Portfolio Manager Changes

The following portfolio management changes will be implemented from mid to late February 2017 with regard to the Platinum Trust Funds. The progression of investment team members in the management of Funds has taken place over a number of years as we continue to bring through talented members within the team.

Platinum International Fund
The International Fund is currently co-managed with the following allocation: Kerr Neilson Platinum’s CEO 70% and Andrew Clifford, Platinum’s CIO 30%. The allocation will change to Kerr Neilson 50%, Andrew Clifford 40% and Clay Smolinski 10%.

Clay has worked with Platinum for 11 years, with eight plus of those years managing the European Fund as well as taking on global responsibilities by managing the global, Platinum Unhedged Fund from May 2014.

Clay Smolinski, BCom (Murdoch University)
Clay joined Platinum in 2006 having worked as an accountant for Grant Thornton. Clay joined as an analyst with responsibility for the services sector and worked on European stocks. In 2009, Clay became portfolio manager of the Platinum European Fund and is also the sector leader for financials and services. In 2014, Clay became portfolio manager of the Platinum Unhedged Fund and remained as co-manager of the Platinum European Fund until February 2017.

Platinum European Fund
Nik Dvornak who has been with Platinum for 10 years and has been a co-manager (50%) of the European Fund since 2014, will take over full management of the European Fund.

Nikola Dvornak, MCom Hons (Melb), BCom Hons (Auckland)
Nik joined Platinum’s investment team in 2006 as an analyst. Previously Nik held a variety of quantitative and economic analyst roles at APRA, Commonwealth Securities, Reserve Bank of Australia and Lateral Economics. At Platinum, Nik is an analyst within the financials and services sector. In 2014, Nik became co-manager of the Platinum European Fund (50%) and will take on full responsibility for the European Fund from February 2017.

Platinum International Brands Fund
Simon Trevett has elected to step down from his role at Platinum. James Halse will take over the responsibility of Portfolio Manager for the Fund.

Jamie is the head of the Consumer Team, which provides the primary research for the International Brands Fund. Jamie is therefore intimately familiar with the individual stocks within the portfolio. The emphasis Platinum places on the broader investment team structure ensures strong collaboration within the team and continuity in the portfolio management responsibilities. Jamie has been covering consumer stocks at Platinum for over six years and has been managing a segment of the International Brands Fund in a fully discretionary manner. Jamie is very well placed to assume full control of the portfolio.

James Halse, CFA, LLB Hons, Master of Laws Hons (Auckland)
James joined Platinum in 2011 having previously worked at CP2 (formerly Capital Partners) as an equities analyst and for Deloittes in New Zealand as a tax consultant.  At Platinum, James is the sector leader of the consumer team.

Platinum International Technology Fund
The Fund will be co-managed by Alex Barbi 50% and Cameron Robertson 50%. Cameron has worked at Platinum for six years and has been part of the technology and communications team for over two years. The technology/communications sector will be headed by Alex.

Alex Barbi, BBus Adm Hons (Milan), Graduate Diploma Applied Finance and Investments (SIA)
Alex joined Platinum in August 1998. He came to Australia in 1995 and initially worked as a manager for Coopers & Lybrand - Corporate Finance. Previously he worked in corporate finance and funds management in Europe, having started his professional career as an investment analyst at Instituto Mobiliare Italiano. Alex has managed Platinum’s International Technology Fund since 2003 and oversees the technology and communications sector team.

Cameron Robertson, CFA, BSc Hons (USYD)
Cameron joined Platinum in November 2010. Previously he worked as an equities analyst for CP2 (formerly Capital Partners). After starting with Platinum, Cameron worked within the resources and industrial sector, and from November 2014 within the technology and communication sector.