A year to forget The past year has been one of the worst for global markets. The world index suffered its heaviest decline since the great recession: down over 11% (but 17% from its January high!). The robust earnings growth went largely unrewarded on concerns that the...
Current Environment As September marked the 10th anniversary of Lehman’s collapse, there was widespread commentary on the likely source of the next crisis. While opinions varied significantly, the consensus view was that it was impossible to predict: like the ‘sucker punch’ in boxing, it’s the one...
Global economy The global expansion is now entering its 10th year, one of the longest on record. And yet it appears that it still has further to go. Although the synchronised upturn among global economies appears to be losing some of its cohesion, conditions remain robust. However,...
Backdrop Despite solid economic and earnings growth globally, the past quarter has been characterised by massive volatility and weak equity markets worldwide. From the January market peak, the world market index collapsed by 9%, then rebounded by over 5%, before declining again by a further 6%....
2017 has been a significant year for global equity markets Riding the wave of low interest rates, abundant liquidity and solid global growth, the MSCI global index advanced by almost 25% to new highs. [CHART 1] Remarkably, this has been achieved with an almost unprecedented lack of...
World equity markets are on a tear, driven by synchronised global economic growth – on track to expand by 3.6% this year, the fastest rate in six years. The world index hit a new high in September and the US market experienced its first 8-quarter...
Global economic growth remains positive, advancing steadily in a more balanced and sustainable manner. Corporate profits have responded with some vigour and are recording double-digit gains, well ahead of the slow to negative momentum of the 2014 to 2016 period. Worldwide equities have embraced the more buoyant...
In the US, the Fed announced its widely anticipated interest rate hike in March. This was accompanied by dovish commentary which suggested that only two further increases were likely this year – despite near-full employment and core inflation already bouncing around the Fed’s 2.0% target...
The fiscal restraint imposed on the world as a result of the global financial crisis has markedly curbed excessive budget deficits. Since the depths of the recession in 2010, the OECD countries have cut their overall deficits from 8.0% to 3.2% in 2015. [CHART 1] Nevertheless,...
Global equities have been on a roller coaster ride in 2016 – down 12%, then up 16% and likely to end the half year largely unchanged. [CHART 1] This heightened volatility will probably become one of the many ‘new normals’ in the post global recession environment. We are,...
Philip Short BSC (Maths) CFA
Fund Manager
Philip is a fund manager of Flagship’s global funds and brings specialist macroeconomic expertise.
Philip has gained over 20 years’ experience in the industry at JP Morgan, Fairtree Capital and Old Mutual as an analyst and portfolio manager. He completed his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics at the University of Pretoria and is a CFA charter holder.
Niall Brown CA(SA)
Director and Fund Manager
Niall manages the Flagship IP Flexible Value Fund and has done so since 2004. The fund has been awarded 3 Raging Bull certificates for top performance over the 3 year periods ending 31 December 2018, 2022 and 2023 (in the multi asset – flexible –sector).
Niall has 40 years’ experience in investments. He was a director, and for a number of years, head of research at HSBC Securities (formerly Simpson McKie Inc). He was subsequently chief investment officer of HSBC Asset Management (South Africa). After an 18-year career at HSBC and its predecessor firms, he left the group in December 2000. From 2001 to 2004 he managed a private investment company with great success before deciding to return to the business of managing third-party funds. This led to the formation of Osborne Capital, a niche fund management business, which merged with Hermes Asset Management in 2009, before merging with Flagship in 2011.
Candice ScholtzBSc (Hons)
Client Investment Services
Candice is in charge of all aspects of Flagship’s client investment services and administration. She also coordinates Flagship’s cash management service.
James Hayward BEng (Civil) CFA
Fund Manager
James (JD) is a fund manager of Flagship’s global funds, having joined in 2021 as an equity analyst.
At the completion of his degree, JD worked in the engineering and fintech start-up industries while pursuing further studies in investments. JD holds an Engineering degree from Stellenbosch University and is a CFA charter holder.
Gerhard Janse van Vuuren BCom (Hons)
Equity Analyst
Gerhard is an equity analyst for the global team, having joined Flagship in 2022 via the internship program.
Gerhard completed several investment internships while concluding his degree in Investment Management at Stellenbosch University. Gerhard has passed the CFA Level II exam and has completed his Honours degree in Finance at the University of Cape Town.
Kate Bottome
Fund Dealing & Administration
Kate provides dealing and fund administration support to Flagship’s fund managers, as well as Flagship client servicing and liaison.
Gabi HoughBA
Marketing & Administration
Gabi is responsible for digital marketing at Flagship and provides administrative support to Flagship’s fund managers and clients.
Emma Hulton BBusSci (Hons)
COO
Emma is the Chief Operating Officer of Flagship. She joined Flagship in 2019 as a global strategist and has over 20 years’ experience in asset management. Prior to Flagship, Emma worked at Coronation Fund Managers in research, operations and distribution support roles for the domestic and global investment teams. Emma also spent 2 years at Old Mutual Investment Group as Head of Operations of a global investment boutique. Emma graduated from UCT with a BBusSci (Honours) in 2001
Kyle Wales CA(SA) CFA
Fund Manager
Kyle is a fund manager and member of Flagship’s global investments team.
Kyle has been investing internationally for over 15 years. Prior to Flagship, he worked at Coronation Fund Managers for 9 years in the Global and Global Emerging Markets teams, and also co-managed a global equities boutique at Old Mutual Investment Group. Kyle is a qualified chartered accountant and CFA charter holder.
Naomi Van der ColffBComm
Company Secretary
Via her company, Sea Star Tax and Accounting Services Pty Ltd, Naomi acts as Flagship’s company secretary and financial manager. In addition to this, her company provides Flagship’s bookkeeping services.
Ricky Lutchmia
Office Manager
Ricky is responsible for all aspects of the efficient running of the Flagship office.
Winston Floquet CA(SA) MBA
Chairman
Winston joined Martin & Co in 1969 and has throughout his career been involved in equities, fixed income, fund management and research (while CEO and head of research at Martin & Co, the company was rated the number 1 research house for 18 consecutive years). He has managed portfolios of private clients throughout his working life and ran the Martin & Co Provident Fund for over 30 years. Winston also acted as Flagship’s CIO and Chairman for 20 years, winning multiple industry awards for fund management over that period.
Pieter Hundersmarck BCom (Econ), MSc (Fin)
Fund Manager
Pieter is a fund manager and member of Flagship’s global investments team.
Pieter has been investing internationally for over 15 years. Prior to Flagship, he worked at Coronation Fund Managers for 10 years in the Global and Global Emerging Markets teams, and also co-managed a global equities boutique at Old Mutual Investment Group. Pieter holds a BCom (Economics) from Stellenbosch University and an MSc Finance from Nyenrode Universiteit in the Netherlands.
Jonathan Brink CA(SA)
Equity Analyst
Jonathan, or JJ as he prefers to be called, joined Flagship in 2021 as an equity analyst in the global investment team.
JJ graduated from Stellenbosch University with a Bachelor of Accounting Honours in 2016 and subsequently spent 3 years in Deloitte’s Financial Services Institutional Team in Johannesburg. During his articles he predominately serviced the asset management sector and gained great exposure to the industry. JJ qualified as a chartered accountant in 2020 and was selected to partake in a 7 month short-term contract to Deloitte in San Francisco, United States. JJ is a qualified chartered accountant and CFA charter holder.
Christo Terblanche BCom(Hons)
Head of Distribution
Christo is responsible for the growth of Flagship’s award winning global strategies, to both institutional and retail clients.
He joined Flagship after spending 15 years at Allan Gray in Institutional Client Servicing and Retail Product Development, while also serving as Chairman and Trustee of the Allan Gray Retirement Annuity and Provident and Pension Preservation Funds. He also served on the board of Allan Gray Life as an executive director for many years.
Paul Floquet CA(SA) CFA
Director and Fund Manager
Paul manages the Flagship IP Balanced Fund and is a member of Flagship’s global investment team.
He qualified as a chartered accountant in 1995 with Deloitte and Touche. In 1998, he moved to London where he gained investment experience with JP Morgan, Merrill Lynch, and asset management experience with Vantage Investment Advisory Limited. In 2000 he returned to South Africa where he spent three years managing his own company which included consulting and advisory work for Corpcapital Limited and various other private equity businesses. In 2003 he re-entered the corporate market and was appointed group finance executive of African Banking Corporation and, in 2004, became a shareholder and equity investment director of Flagship.
Bruce Anderson CA(SA)
Senior Portfolio Manager
Bruce manages Flagship’s segregated portfolio services to high net worth clients.
Bruce graduated from UCT with a BCom in 1976 and qualified as a CA(SA) in 1981 following articles with Arthur Young in Cape Town. He spent 4 years at Irvin & Johnson as Financial Controller and then joined Fairheads Trust as Portfolio Manager in 1986. In his 20 years with Fairheads he managed a variety of funds including segregated pension and provident funds, various unit trusts, an international fund incorporating a composite hybrid fund of funds and direct equity mandate as well as segregated portfolio’s for high net worth clients. Bruce was a director of Fairheads Holdings, Fairheads Trust and Fairheads Asset Managers. In this time Bruce gained extensive experience across all asset classes and Fairheads Asset Managers twice headed the Alexander Forbes Manager Watch survey of retirement fund managers. In 2007 Fairheads disposed of their interest in Fairheads Asset Managers. Bruce remained with the company as a director and filled a number of roles including CIO and CEO. In November 2010 Bruce joined the Flagship Investment Team.
Simon Hudson BA LLB
CEO
Simon acts as Flagship’s CEO, as well as being responsible for Flagship’s client service, marketing and internal compliance.
After completing his legal articles in 1994, Simon joined Investec Private Bank where he was responsible for developing the private client investment business. In 1996 he joined Rand Merchant Bank as head of the Corporate distribution channel of RMB Private Bank. In March 1999, Simon moved to Cape Town to join Fleming Private Asset Management as head of its Western Cape branch, whereafter he was appointed a director of the company. In July 2000, Simon led the team that initiated the management buyout of Fleming Private Asset Management (changing the name to Flagship Private Asset Management).