John Ford, ASIP
Chief investment offi cer, Fidelity Asia Pacfi c
INTERVIEW BY: MAHA KHAN PHILLIPS
Soon after, the opportunity came up by Fidelity. “I wasn’t looking especially
to re-launch Schroder’s mutual fund to leave Schroders, but I wandered into
business in the region. “I just happened the opportunity. I thought, I’m 41 years
to be the man in the spot, and I found old and I’ve worked for the same
the idea of launching a business to be company all my life. It was time to do
really exciting.” something diff erent.”
It became a theme in Ford’s career. At Fidelity, Ford began by managing
After launching the fi rst 100% foreign distribution. But within weeks of his
owned licensed mutual fund company appointment he was asked to take on
“I thought, I’m 41 years
in Singapore, Ford was asked to move to the role of chief investment offi cer of
Malaysia to do something similar. In Japan, and in 2008 the entire Asia
old and I’ve worked for
1992, he set up a joint venture with the Pacifi c region. “It’s a really interesting
Malaysian government, Seacorp- job. It’s less about investment decisions
Schroder Capital Management. Over than it is about managing the
the same company all my the next six years, he built up the investment team,” he explains.
business and expanded the team. Ford is responsible for research, for
life. It was time to do In 1998, Ford moved back to the fund managers, and their support
Singapore to run Schroder’s Southeast systems. “Each fund manager is his or
something different”
Asian business. “We had operations and her own franchise. Th at’s very much
joint ventures in Singapore, Indonesia, part of the DNA at Fidelity. It’s not a
India, and Th ailand, as well as the star system in the sense that they are
existing business in Malaysia.” Th at was not promoted as stars to the outside
J
ohn Ford joined the investment also the time that Citigroup bought out world, the Fidelity brand comes fi rst
industry in 1986, after he completed a the investment banking component of and foremost. But each individual is
degree in English Literature at Bristol Schroders, leaving the asset management almost like a boutique in his or her
University. “I had some experience business as a stand alone entity. self,” he explains.
working in the City in the summer In 2000, Ford moved to New York as While he’s not there to ‘pick stocks
holidays, trying to pay off my debts, chief executive of the asset management and make asset allocation decisions’,
doing photocopying and other menial operation. “Th at was more of a Ford does have responsibility for
jobs. I really liked the atmosphere, the restructuring job. Schroders had a business ensuring that portfolios are being run in
buzz, and the people,” he says. there, but it was a bit messy following the accordance with client wishes.
He joined Schroders as a graduate sale of the investment bank to Citigroup. He says that it is an incredible time
trainee, never expecting that he would It also hit some performance snags and to be in the region. “Th e engine of
spend the next 19 years there. Because of quite a big outfl ow of assets, so it was economic growth is moving east. Wait
his non-fi nancial academic background, about shrinking the business to an 25 years and you’ll stand back in awe
Ford was keen to get an industry appropriate size.” when you look at this region.”
qualifi cation , so he sat the associate exams. In 2003 Ford moved back to Asia He won’t make predictions about
“It was really useful as a way to fi ll in the once again, to Hong Kong to run his own future though. “Whenever I’ve
gaps of my experience,” he says. distribution in Asia Pacifi c ex-Japan sat back and wondered what I will be
In 1989, after three years as an analyst products. At the time, the company doing three years in the future, I’ve
based in London, Ford moved to continued to be in fl ux, with large scale always been wrong. All I can say is that
Schroders’ Singapore offi ce. “I was asked losses in the UK institutional arm of the I have a fantastic job with a fantastic
to run some small portfolios for Asian business, and serious internal politicking company, and that Asia is a really
private clients. It was my fi rst portfolio leading to a string of departures. exciting place to be.” Ford is married
management role.” Two years later, Ford was approached with three children.
12 SUMMER 2009
10-1610-16 profile.indd 12profile.indd 12 1/6/091/6/09 12:33:5712:33:57Professional Investor Summer 09.14 14 4/6/09 15:40:48
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