Banks and Asset Management - do they mix well??

Many years ago the standing joke in the world of Investment Management were the captive Mutual Fund subsidiaries of the major banks. They were often used as dumping ground for the new bond or share issues that the parent bank found difficult to place.
Ever since PBA has been suspicious of Asset Management firms that were part of a financial conglomerate. While the regulation and prevention of conflicts of interest (Chinese Walls) has improved enormously it still pays to keep an eye on this potential problem. An independent assessment of costs (fees) and risks will prevent that your investments suffer from any conflicted advice.