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JLIF Manager Quits

Posted: May 22nd, 2017, 3:50 pm
by forrado
While catching up earlier today on some unread articles on the Association of Investment Companies (AIC) site, the UK trade body for closed-end investment companies, I came across the news posted on Friday that …
Fund manager leaves John Laing Infrastructure
19 May 2017

Andrew Charlesworth, lead manager of John Laing Infrastructure (JLIF), the most highly rated fund investing in contracts to run train lines, schools and hospitals, has quit.

Andrew Charlesworth, lead fund manager to John Laing Infrastructure, has quit to ‘pursue opportunities in the global infrastructure market’, according to the company.

Charlesworth, a director of John Laing Capital Management (JLCM), JLIF’s investment adviser, will leave next week. He helped launch the company in 2010 when it floated at £259 million and oversaw its growth to its current market value of £1.38 billion, helped by a £119.5 million share placing in March.

… and is to be replaced by …
John Laing Capital Management’s David Hardy who will move over from John Laing Environmental Assets (JLEN) where he is a co-lead adviser. In his new role he will run the five-strong team in charge of JLIF’s portfolio of over 60 infrastructure projects.

Andrew Charlesworth’s out-the-door inside a week sounds a rush job to me and quitting to ‘pursue opportunities in the global infrastructure market’ is an enough of detail-less statement to mean what anyone wants it to mean.

While I’m no longer a JLIF shareholder, having made an exit back in July last year because of increasing overvaluation and global expansion concerns, so ready only have a no-longer-involved interest in the stock. Nevertheless, I have a habit of always being on the lookout for negatives. Not for nothing does risk come before reward in the financial scheme of things to my way of thinking.

It could just be a case of a top manager in his field of expertise being headhunted to a better position. However, on this occasion there appears to be no period of notice being served which leads me to think that there may be other factors at work.

Re: JLIF Manager Quits

Posted: May 23rd, 2017, 11:55 am
by richfool
Thanks for that Forrado. I too spotted it over last weekend and noted that:
"John Laing Capital Management’s David Hardy who will move over from John Laing Environmental Assets (JLEN) where he is a co-lead adviser. In his new role he will run the five-strong team in charge of JLIF’s portfolio of over 60 infrastructure projects."

I have a small holding of JLIF and a slightly larger one of JLEN, so decided I would leave things as they are.

Re: JLIF Manager Quits

Posted: May 23rd, 2017, 1:41 pm
by UncleEbenezer
richfool wrote:I have a small holding of JLIF and a slightly larger one of JLEN, so decided I would leave things as they are.

Whither JLEN, with the man hitherto in charge suddenly having to focus his attention elsewhere? :o

(I hold JLEN, but not JLIF).