Much of my time is spent trying to help my clients make and keep to plans which have the best probability of meeting their needs, goals and objectives. Once we have crafted a strategy and a plan we meet at regular intervals to measure their progress. One of the things that we need to measure … Continue reading Ulysses and the Sirens: Few Things Destroy Long-Term Investment Returns Like Short-Term Measurement
Letter from PSG Founder Jannie Mouton
I worked at what is now PSG Asset Management for nearly 12 years from 2005. During this time I had the privilege to spend time with Jannie Mouton, founder and executive chairman of the PSG Group. In all my dealings with Jannie I found him humble and insightful. Jannie recently shared a communication with the … Continue reading Letter from PSG Founder Jannie Mouton
We all have to start this somewhere. But let’s start!
I saw this quote on a site which promotes healthy eating and it reminded me of a conversation I had with a client earlier this week about her financial planning. She was a little embarrassed about "how little she has" and intimidated about working with me to get the best financial future we can. When … Continue reading We all have to start this somewhere. But let’s start!
Ignore the “Experts” and make peace with uncertainty
How often are we taken in by the "Experts", "Gurus" and similar "Talking Heads" who are wont to be seen as seers and prognosticators? They appear on our televisions and in the newspapers that we read and are are a dime a dozen on the popular financial internet sites and will tell us that "the … Continue reading Ignore the “Experts” and make peace with uncertainty
Moneyweb: SA’s budget as a household budget
Spoiler alert: If this was one of my clients I would have to give them an extreme talking to and, if they didn't agree to follow my advice, I would have to fire them. Moneyweb editor Ryk van Niekerk wrote this article and beat me to to it. I think that it is a good … Continue reading Moneyweb: SA’s budget as a household budget
Age is just a number
105-year old Eileen Ash is just as active as she’s ever been. Look at her quality of life! What a brilliant example to us all. We are all living longer and longer and what's the point of that if we don't have a quality of life to enjoy it! Check out this short video... Best … Continue reading Age is just a number
Investing with Pascal’s Wager in mind
I recently attended Foord Asset Management's Mind of the Manager event which was kicked-off by MD Paul Cluer. Paul reminded us of the story of Pascal's Wager, and illustrated how Foord apply the philosophy of Pascal's tale to how they manage money. Source: Wikipedia Recap: Pascal's Wager Blaise Pascal was a 17th-century French … Continue reading Investing with Pascal’s Wager in mind
Prudential Investment Managers: Why active management beats passive in South Africa
Prudential Investment Managers' Johnny Lambridis penned an interesting article last month in the Active/Passive debate. Some of the points he made were: Passive investing is gaining ground in the South African market, mainly due to the (generally) lower fees involved compared to actively managed funds, but also based on some misperceptions stemming largely from the … Continue reading Prudential Investment Managers: Why active management beats passive in South Africa
The S&P 500: Just say no
I have been a fan of GMO's James Montier (and his colleague Jeremy Grantham) for some years and rarely miss an opportunity to read what they have to say. Montier's latest paper, written with colleague Matt Kadnar, is entitled "The S&P 500: Just Say No". It's a long read so pour yourself a cup of coffee, click … Continue reading The S&P 500: Just say no
Taking stock with Investec: Going nowhere slowly but don’t bet against the pros
I attended the most recent Taking Stock presentation by Investec Asset Management on Friday morning. The main speakers were Malcolm Charles, Head of Fixed Income and Clyde Rossouw, Co-Head of Quality. Malcolm's portfolio manager duties includes the Diversified Income Fund. Clyde's portfolio manager duties include the Investec Opportunity, Cautious Managed and Global Franchise Funds. Jeremy Gardiner … Continue reading Taking stock with Investec: Going nowhere slowly but don’t bet against the pros
