James joined the firm from Premier Miton, where he managed the Premier Miton Equity Income fund, which closed in June 2023.
In 2009, he launched the Standard Life Investments Europe ex-UK Equity Income fund at abrdn, which he managed for 11 years before his move to Premier Miton in 2021. He started his career at Adam Investment Management, where he managed the CF Adam Worldwide fund.
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“I am delighted to join Guinness Global Investors’ ambitious team, which has supported growth in the business with an investment philosophy and approach aligned with my own: seeking long-term returns for investors with disciplined processes, risk management and responsible investment at its heart,” he said.
“Over my many years investing in European markets one thing is clear; that if one is willing to look behind the headlines, Europe is home to many high-quality and attractively valued dividend-paying equities.”
The firm explained that the strategy, which launched in December 2013, will continue to be managed with the same focus on quality, value and dividend growth of the Guinness equity income funds range, which follow a 30-stock, equal-weight approach to portfolio construction.
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According to the latest factsheet, the strategy holds $11.8m in assets. In the last ten years, the fund is up 113.1%, while the MSCI Europe ex UK index gained 106.4% over the same period.
Edward Guinness, CEO of Guinness Global Investors, said: “We are very excited about the role this fund can offer asset allocators today.
“As with all our equity income strategies, the Guinness European Equity Income fund is a compelling option as a core holding for investors looking for a strategy with a proven track record of dealing with varying market conditions.”
