Q: How did you first became aware of Flagship Investments?
I became aware of Flagship Investments right at the ice age, I’ve been lucky enough to know Dr Manny Pohl for many many years. I heard about Flagship right when it started back in the early part of 1998 and I’ve been following its progress and successes ever since.
Q: What interested you in Flagship (Investments) over that time?
I’m sure like everybody else and the other shareholders it’s been the decided performance both in terms of capital and dividends to shareholders but more than that and for me, it was also I really like the professional and disciplined manner in which the portfolio is managed.
Q: What do you hope to bring to the board of Flagship Investments?
I was honoured to and to be asked to consider the role and mostly because I resonate very much with the values of the company both in terms of their investment principles and also um because of the calibre and integrity of the management team. It certainly makes my job as a board member much easier.
Q: Tell us about your experience working with boards of investment companies?
I’ve been really fortunate in my career that in the last 25 years I’ve got to work with various boards around the world, you know in London in South Africa and Germany in the US. My role has been on the other side actually of the war table which has been to work with boards to develop a strategy to mitigate any risks and manage compliance and so forth.
Sitting on a board you get to see the business from all aspects and get to make that kind of you know high-level decisions that genuinely drive where the business is going and you don’t always get that on the other side as the executive, you get told what to do. So I quite like that element of it but in this business, it is so well managed by you know EC Pohl we would take a lot of you know guidance [obviously from] I mean we obviously you know around the strategy and so forth but in terms of decisions and investment decisions happy that’s left to the executive team to Manny and so forth.
Q: What are your thoughts on the journey ahead?
Now that the convertible notes has been successfully taken up I feel very likely to be part of this exciting journey as we watch Flagship Investments move into the next stage.
Q: Can you tell us something about yourself?
Outside of work I really really enjoy being outdoors whether it’s on the beach or on a mountain bike and I’ve taken part in a couple of triathlons. I’m not a good athlete whatsoever,
but what gets me to the end is just high energy levels and high levels of enthusiasm.
