Odey Asset Management (Odey) has announced that Newton Investment Management’s (Newton IM) Robert Marshall-Lee will lead its new global emerging markets team, managing long only equity funds.
He will begin his freshly-revealed role at the firm in March 2021.
The appointment follows Odey’s hiring of Jos Trusted as head of institutional business, with a mandate to develop a new institutional and international product offering.Mr Marshall-Lee’s arrival marks the first external appointment in the development of its institutional business and Odey’s new Brook range of funds.
Odey believes the firm will benefit from his extensive experience of analysing and navigating emerging markets. As a high conviction, fundamental stock picker with a long-term investment horizon, the firm expects that Mr Marshall-Lee’s philosophy will be highly complementary to Odey’s investment culture.
Mr Marshall-Lee has worked at Newton for over 20 years, joining the firm in 1999. Between 2011 and 2019, he was lead portfolio manager of the BNY Mellon Global Emerging Markets Fund (GEM) and the BNY Mellon Oriental Fund (Oriental). The GEM strategy has delivered top decile returns over one, three, and five-year periods since Mr Marshall-Lee responsibility for its portfolio management. Meanwhile, the Oriental Fund has been one of the top performing Asian equities funds globally under Robert’s stewardship.
Outlining the reasons for Mr Marshall-Lee’s arrival, Timothy Pearey, chief executive officer at Odey, said: “At Odey Asset Management we offer portfolio managers the autonomy to manage their funds and their analyst teams independently - without internal interference or the distraction of business management – ensuring they are free to maximise returns for their clients. This barristers’ chambers style environment, in conjunction with our significant business infrastructure, has been critical to persuading Robert where best to develop his franchise over the long term.”
Jos Trusted, head of institutional business, added: “We have been impressed with Robert’s investment strategy – not only for its market leading performance but as a thematic, concentrated and long-term investment process it fits well with our strategic objectives. Robert’s investment strategy also meets the highest ESG standards, which will further distinguish his products from most emerging market funds. We look forward to bringing Robert’s unique investment style to a more international and institutional market.”
