Fund managers

Class of 2020

The Kenneth Woods Portfolio Management Program's (KWPMP) class of 2020 served as Research Associates from January to December of 2019 and will serve as Fund Managers from January to December of 2020.

As this year’s Fund Managers, our cohort’s investment strategy is very much in line with that of the former cohort - focused on owning a concentrated portfolio of 25-30 quality companies. In the coming year, we shall continue to apply our quality framework as we screen for higher-quality names to which we can redeploy capital.

Some core qualities we will look for include industries exposed to long-term growth drivers and with strong barriers to entry, as well as companies with an identifiable competitive advantage, strong cash flow generation capabilities, a capable and honest management team, and leading ESG standards. We have also highlighted several key thematic trends that we plan to capitalize on with our security selection including the ongoing shift to cloud computing, artificial intelligence, big data, the increasing complexity of modern drug development, as well as increasing millennial spending in emerging markets.

As for asset allocation, our strategists will continue to monitor the macro environment and help us position the Fund, primarily with respect to its equity and fixed income allocations. Several key events will be of high importance during the coming year, most notably the 2020 U.S. presidential election and the progression of the coronavirus outbreak. Lastly, in continuation of the former cohort’s efforts, we shall be building on our new ESG framework to ensure it remains a core part of each investment report for years to come.

The Fund Managers for 2020 are James Cefis, Jack David, Quilan Foster, Amrit Kabo, and Joshua Nagalingam.