What City Hive Network does

City Hive Network Ltd is an independent think tank and advocacy group founded in 2016 by Bhavini 'Bev' Shah and headquartered in London. Its mission is to raise standards across the investment management industry, with particular focus on corporate culture, diversity, inclusion, and governance. The organization serves institutional investment managers, asset owners (including sovereign wealth funds), and investment consultants primarily in the UK and Europe, with a claimed global footprint evidenced by members such as GIC.

The company's core offering is the ACT (Action, Challenge, Transparency) framework — a registered standard (ACT-Mark) for assessing and disclosing corporate culture at investment firms. ACT was launched in May 2022 with 15 founding signatories representing $6.5 trillion in AUM and has grown to over 125 firms reporting through the framework by February 2024. The product surface is non-technological: it comprises the ACT framework itself (hosted at investorsact.com), the City Hive Think Tank research library, the City Hive Academy (workshops and programmes), a Press Centre for media engagement, and a Corporate Membership Programme with two tiers — ACT Signatory Members (eligible to commit to the standard and license the ACT-Mark) and City Hive Members (supporters not eligible for Signatory status). Flagship members include Invesco, Schroders, M&G, LGIM, Morgan Stanley Investment Management, PGIM, Fidelity International, AXA Investment Managers, Lombard Odier, CCLA, RBC BlueBay, Aviva Investors, Rathbones, and Brooks Macdonald.

The business model is subscription-based and recurring: corporate members pay annual subscriptions tiered by AUM band, billed on 1 January each calendar year, with pro-rata treatment for mid-year joiners and Board-approved annual inflationary escalators. Membership onboarding requires application, documentation, and admission by the co-Chief Executives. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. Distribution is direct to enterprise buyers via a community-led and sales-led motion, supported by content marketing (Think Tank blog, LinkedIn, email newsletter), earned media in outlets such as the Financial Times and Investment Week, and events/workshops. The firm has 9 team members, is a Women in Finance Charter Signatory since 2017, and is privately held with no disclosed external funding.

Name

City Hive Network

Legal name

City Hive Network Ltd

Website

https://cityhive.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

City Hive Network is an independent London-based think tank and advocacy group that architects the ACT corporate culture standard for investment management firms, serving over 125 reporting firms including global managers like Invesco, Schroders, M&G and LGIM via AUM-tiered annual corporate memberships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Corporate Membership Subscriptions: Membership subscriptions are set for a calendar year and are due on 1 January. Subscriptions are determined by AUM band into which the member falls. ACT Signatory membership and City Hive membership subscriptions are tiered based on assets under management.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

City Hive Network is an independent think tank and advocacy group that architects and operates the ACT (Action, Challenge, Transparency) framework - the corporate culture standard for investment management companies. Through a tiered corporate membership programme (ACT Signatory Members and City Hive Members), annual subscriptions, and a research/policy platform (Think Tank, Academy, reports), it enables investment firms to assess, report, and benchmark internal culture, governance, and inclusion practices for professional fund investors.

Product overview

City Hive Network is an independent think tank and advocacy group offering a unified portfolio of products and services focused on raising standards across the investment management industry. The core offering is the ACT Framework—a corporate culture standard for investment companies—complemented by the Think Tank research division, City Hive Academy workshops and programmes, a Press Centre for media engagement, and a Corporate Membership Programme with ACT Signatory and City Hive Member tiers. The ACT Alliance extends the framework to over 125 firms. Together, these offerings work to democratize investing and create accessible, inclusive investment management culture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ACT: The corporate culture standard for investment companies, standing for Action, Challenge, and Transparency. ACT is a framework that enables investment companies to assess and report on their internal culture and inclusion practices.

Products and services

• ACT Framework The corporate culture standard for investment companies, standing for Action, Challenge, and Transparency. Enables investment firms to assess where they have culture and inclusion gaps and to transparently report to professional fund investors.
• City Hive Think Tank Research and insights on corporate culture, governance, stewardship, diversity and inclusion, and broader industry trends in investment management, including reports such as the Gender Pension Gap, Ethnicity Investment Gap, and Financial Inclusion & Disability studies.
• City Hive Academy Workshops, programmes and events for professional development in the investment management industry, covering corporate culture, inclusion, and governance topics.
• Corporate Membership Programme Two-tier corporate membership programme - ACT Signatory Members (organizations eligible to commit to the ACT corporate culture standard) and City Hive Members (organizations supporting the mission but not eligible for ACT Signatory status) - with annual subscriptions tiered by assets under management.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 125 firms reporting through ACT framework
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• IIMI (Independent Investment Management Initiative)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 February 2024IIMI became part of City Hive's ACT Alliance, joining the group which follows the ACT framework for social and governance around culture and inclusion. IIMI supports independent investment managers.
• Richard Romer-LeecoreOthers · 14 November 2023Richard Romer-Lee, CEO of distribution for Titan Wealth and CEO of Titan Square Mile, joined City Hive as Non-Executive Director. He is responsible for determining strategy and focus in conjunction with the Board.
• Women in Finance ChartercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017City Hive has been a Signatory to the Women in Finance Charter since 2017. The charter requires organizations to pledge to have at least 50% women in senior leadership and to publish annual progress reports.
• CCLAflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCLA is listed as a City Hive Partner, Member and ACT Signatory. As a faith-based investment manager, CCLA demonstrates commitment to ethical investing and corporate culture standards.
• InvescoflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerInvesco is listed as a City Hive Partner, Member and ACT Signatory. The partnership was announced in March 2024.
• Lombard OdierflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLombard Odier is listed as a City Hive Partner, Member and ACT Signatory.
• M&GflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerM&G is listed as a City Hive Partner, Member and ACT Signatory.
• RBC BlueBayflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerRBC BlueBay is listed as a City Hive Partner, Member and ACT Signatory.
• Square MilecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRichard Romer-Lee was CEO and co-founder of Square Mile before joining City Hive as non-executive director. Square Mile is a research and ratings firm for the asset management industry.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• SIFMA: US trade association for securities industry participants, including asset managers. Comparable as a standards and advocacy body for the investment industry, though US-centric; represents a potential regional competitor or counterpart in the American market.

Broad incumbents

• CFA Institute: Global professional body for investment professionals that sets ethics, education, and professional standards. Comparable to City Hive as a standard-setter serving the investment industry, though with a much broader professional credentialing focus.
• Investment Association (IA): The UK trade association for investment managers with broad remit covering policy, regulation, and industry standards. While much larger and broader in scope, it serves overlapping members and overlaps with City Hive's stewardship and culture standard-setting role.
• Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI): UK professional body for the securities and investment industry, offering qualifications, memberships, and standards. Comparable in setting professional standards and serving the investment management workforce with membership-driven revenue.
• EFAMA: European Fund and Asset Management Association representing the European investment management industry at the EU level. Comparable as a membership-based industry body influencing regulation and standards for asset managers, with European-wide scope overlapping City Hive's expansion ambitions.
• Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI): UN-supported network of investors committed to incorporating ESG and responsible investment principles. Comparable as a signatory-based framework for investment firms that influences corporate behavior and disclosure, though focused on ESG rather than culture/inclusion.

Emerging players

• New Financial: An independent think tank focused on changing the structure of the financial system, including diversity and inclusion in finance. Comparable as a small, independent think tank producing research and advocating for cultural change in financial services with a European focus.

Direct peers

• The Diversity Project: A cross-company initiative to accelerate diversity and inclusion in the investment and savings industry in the UK. Operates a membership-based collaborative model with shared action plans and reporting, directly comparable to City Hive's ACT framework and corporate membership approach.
• 30% Club: A voluntary campaign organization advocating for greater female representation at board and senior management level across financial services. Closely comparable to City Hive in mission (gender diversity in finance), membership/advocacy model, and target audience of asset managers and investment industry executives.
• UK Sustainable Investment Forum (UKSIF): UK membership organization for sustainable and responsible investment. Operates a similar advocacy/membership model in the investment management space, addressing closely related themes of corporate culture, governance, and stewardship.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cityhive
• Xx.com/TheCityHive
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheCityHive

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about City Hive Network