Who are CWL? They began as a small talented group of traders and programmers redefining charting software and writing platforms for banks, but have evolved into an exciting investment firm. CWL have always flown under the radar but the consistent performance of their CWL Aftermarket Portal has certainly drawn them further into the spotlight.

It's hard to know whether to label CWL as a software company or an investment firm. They are quick to point out that they don’t invest client’s money but their core income is derived from their own trading on the markets, utilising the software than they develop. Jennifer Martin, their Communications Manager says "We play a different role for every client. Clients come to us to build wealth, sometimes we're the architects, sometimes we're the builder and sometimes we are the hammer....it's not important how we brand ourselves, as long as our clients are making money, we're happy."

And if you talk to CWL clients you find one pretty happy group of investors. The CWL Aftermarket Portal performance over the past four years has been exceptional. This firm with less than 150 staff worldwide are succeeding where many larger firms have failed.

Their success comes down to simplicity. The CWL Aftermarket Portal is the classic example of this. It takes no more than seven minutes to run, you need no stock market knowledge and it requires the same amount of computer skill as sending an email. Yet, this aftermarket portal has consistently produced returns which defy current market sentiment. I like the CWL business model, it's a results-driven approach that focuses the bulk of their energy on performance rather than public perception. They may not have the bells and whistles of many investment companies but their staff are passionate and their willingness to assist individual investors as well as corporates gives them extra kudos in an industry where the little investors are often overlooked.

So the CWL business model isn't all that different from where they started. Their success is still centred around a small talented group of traders and programmers and this is what makes them an appealing company to work with. It's not about signing up tens of thousands of clients and then servicing them through big call centres in India, it's the personal touch and an emphasis on client support that has made the CWL Aftermarket Portal a market leader and one of my Top 3 Investment Vehicles for 2016.