Simon Holmes

Experience

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  Daiwa Capital Markets Europe Ltd

  Jan 1997 - Jan 1998

  FX Dealer
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  Barclays Investment Bank

  Jan 1999 - Jan 2000

  Product Control / Risk
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  Citi

  Jan 2001 - Jan 2002

  Product Control / Risk, Fixed Income
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  McKinsey & Company

  Oct 2004 - Aug 2007

  Engagement Manager

  I led teams to deliver client engagements focused on strategy development for public and private sector clients, including major banks and investment firms. The work was varied and included topics such as growth strategy, procurement, and regulatory compliance and organisational structure.

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  Thames River Capital

  Sept 2007 - Sept 2012

  Director / Fund Manager, Global Credit Team

  I managed global credit funds, focusing on global macro positions in equities, fixed income, currencies and derivatives. The main focus was generating returns through exposure to developed market fixed income, hard and local emerging market debt, currencies and derivatives, and managing downside risks via equity / fixed income derivatives, including protecting the portfolio through the volatility in 2008 / 2009.

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  Mountstone Partners

  Jan 2012 - now

  Asset Allocation Advisor

  Providing macroeconomic, public and private market analysis alongside strategic business advice to support investment and commercial outcomes.

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  BMO Global Asset Management (EMEA)

  Sept 2012 - Sept 2014

  Co-Head of Thames River Capital Global Credit Team

  Following the acquisition by F&C Asset Management, I took on the position of co-head of the ex-Thames River Capital Global Credit team alongside my portfolio management responsibilities.

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  Columbia Threadneedle Investments EMEA APAC

  Sept 2014 - Jan 2025

  Senior Portfolio Manager in Multi-Asset Solutions Team | Head of Sustainable Multi-Asset Investment

  A SMCR-regulated portfolio management role on a $50bn AUM investment team, with overall responsibility for investment decisions for a number of traditional and sustainable active multi-asset funds, alongside leading the approach to sustainable investment more broadly. Particular achievements include:- Taking a lead role in the design and implementation of the team's active investment processes, delivering strong performance outcomes for our clients. This includes strategic and tactical asset allocation alongside fund or strategy selection. Examples of active management include reducing equity exposure pre-COVID and fixed income exposure before rising yields in 2022, re-entering positions to capture recovery.- Supporting client acquisition and retention through frequent presentations to wholesale clients, institutional clients and consultants alongside media interaction.- Leading work across the business to define a consistent approach to sustainable investment across asset classes that resulted in the award of various sustainable labels such as the UK SDR Sustainability Focus label and the EU SFDR Article 9 label.- Design, launch and seeding of a number of innovative products, including a range of traditional and sustainable risk-targeted multi-asset products and a sustainable equity income strategy, built around low-cost active management as a point of clear market differentiation. These strategies have since grown to several billion dollars of assets, with strong performance vs peers.- Managing and mentoring people to help them develop well and to succeed in their roles. This includes through direct responsibility for team members, alongside mentoring colleagues from across the business and additionally as a 'Sponsor' on the 2023 Diversity Project Pathway. Show less

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  Rabble

  Jan 2018 - Jan 2023

  Non-Executive Director

  Board role advising a fitness start-up on business strategy including managing growth, cash flow and hiring decisions.

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  The Investment Association

  Jan 2022 - Oct 2024

  Committee Member, Investment Association