Wealth & Finance International - Fund Awards 2015

www.wealthandfinance-intl.com 63 With a small but experienced team, Whitefield’s key members have been around for a long time. The organisation has a flat, informal structure, and the smallness of the organisation allows for good interaction and discussion. It promotes teamwork not star-performers. That being said, latitude is given to senior team members so as not to stifle creativity. The long stay of senior team members (in an industry where staff turnover tends to be high) is testimony that Whitefield has done some- thing right in terms of management style. Whitefield plans to remain a boutique and operates in a sweet spot that the big boys cannot because of their size. The firm likes working closely with long-term clients who understand and appreciate its long-term investment approach. Without stable money, the style will not work. Clients have been with Whitefield for a long time, some dating back to its incorporation. They are more friends than clients now and many have acted as references for Whitefield’s prospects. For that they are most thankful and satisfied. As for the award, the firm find it encouraging to be recognised. Further- more, they find it very satisfying to practise what they strongly believe in and see the positive long-term result. Winning this award is a recog- nition that the long-term, index-agnostic, value-oriented investment approach can work in what is often touted as high-beta Asia-ex Japan equity markets which favour short-term trading investment style. They hope this award can serve as an encouragement to all value-oriented long-term investors in the industry – both managers and clients.