The art and science of investing: Access to global opportunities unlocked

Ray Mhere

In a world defined by rapid structural shifts, the traditional boundaries of investing are being redrawn. Investing has always been a delicate balance, but in today’s dynamic environment, thoughtful allocation across global investment approaches and styles has become more important than ever.

Global fund manager Curate Investments recently concluded a series of global investor events designed to decode the factors to consider when investing globally. The series did more than just showcase the elite global talent managing Curate’s funds; it explored the vital intersection between the science of investing – data, risk management, and rigorous process – and the art of investing – human perspective, experience, and the context required to navigate uncertainty.

“Better decisions are shaped, and long-term value is created in the balance between these two spheres,” explained Ray Mhere, CEO of Curate. He noted that each Curate fund is purposefully designed with a specific investor outcome in mind.

“We handpick outstanding investment teams from around the world that excel in their discipline. The core benefit of these distinct mandates is – that they behave differently across various market cycles, providing built-in resilience for investors.”

A fundamental reboot of the global operating system

Setting the strategic tone, Sanisha Packirisamy, Chief Economist at Momentum Group, described a fundamental reboot of the global operating system. She argued that the post-WWII liberal order is yielding to a more transactional, nationalist, and multipolar environment.

“We are moving from a world governed by the invisible hand of the market to one directed by the visible thumbprint of government intervention,” Packirisamy noted. She attributed the rise of global populism to the challenge of the Western model to address demographic gaps and middle-income job creation. In this new landscape, geopolitics has returned to a 19th-century style of resource imperialism, where the U.S. and China race not just for trade dominance, but for control over critical minerals and energy corridors.

Despite these shifts, Packirisamy identified three enduring pillars of U.S. exceptionalism: military prowess, innovation (software, biotech, and space), and the continued dominance of the Dollar. “While ‘de-dollarization’ is a real trend – with global FX reserves dropping from 70% to 56% – no other currency currently matches the Dollar’s depth or legal enforceability,” she explained.

Three distinct styles for portfolio construction

To navigate this rebooted world, Curate offers three distinct investment styles, each managed by a global active manager.

Managing the Curate Global Quality Equity Fund, UK-based Evenlode Investment focuses on quality compounders – companies with hard-to-replicate competitive advantages and asset-light business models.

Hugh Yarrow, co-founder of Evenlode, emphasised the role of active management in unlocking value through patient compounding. He referenced the “Rule of 72” to illustrate how disciplined, incremental growth leads to significant long-term wealth. For Evenlode, the focus remains on companies with high free-cash-flow yields and the stability to weather geopolitical storms.

For the Curate Global Growth Equity Fund, U.S.-based Jennison Associates targets disruptive innovators solving for productivity and convenience.

Mark Baribeau, Head of Global Equity at Jennison, said that while innovation is exciting, growth must be pursued with a disciplined eye on earnings opportunities. “The key themes shaping tomorrow are Generative AI, fintech platforms, and healthcare innovations,” he said.

Jennison looks for market leaders that consistently surpass growth expectations, particularly in an era where technology is the primary driver of economic alpha.

Focusing on the Curate Global Value Equity Fund, New York’s Lyrical Asset Management operates on a philosophy of finding “gems amid the junk.”

David Merklin, Senior Managing Director at Lyrical, explained that they analyse the cheapest 20% of the market to unearth quality companies that are temporarily misunderstood. “History shows that undervalued companies with strong fundamentals often deliver superior long-term performance,” Merklin said. By focusing on low debt and high returns on capital, Lyrical provides a crucial counterweight to growth-heavy portfolios.

Turning patterns into performance

Robeco, which manages the Curate Global Emerging Markets Equity Fund and the Curate Global Sustainable Equity Fund, is an international asset manager and specialist in quant and sustainable investing.

Client Portfolio Manager, Jan de Koning explored how organisations can transform patterns into performance by strengthening their research approach. Performance, he said, is built on a continuum that begins with idea generation, where curiosity sparks new opportunities. His presentation highlighted that success lies not only in recognising patterns but also in creating the conditions for those patterns to be transformed into sustainable performance.

Exploring the benefits of real assets

A presentation by Momentum Global Investment Management’s Andrew Hardy and Gary Maglione put the spotlight on the benefits of real assets: a low correlation to traditional markets, consistent income generation, inflation protection and alignment with powerful thematic trends. UK-based Momentum Global Investment Management, a wholly owned subsidiary of Momentum Group, focuses on designing, building and managing outcome-based investment strategies which are delivered through single – and multi-asset portfolios and tailored client solutions.

A curated approach to global investing

The overarching message from the Curate Global Investor Day is clear: in a world where geopolitics and economic policy increasingly shape markets, a local-only approach is unlikely to provide sufficient diversification. Access to global opportunities has become an essential component of building resilient portfolios.

Curate showcased the strength of global investing lies not only in geographic diversification, but also in diversification across investment styles and approaches. Their global offering brings together a handpicked range of specialist managers spanning systematic and fundamental strategies, and styles including value, growth, and quality. 

By combining the rigorous science of global investment expertise with the art of thoughtful curation, Curate enables investors to build portfolios that are positioned to navigate an increasingly complex world. The result is a broader opportunity set for South African investors, allowing them to access long-term returns wherever they emerge across the global economy.

The Curate Global Investor Day will now become an annual fixture in our calendar, as Curate endeavours to bring some of the world’s leading investment talent to South Africa’s doorstep. It reflects their commitment to connecting local investors with global perspectives and ensuring they remain well positioned in an ever-evolving investment landscape.