Melville Douglas receives Raging Bull Award for Offshore Manager of the Year

MIKE LAWS Managing Director, Melville Douglas

THANDI NGWANE Head of Investments for South Africa

“It’s personal” is the approach adopted by Melville Douglas, which has afforded them the ability and credibility to deliver great returns to clients for over 39 years. The driving force behind this boutique investment management company is an approach powered by a deep-seated commitment to fundamental research, underpinned by decisions based on balance and guided by a long-term view on investments.

At its core, Melville Douglas offers investors a range of investment solutions that provide clients with choices that range from fixed-income to multi-asset and equity investments. Moreover, investors can access Melville Douglas’ expertise through discretionary portfolio management services and a range of unit trust funds to best meet their personal needs. The discretionary portfolios are tailored to suit each client’s personal circumstances, and the flexible approach, combined with a comprehensive financial need analysis and a full understanding of a client’s investment objectives, delivers a customised investment portfolio.

The firm’s flagship offering – the Global Equity Fund – is one of the best performing funds in its field, with over $1bn in assets under management and an impressive team of experts with over 300 years’ combined experience. With that in mind, managing director Mike Laws believes that to make it personal, “we dedicate two portfolio managers and a client services individual to each client, ensuring they have direct access to their portfolio manager and understand the investment decisions we make on their behalf”.

Throughout their 39-year history, the company has kept its offering lean, maintaining this philosophy across the domestic and global teams. Thandi Ngwane, head of investments for South Africa, says stability has been an integral part of Melville Douglas’ success. “Most senior leaders have been in the business for more than ten years, as have the senior analysts and portfolio managers. This allows our philosophy and thinking to be passed onto new team members without disrupting the process.”

Sustainability and responsible investing are at the core of Melville Douglas’ philosophy. In a continued effort to lead with conscience, Melville Douglas launched a Global Impact Fund in 2021, which invests in companies that have a positive impact on society and the planet. As investors become increasingly conscious of their decisions, seeking opportunities that balance financial return with positive social impact is at the centre of their investment decisions. Melville Douglas has set out to incorporate Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) considerations across the entire business, with a key differentiator being the company’s endeavours to provide options for investors who want to invest for impact. As the firm looks to the future, the Melville Douglas team intends to provide the consistency and stability for which they have become known.

For more information on Melville Douglas and its offering, as well as the award, visit www.melvilledouglas.co.za