Premier Miton Investors is setting up an emerging market sustainable equities team, with plans to roll out a dedicated fund early next year, subject to regulatory approvals.
It will be co-managed by Fiona Manning (pictured) and William Scholes who are set to join the asset manager from Abrdn in August.
The fund will invest in high quality emerging market companies that have a positive impact on the environment and society, and offer the potential for attractive financial returns.
More details will be announced in due course.
Combined experience of more than 30 years
Manning spent 17 years Abrdn, having started her career at Deutsche Asset Management in 2001. Most recently, she was a senior investment director with responsibility for Abrdn’s global emerging market responsible investment strategies.
She was lead portfolio manager of the Aberdeen Standard Sicav 1 – Emerging Markets Sustainable Development Equity Fund, the Aberdeen Standard Sicav 1 – Emerging Markets Sustainable Equity Fund and the Abrdn Emerging Markets Sustainable Leaders Fund.
Scholes started his career in investment management at Abrdn nearly 13 years ago. He joined the GEM team as an analyst, becoming an investment manager in 2010 and being appointed investment director in 2018.
The appointments follow the recent hire of Chris Hamer, who joined the firm in April from BNY Mellon, as head of business development – institutional. He has been handed responsibility for building, maintaining and developing relationships with institutional investors and investment consultants.
EM firms at the forefront of the sustainable transition
Mike O’Shea, chief executive of Premier Miton Investors, said: “In recent years, Premier Miton has made a number of strategic investment hires aligned with our ambition to identify great active managers across in-demand asset classes. Fiona and William have a significant amount of expertise and experience in both emerging market equities and sustainable investing which will offer another compelling option for our clients. We’re excited to welcome them to the firm this summer.”
Manning added: “We’re looking forward to joining Premier Miton and developing the firm’s first sustainable emerging markets strategy. Many emerging market companies are at the forefront of the transition to a more sustainable economy, yet remain underinvested compared to their developed market peers.
“As truly active managers, we’re able to exploit this opportunity and look forward to developing the strategy with Premier Miton’s talented team.”
