City AM’s James Calder on why he’s in the ‘don’t mess it up’ camp

Octo Members
3 March 2020
Back

A 16-minute watch.

The latest interviewee in our Octo Selectors Series, James Calder, talks us through his outcomes-based approach to multi-asset, where he’s investing, and how he generates income.

City Asset Management’s research director explains how most of his clients would have already made most of their wealth, and so a key part of his job is to avoid taking big risks.

“We are pretty much in the ‘don’t mess it up’ camp, so capital preservation and being clear on the worst-case outcome is important,” he says.

“We are growing returns for clients in line with inflation plus a number that’s reflective of their attitude towards risk.”

James also talks about his use of closed-ended funds as a structure that lends itself well to retail investors accessing illiquid asset classes, such as property.

“For infrastructure, you can’t go and buy or sell a bridge overnight, whereas you can go and sell as much BP or Shell shares as you want on the London Stock Exchange,” he explains.

“They work well for asset classes that we would like to have in our clients’ portfolios but the underlying manager doesn’t have to worry about the underlying liquidity profile of his or her portfolio.”

James talks more in-depth about his portfolios, and why his asset class views would be impossible to replicate through passives, in our profile interview.

Enjoy the video? 

Click on the names to check out others in the Selectors Series, including Peter AskewJustin OnuekwusiShane BalkhamJames BurnsVictoria HaslerGary PotterTim CockerillJames KlempsterDean CheesemanBen Seager-Scott, and David Coombs.

Author.

Download the first private community app for UK financial services professionals