International Equity

Future Quality: Attain and sustain high returns on investment

Driven by a passion for uncovering Future Quality investments, we build concentrated international and global equity portfolios that aim to deliver a strong track record of outperformance.

Future Quality Companies

Attain and Sustain High Returns on investment

Our strategy is based on the Future Quality philosophy. We expect to find alpha by seeking Future Quality companies with sustainably high or improving returns on investment over the long term.

We identify Future Quality by assessing a business across four key pillars - Quality of Franchise, Management, Balance Sheet and Future Valuation. This framework gives us a complete picture of the potential for investment. We also believe that environmental, social and governance (ESG) considerations are integral to Future Quality - good companies make good investments.

The Four Pillars of Future Quality

Quality of Franchise

Focusing on the future returns of the franchise as well as any ESG factors that may have a significant impact.

Quality of Management

Identifying companies with exceptional strategic vision, strong internal leadership and a high standard of corporate governance and awareness of ESG.

Quality of Balance Sheet

Ensuring companies can finance future organic growth using their own capital.

Quality of Future Valuation

Applying research models to provide detailed forecasts of future ROI and growth of a company’s cash flow.

Our Team Approach

Experience, mutual respect and a shared passion

A team of global equity portfolio managers with a flat structure and based in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Harnessing over 110 years of collective investment experience, the Nikko AM Global Equity team has the depth, balance and diversity of experience that enables them to focus their research and identify the real opportunities for your portfolio.

James Kinghorn

Portfolio Manager

Academic background:

MBA

Iain Fulton

Portfolio Manager

Academic background:

History

William Low

Portfolio Manager

Academic background:

Geology

Greig Bryson

Portfolio Manager

Academic background:

Law

Johnny Russell

Portfolio Manager

Academic background:

MBA

Michael Chen

Portfolio Analyst

Academic background:

Economics

Ellie Stephenson

Portfolio Analyst

Academic background:

History

We are passionate believers that our team’s collective knowledge is more powerful than any individual team member’s. We harness over 110 years of collective investment experience to strive for outperformance and grow capital for our clients.

Our shared passion for discovering Future Quality businesses drives our disciplined, repeatable investment process, which is why our clients trust us to manage more than USD 4.9 billion^* globally. We believe a team-based approach to investing best limits key person risk and cognitive bias, and delivers the benefits that come with the deep and diverse experience of the team. Our most senior team members constantly share their experience by mentoring our younger colleagues. At every stage of the investment process ideas are challenged through rigorous and open debate and within a culture of mutual respect.

Our core values of diligence, respectfulness, mindfulness and transparency form the foundation of our team culture.

*As of 31 Mar 2024

Collective Focus

All specialists

+ generalists

The wider Edinburgh Global Equity team

“The team’s collective experience and flat structure are crucial elements of our investment process and ensure the successful delivery of Future Quality ideas for client portfolios.”

Our Process

Creating a high-conviction portfolio

Idea
Generation

Fundamental
Research

Peer Challenge
& Stock-Ranking Tool

Portfolio
Construction

Our process for identifying long-term winners starts with robust idea generation that is validated by bottom-up fundamental research. Our flat team structure means all portfolio ideas are peer challenged, with each portfolio manager sharing both analyst responsibilities and ownership of investment outcomes. Ideas are then ranked using our stock-ranking tool.

This process of actively challenging investment ideas limits cognitive biases that can lead to inferior returns. This comprehensive process generates a portfolio tilt towards growth and quality, with a total carbon footprint well below the MSCI All Countries World Index.