Stewart Investors has today announced proposed changes to the management of the Global Emerging Markets Leaders, Asia Pacific and Asia Pacific Leaders funds. Global Emerging Markets Leaders will see longstanding manager Jonathan Asante step down from his lead manager role, with Ashish Swarup stepping in to manage the fund alongside existing co-manager Tom Prew. Prew has been at First State since 2006 and is the lead manager of the Global Emerging Markets fund. Swarup joined the group more recently, having worked on emerging markets at Fidelity before leaving to join First State in June 2014. This change is due to officially come into effect on 1st July 2016, but there is likely to be a period of transition leading up to that date. Although the managers will be following the tried and tested First State investment approach, there is some flexibility within that for managers to express their own views in terms of stock selection, which will of course have an impact on fund positioning and performance. We will meet the managers in due course to more fully understand their investment styles and to further assess the changes within Stewart Investors. Pending that meeting we have placed the Stewart Investors Global Emerging Markets Leaders fund Under Review. The fund previously held a Morningstar Analyst Rating™ of Silver.
See the latest Morningstar fund rating news here.