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Client project · Shipped

Gratus Investment Management

A first website for a new, MAS-regulated Singapore asset management company, built so trust comes before the ask.

Role
UI/UX designer and Squarespace builder
Scope
Frontend asset management responsive website
Timeline
2 months
Methods
Competitive analysis, information architecture, user flows, handover documentation
Tools
Figma, Squarespace, Claude
View live site

TL;DR

Gratus logo

Gratus

INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT

Brand Design Responsive Web Design Squarespace Development

THE CHALLENGE

A newly-established Singapore investment firm, needed a professional web presence to:

Build credibility with investors

Communicate their unique investment philosophy and approach

Establish lead generation pathways for investor inquiries

Create a scalable platform for publishing investment insights

Role

UI/UX Designer

Tools

Figma, Squarespace, Claude

Outcome

Established digital presence that converts visitor trust into investor inquiries

DISCOVERY

IDENTITY

Competitive analysis revealed:

Competitors prioritised information density over clarity, an opportunity to build trust through restraint.

Trust signals drive conversion

Team credentials

Thought leadership

Investment philosophy

FUTURE

LIVING

Sanchez

Opinion Pro

THE TRADE-OFF

Early on I proposed founder bios as a trust signal, short profiles so visitors could see who was behind the firm.

Stakeholders rejected it at the time, it wasn't in the original scope.

Near the end of the project, they asked for it anyway, no clear reason given for the reversal.

I added it, which meant designing and building separate individual bio pages that were never in the original plan.

Scope isn't fixed once it's agreed. Staying flexible when a client's read on trust changes, even late and without a clear reason, matters more than defending the original plan.

UX FLOW

IA mirrors the investor decision journey, so content builds confidence before the ask.

AWARENESS CONSIDERATION INQUIRY
Home
Insights
About
Company & Team Information
3 entry points based on how investors arrive.

UX FLOW

IA mirrors the investor decision journey, so content builds confidence before the ask.

AWARENESS CONSIDERATION INQUIRY
Thought leadership
Company & Team Information

+

Mission & Values
Investment Philosophies
Trust signals

UX FLOW

IA mirrors the investor decision journey, so content builds confidence before the ask.

AWARENESS CONSIDERATION INQUIRY
Subscribe
Schedule a consultation
Schedule a consultation
Every path ends in a conversion opportunity. No dead ends.

OUTCOMES

Handover notes were done very well — comprehensive, which helps a lot.

— Gratus Investment Management, CFO

3

Articles posted, post-handover

Client independently posted, no designer needed.

0

1

Launched from

Designed a site that earns trust before asking for inquiry. Structured so every page moves investors closer to contact.

MAS regulated

Built for accredited and institutional investors.

View live site

WHAT I LEARNT

Restraint is a trust signal. In financial services, visual noise undermines credibility.

Clean design is a competitive move. Competitors had outdated sites. Modern UI became the differentiator.

Handover is part of the design. Documentation is what makes the work last beyond the project.

Context

Gratus is a new, MAS-regulated firm for accredited and institutional investors. It had no website, so the project went from 0 to 1.

The site had 4 jobs:

  • Build credibility with investors.
  • Explain the firm’s investment philosophy.
  • Give investors a path to enquire.
  • Give the firm a place to publish investment insights as it grows.

Discovery

A competitive analysis showed competitors put information density ahead of clarity, on dated sites. That left room to build trust through restraint.

3 trust signals drive conversion here: team credentials, thought leadership and the investment philosophy.

Mood board image: a green, future-facing city
The identity leans on a “future living” mood: calm, green, modern.

Solution

The information architecture follows the investor’s decision journey, so content builds confidence before the ask.

  1. 01 · Awareness

    3 ways in

    Home, Insights and About: 3 entry points, matching how investors arrive.

    Gratus homepage

  2. 02 · Consideration

    Confidence before the ask

    Thought leadership, company and team information, mission and values, and the investment philosophies.

    Leadership team and investment philosophy

  3. 03 · Enquiry

    No dead ends

    Every path ends in a conversion point: subscribe, or schedule a consultation.

    Get In Touch enquiry form

Trade-off

Rejected, then requested

Founder bios

I proposed short founder bios early, so visitors could see who was behind the firm. Stakeholders said no because it wasn’t in scope. Near the end they asked for it anyway, with no reason given. I designed and built individual bio pages that were never in the plan.

Scope can change after it’s agreed. When a client’s read on trust shifts late, staying flexible matters more than defending the original plan.

Outcomes

Measured

Live at gratus-invest.com. The client posted 3 articles after handover, without a designer.

“Handover notes were done very well, comprehensive, which helps a lot.”

CFO, Gratus Investment Management

Reflection

  • Restraint is a trust signal. In financial services, visual noise undermines credibility.
  • Clean design is a competitive move. Competitors had dated sites, so a modern UI set Gratus apart.
  • Handover is part of the design. The documentation is why the client still publishes without me.

The site is live. www.gratus-invest.com

View live site