealer for the execution of, its investment recommendations in accordance with
the client’s investment profile without the client’s prior approval of each specific transaction.
All transactions in the clients’ account shall be made in accordance with the directions and
preferences provided to the Firm by the client. The client will execute instructions regarding the
Firm’s trading authority as required by each account custodian. Clients engaging us will be
asked to grant such authority upon signing our Investment Advisory Agreement.
If a client engages us to perform portfolio management services, Kensys’ website will ask a series of
questions designed to determine suitability of different investment options for a particular client.
Kensys determines a suitable proposed investment plan by performing a review of each client’s
individual account and suitability parameters. This review may include the client’s preferred
investment universe, investment objective, risk profile, preferred investment ethos, and preferred
strategy type, as well as financial situation. Based on client suitability parameters, Kensys will
design, revise, and reallocate a client’s custom portfolio.
After a suitability analysis is conducted, Kensys utilizes the information from the questionnaire to
create portfolio recommendations customized to Clients’ risk tolerance, financial parameters and
investment objectives. For each Client’s portfolio recommendations, Kensys considers the Client’s
employment status, income, investment goals and reasons to invest, time horizon and net assets.
Kensys also specifically looks at Client’s answers to questions about desired investment universe,
investment style, investment ethos, and alternative vs. traditional strategy preference. Kensys
evaluates each Client’s responses and proposes a portfolio plan. For example, if a Client is looking
for a less aggressive, mid-cap universe, traditional investment strategy that follows a value style
with special consideration to environmental concerns, Kensys creates a portfolio with these 5
factors and other suitability factors in mind. The portfolio recommendations created by Kensys for
each Client are based solely upon the information provided by the Client through the Firm’s
website. As
such, the suitability of the investment plan recommendations is limited by and relies on
the accuracy and completeness of the information provided by the Client. Kensys does not capture
any additional information not covered in the questionnaire in making its risk assessment and
providing its investment advice. Clients’ portfolio is invested through the client’s own brokerage
account(s) – Kensys is able to operate buying/selling of securities within these accounts, but
cannot control the deposit or withdrawal of cash.
The types of restrictions a Client may impose on their recommendations include the degree of
risk level (concentrated, balanced, diversified), investment universe (Small-Mid cap or Large
cap), Investment style (Value, Dividend, Growth, Momentum, Core), Investment ethos (ESG
impact with footprint and exclusions), and strategy type (Traditional or Alternative) based on
the information provided in the questionnaire. Clients are obligated to update their information
through the Firm’s website promptly if there are changes to their financial situation, goals,
objectives, personal circumstances, time horizon or if other relevant information changes or
becomes available.
A Client must connect an existing securities brokerage account and provide discretionary
authority over that account to Kensys. Brokerage accounts, agreements, and order processing
will be conducted through the Client’s own existing brokerage relationships. Kensys will not
store secure brokerage account information (like the password) but will rather store a related
token that allows it to connect securely to the brokerage account and execute trades.
Certain transactional costs will still be paid by the Client, including transaction fees for the
purchase or sale of securities, expenses related to the use of margin, wire transfer fees, the
fees (including expense ratios) charged to shareholders of mutual funds or ETFs, short-term
redemption fees, mark-ups and mark-downs, spreads, odd-lot differentials, paper statement
fees, fees charged by regulatory agencies, exchange fees, American Depositary Receipt fees,
transfer taxes, fees required by law. These fees may be charged by Client’s brokerage account
provider, but not charged by Kensys.
A client’s portfolio may be comprised of publicly-traded stocks or ETFs through US markets.
We will also monitor the client’s accounts to ensure that they are meeting the client’s investment
objectives and other requirements. If any changes are needed to the client’s investments, we will
make the changes or recommend the changes to the client. These changes may involve selling a
security or group of investments and buying others or keeping the proceeds in cash or some liquid
alternative. The client will receive written or electronic confirmations from the client’s account
custodian after any changes are made to the client’s account. The client will also receive
statements at least quarterly from the client’s account custodian. Our Investment Advisory
Agreement outlines the responsibilities of both the client and Kensys.