Investment Trust

Fletcher Jones have worked on board appointments in the Investment Trust sector since 2001. Over this time, we have undertaken successful searches for most of the leading asset management groups, working with the investment trusts managed by the likes of Aberdeen Standard, Baillie Gifford, BlackRock, Fidelity International, Janus Henderson, Martin Currie, and Schroder.

Appointments in the Investment Trust sector are particularly interesting because of the range of asset classes (equities, bonds, real estate, and infrastructure, for example) and the range of geographic focuses of the trusts, all requiring specialist knowledge. The high levels of governance in investment trusts also adds an interesting element; transparency in searching for Non-Executive Directors is key. We understand this governance and recognise the benefit for investors – the safeguards in place give high levels of confidence for investors.

At Fletcher Jones, we are conscious of the increasing importance of environmental, social, and corporate governance, of the growth of platforms, of increasing direct investment by individuals, and the importance of asset size and liquidity of shares, all of which have come about for many reasons, including the consolidation in the wealth management and private banking sector. Our understanding of these key concerns enables us to have intelligent discussions with candidates and identify those individuals who will best add to a board.

Active in the sector for many years, we have refreshed some boards completely and have been involved in many, now highly regarded, directors’ first appointments. Fletcher Jones have always been at the forefront of considering diversity of candidates. We have tremendous experience of searching for directors whose careers have had significant experience with investment and audit. In the last decade, we have seen a growing interest in candidates that bring a variety of other experiences to boards, including those from industry, think tanks, journalism, or public service.