Brabus Capital had already proven its strategy. As an systematic equity hedge fund, the firm had been managing separately managed accounts (SMAs) through a secondment arrangement with a regulatory host, building a solid track record along the way. The natural next step was to launch its own Alternative Investment Fund (AIF), and that meant securing something Brabus Capital had never held before: direct FCA authorisation as a Collective Portfolio Management Investment firm (CPMI).This wasn’t a compliance box to tick. It was the foundation for everything that came next. Every decision in the application, the permissions sought and the frameworks built was made with one outcome in mind: a fund ready to launch, not just a firm ready to be approved.
THE CHALLENGE.
This was Brabus Capital’s first direct FCA authorisation, a clean opportunity to build the regulatory foundation exactly right from day one.
Getting it right meant more than satisfying the FCA’s Threshold Conditions. It meant building the regulatory business plan, permissions profile and compliance infrastructure around Brabus Capital’s specific plans. Cosegic’s job was to get the scope right first time and keep momentum building toward launch.
WHAT WE DID.
- Scoped it right, first time. We took the time to understand Brabus Capital’s business plan and growth ambitions to arrive at the exact CPMI permissions profile the firm needed, not one borrowed from elsewhere.
- Built the application to convince. Regulatory business plan, Form As, controller forms, fund information, financial projections drafted in close partnership with the Brabus Capital team, built to be understood and approved, not just submitted.
- Owned the FCA dialogue. Handled the regulator’s Q&A directly, keeping answers sharp, accurate and fast.
- Kept the client ahead of the process. Regular calls meant Brabus Capital was never waiting to find out where things stood.
- Built the engine room for launch day. Compliance manual, policies and procedures, plus MyCosegic-powered attestations, PA dealing and gifts & hospitality reporting live and ready, not bolted on after the fact.
THE OUTCOME.
Brabus Capital is now authorised to do what it set out to do: launch and manage its own fund and further diversify its investor base. The speed of approval wasn’t a bonus, it was the point. Every week saved on authorisation is a week gained on launch.
“Cosegic guided us through every step, from selecting the right permissions to building out our compliance framework. What would normally take three to four months, we achieved in a fraction of the time, and we are now in a position to launch our fund and bring in additional capital from a wider range of investors.”
Taj Sahota, Chief Operating Officer, Brabus Capital
“Brabus Capital had a clear vision and a strong business plan from day one, which made it possible for us to put together a precise, well-evidenced application. That preparation, combined with an efficient review from the FCA, meant we could get this firm authorised significantly faster than the market normal.”
Stephen Roberts, Lead Director, Head of Investment Firms, Cosegic
WHY IT MATTERS.
Authorisation is too often treated as the finish line. We treat it as the starting point. By scoping permissions with precision, building an application that anticipates the regulator’s questions, and putting fund-ready compliance in place from day one, Cosegic didn’t just get Brabus Capital authorised; we got them launch-ready, in a fraction of the time the market considers normal. That’s not luck. That’s what happens when you rule the rules.
READY TO GET AUTHORISED, FASTER?
If you’re planning to launch a fund, expand your permissions, or bring an existing arrangement in-house, the same principles apply: scope it right, build an application that anticipates the questions, and have your compliance framework ready before day one, not after.
Cosegic has helped firms across the alternative investment space secure FCA authorisation in a fraction of the time the market considers normal. If you’re ready to talk about your own authorisation journey, get in touch with our Investment Firms team today.
