1. Who owns E1 Asset Management?

E1 Asset Management is a privately held US corporation. The Managing Partners are Ron Y. Itin and Sonny Shaikh. With nearly 30 years experience between the two of them in the securities industry, our leadership has a solid knowledge of the markets from the feel-good 1990’s through the technology bubble bursting and beyond.

2.  Where are you located?

As of 2007, E1 maintains its corporate headquarters at 44 Wall Street in lower Manhattan. E1 also maintains a branch office at 27 Whitehall Street, which is also located in the Financial District of New York City.

3. What are your hours of operation?

Monday through Friday, 8am – 4pm Eastern Standard Time.

4. Who is Pershing LLC and what is your relationship to them?

Pershing LLC is a subsidiary of The Bank of New York Mellonwhich specializes in providing Investment Services to the Financial Sector. They currently have offices in 22 Countries and employ over 23,000 professionals.

Since our inception, E1 has utilized Pershing’s technology and services in areas ranging from our trading platform to securities clearing.  Pershing LLC is also our custodian bank, where all of our client’s funds are held.

5. Which Securities Regulatory Bodies are responsible for providing oversight?

E1 Asset Management is a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and is also what is known as a Self Regulatory Organization (SRO).

You can search online for E1 by visiting the FINRA’s website (www.finra.org) and searching for us via our CRD Number, which is 46872 or by the name/ individual CRD # of any of our registered advisors.

In addition, E1 is required to be in compliance with all rules and regulations set forth by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).  They are an extension of the Department of Justice, part of the United States Federal Government.

6. I have noticed when using several search engines that E1 Asset Management results include links which refer to its appearance on a list maintained by the UK Financial Services Authority (FSA) of "unauthorized firms." Is this still the case?

No. While we are not "authorized" by the FSA to do business in the United Kingdom, we have now been removed from their most recent "unauthorized firm" list, which is a list of overseas (i.e. non-UK) firms known to be targeting UK investors.

As an "overseas" firm which is not authorized by the FSA, we are only allowed to contact potential investors in the UK under limited exemptions.

For more information, please email us at info@e1am.com or ask your financial advisor.

7. Can I purchase International (Non-U.S.) shares through E1? If so, how does that work?

Through Pershing, E1’s clients have the ability to trade on the global markets.  The shares of many large capitalization companies are available as American Depository Receipts (ADR’s), however if these are unavailable or you would prefer the stock in the country of origin, options are available for those nations that enjoy diplomatic relations with the United States including (but not limited to): England, Australia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Singapore, France, Germany, Hong Kong and China. 

Please ask your Financial Advisor for availability and applicable charges or email us at info@e1am.com

8. Is online account access available? 

Yes.  All of our clients have the ability to view their accounts via Netexchange.  You may go directly to their site here or link from our website.

This service is free and paperwork is included in all new account packages.  Clients may view their holdings, past activity and balances in near-real time (15 minute delay).  Trading online is NOT available, at this time.  Clients are encouraged to seek advice from a licensed Financial Advisor prior to transacting, as we pride ourselves on being a full service financial firm.

9. What does “agency-only” mean and how does this benefit me as an investor?

In business, the term agency literally means “a business or service authorized to act for others.”  E1 Asset Management prides itself on putting the client first—no hidden financial incentives to advisors for choosing one investment over another. We go into the market for our clients and acquire those companies we feel will perform the best over the long term.  We maintain no inventory and perform no market-making activities; thereby acting solely in your best interests.

10. Are there any privacy issues associated with having an account at E1 Asset Management?

We take our clients’ privacy concerns very seriously.  We do not sell names, addresses, phone numbers or other contact information to any business listing services.  As a further safeguard, all of our accounts are held in “street name” unless specifically requested otherwise. 

What this means is that shares are not held in your name for public record, they are held under a number.  In addition to keeping your personal or corporate information off of databases for sale, it also helps facilitate the transfer of shares at the time of sale, rather than physically exchanging certificates.  Holding securities in street name is also mandatory when trading on margin or in a margin account.

11. Why do you need all this information (Passport, Tax Form, etc.) from me to establish an account?

E1 Asset Management understands and appreciates that it is important to be current and in compliance with all banking and regulatory bodies whose jurisdiction we fall under.  Since September 11th, 2001 and the subsequent passage of the Patriot Act, international banking and securities laws have become far more stringent, requiring that transactions be far more transparent for criminal and civilian authorities alike.  As a result of the passage of the Patriot Act clients are now required to submit a valid Government ID or Passport containing a photo and supporting documentation.

As mentioned above, our clients’ privacy is paramount and such information will not be shared with any outside entities (with the exception of Federal or State authorities, pursuant to a valid subpoena). 

12. When is settlement or when are funds due for purchases?

Our settlement times are set by the Federal Reserve in conjunction with the applicable SRO. These times can vary from next day to five business days depending on the nature of the transaction and the status of the account.

Please contact your Financial Advisor for a full schedule detailing allotted transactions and subsequent settlement dates.

13. What contingency or business continuity plans does E1 have in place?

As we all know in the post 9-11 and Hurricane Katrina world that unforeseen calamities are unfortunately a fact of life.  In the event of a disruption in the markets or our operations our first step will be to reallocate resources and personnel to our branch office (if it is still intact).

If the Whitehall location is unavailable, E1 maintains two other undisclosed locations in the Tri-State area (both outside the confines of New York City) which would likely be unscathed in the event Manhattan becomes ground zero once again.  Both facilities enjoy state of the art technology and can comfortably accommodate our leadership and supporting personnel. 

You can view our business continuity plan.