How NRIs, British and Australian expats like to invest

Friends Provident International has carried out customer research to better understand the attitudes, behaviours, hopes, needs and fears of the NRI, British and Australian expat groups in the UAE.

Indian expats at the Nyati Ethos stall at the Indian Property Show at the Dubai World Trade Centre. Ravindranath K / The National

While the typical non resident Indian (NRI) investor likes to park their money in gold and bonds, the British are more focused on retirement savings and investing in property. And the Australian investor has their children’s education among their top priorities.

These are some new insights released by Friends Provident International this week, a provider of unit-linked savings and life insurance products.

The company has carried out customer research to better understand the attitudes, behaviours, hopes, needs and fears of the NRI, British and Australian expat groups in the UAE. The company then uses this information to tailor the products it markets to these groups and produce investment guides for the financial advisers that sell their products.

With that in mind, here is how FPI now profiles the investment preferences of each of the three expat groups:

Profile of a NRI investor:

Lower paid on average, with an income of $60,000 per year.

• Main financial priorities:

1 property purchase

2 retirement

3 children’s education, which is as equally important as retirement savings

•Likely to invest in bonds and gold with a short term approach to savings of between 0 to five years

• 67 per cent chance of returning home when they retire

Main investment concerns: NRIs are worried about the rising cost of living, very career focused and aim to retire in their 50s.

Profile of a British expat investor:

Higher paid, with an annual income of $120,000

• Main financial priorities are:

1 save for retirement;

2 property purchase

3 children’s education

• More likely to invest in property and cash deposit with a short term approach – they generally want to save up to five years

• Most likely to go to professional adviser for financial advice

• 75 per cent chance they will return home for retirement

Main concerns: Like NRIs. the British are worried about the cost of living, are career focused and aim to retire in their 50s.

Profile of an Australian expat investor:

Among the highest paid earners globally, with a typical income of $150,000 per annum

• Main financial priorities are:

1 retirement;

2 children’s education

3 passing money to children on death

• Prefer to invest in property rather than cash and likely to save for longer periods of between five to 10 years

• Likely to go to professional advisers, much like British expats

Main concerns: While they like financial products linked to property, they worry about fall in prices and aim to retire in their 60s.

Follow The National's Business section on Twitter