Portfolio construction

 
I construct investment portfolios that utilize a multi layered approach. The portfolios are comprised of a foundation of both core positions and to a lesser degree complimentary satellite positions.

The core component is built in conjunction with best in class investment managers and counsellors and partnered external managers. The satellite positions consist of individual equity and/or fixed income securities designed to additionally enhance return and/or reduce risk around our core positions.

The core portfolio positions tend to consist of investment strategies based on the principle of selecting investments that have a demonstrated history of not only paying a dividend but with a history of increasing dividends over time. This has the desired wealth effect of providing a consistent escalating income stream and augmenting it with long-term investment returns.

History shows that dividend growers perform the best over time.

Building portfolios in this manner encompasses a number of key ingredients. The most important – Diversification. My portfolios are diversified by asset class, investment style value and growth, and geographically. A portfolio built on this premise reduces overall volatility and provides stability in returns. An investor’s best defense against an uncertain future is proper diversification combined with access to astute real time market intelligence.

Managing managers

As your financial CEO, I source, select and then partner with exceptional money managers using my own prescribed due diligence process.

After the initial selection, I continue to monitor these managers by following the natural life cycle of each manager and employing the four Ps of ongoing manager due diligence: Philosophy, People, Process and Performance. Failure in any of the 4 Ps is a potential cause for manager replacement.

Investment Selection

Investment/stock selections are vetted in three ways through fundamental analysis, technical analysis and consensus of analyst opinions. If all line up, a buy recommendation is typically created. As these three markers break down, the investment in question is re-evaluated.

Fostering investor discipline

Panic or greed are not long-term strategies for successful investing. More money has been lost in the market by investors reacting emotionally and selling at the maximum point of pessimism (or buying at the peak point of optimism) than the market has ever delivered through a normal cycle of sell-offs and subsequent rebounds.

With nearly 30 years of investment management experience, I possess a wealth of market insights and depth of understanding combined with historical perspective. With these assets I assist and guide you in building your own market knowledge. Thereby improving your understanding of market movements, the importance of managing your emotions, and the ability to form your own balanced opinions versus managing your portfolio based on the morning headlines or the evening news.

History teaches us that periods of market uncertainty can create wealth-building opportunities for informed, patient, wise, long-term investors.