The Portfolio Managers

Premier Asset Management Limited
As a truly independent investment management company, Premier Asset Management (the Group) provides both private and institutional investors with access to some of the most dynamic investment management skills available in the UK. Its strong reputation for fund management has attracted several well-known and highly regarded UK fund managers.

Through regulated subsidiaries and business partners, Premier manages a range of authorised UK and offshore funds, investment trusts and third party investment mandates and also provides bespoke discretionary portfolio management services for retail customers, charities and institutions.

 
Fred Fulcher Fred Fulcher - Director - Portfolio Management
Fred currently heads up the Discretionary Management Division of Premier. From 1989 through to joining Premier in 2002, Fred held the position of Senior Portfolio Manager with Govett Investment Managers, looking after a range of private client pension fund and charity portfolios, ranging in value from £250,000 to £60 million. Fred was also responsible for marketing portfolio services through the Allied Irish Bank's branch network in Britain and First Trust Bank network in Northern Ireland.
   
Nigel Sidebottom Nigel Sidebottom - Investment Director

Nigel joined Premier through the acquisition of BFS Investments in 2005. He joined BFS as a director in 1999 from the stockbroker Greig Middleton where he had been Managing Director of the Asset Management Division, having held the same position at Gerrard Vivian Gray. At Premier he is Deputy Chief Investment Officer with responsibility for directing Premier's private client and closed end funds businesses and also manages the Premier Enterprise Fund as well as certain growth strategies for private clients. Nigel is a non-executive director of JP Morgan Elect plc and a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investments (CISI). He has been in stockbroking and fund management for 25 years and is regarded as an expert of the investment trust sector.
   
Nick Kelsall Nick Kelsall - Portfolio Manager
Nick has worked in the financial services industry for 12 years, joining Premier in February 2001 from Carr Sheppards Crosthwaite Ltd (now Investec Wealth & Investment) where he had been employed for 2 years as a Unit Trust dealer. He is currently employed within the discretionary department where his responsibilities include the day to day management of private client portfolios.
   
David Pendlebury David Pendlebury - Portfolio Manager
David joined the Premier discretionary team in October 2005 when Premier took over the business of BFS Investments plc. Prior to working for Premier and joining BFS Investments in March 2000, David was Associate Director at Gerrard Stockbrokers in their asset management division for just under six years. David started his career in the city in 1989, working initially for The London Stock Exchange Traded Options Market, then joining Societe Generale Strauss Turnbull on the derivatives desk of their central market making team in 1990. Following this, he worked for Wise Speke Stockbrokers in their private client advisory team, until joining Gerrards in 1994. He is a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investments (CISI) and holds the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investments Diploma.
   
Paul Smith Paul Smith - Senior Investment Manager
Paul manages Fixed Income securities at Premier. His responsibilities include the management of open and closed end funds as well as managing private client portfolios. Paul obtained a 1st class BA (hons) degree in Economics and an MA in Finance and Investment (with Distinction) from Exeter university.
   
Raj Hallen Raj Hallen - Investment Specialist / Portfolio Manager

Raj re-joined Premier in January 2008 as an Investment Specialist after a two and a half year spell with Skandia Investment Management as Deputy Chief Investment Officer. In his first period at Premier which spanned from March 2001 to April 2005, Raj was Head of Research and also co-managed the fund of funds range. Prior to that he was an Investment Director at Drummond Moores, an Investment IFA, where he managed both advisory and discretionary private client portfolios, pension and charity portfolios.

Raj started his investment career at Newton Fund Managers in 1990, where he spent nearly eight years as an Investment Sales Manager. He holds both the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investments (CISI) Diploma and the Advanced Financial Planning Certificate.

 

Murphy Sawers Consulting Limited
As an independent financial adviser, Murphy Sawers Consulting specialises in providing comprehensive, bespoke financial advice to personal and corporate clients. By offering a high quality service on pensions, investments and protection, it aims to establish solid, long term relationships with its clients and professional connections.

Whilst research shows that asset allocation is fundamental in helping investors achieve consistent returns, Murphy Sawers Consulting believes that proactive investment management is a key component in maximizing capital growth over the medium to long term.

Its strategic relationship with Premier Asset Management underlines Murphy Sawers Consulting’s commitment to offering clients even greater investment diversification from within an actively managed environment.