The Team

The Abacus Fund Managers team consists of:

• 

  Tom Connell

  Boutique Head

  Qualifications

  CA

  Current Responsibility

  In his position as boutique head, he is responsible for the commercial management of the boutique.

  Previous Experience

  Tom has 27 years of experience in finance and investments and has managed the Absolute Return Investments boutique for the past 12 years.

  

• 

  John Gilchrist

  Portfolio Manager

  Current Responsibility

  John joined Old Mutual Investment Group South Africa (OMIGSA) in November 2004 as a portfolio manager in the Investment Structuring Group.

  He is responsible for managing Capital Builder (including the life-wrapped guaranteed version, Capital Growth), certain institutional Absolute Return funds, and the Volatility Arbitrage Hedge fund.

  John’s extensive experience in risk management and equity derivatives has led to the development of new and innovative risk-managed and alpha-generating products like Capital Builder and the Volatility Arbitrage Hedge Fund. In addition, John has helped improve the risk management of other products and funds. Given the recent market turbulence, the skills that John brings combined with the track records he has built on the various funds will enable the Absolute Return Investments boutique to attract new assets and offer new cutting-edge products and solutions.

  Previous Experience

  After completing his articles at KPMG (Financial Services / Treasury Advisory Group) in 1998, John became a senior banking consultant, focusing on bank treasury operations and risk management.

  In 1999, John joined UBS Investment Bank in the derivative sales and structuring division.

  He was promoted to Director, Head of Derivatives and a member of the UBS management committee in January 2001. In 2002, John became a member of the JSE Financial Derivatives Advisory Committee.

  

• 

  Hanno Niehaus

  Portfolio Manager

  Qualifications

  BEcon (Hons), CFA Charterholder

  Current Responsibility

  Hanno is currently part of the portfolio management team responsible for the managing of Old Mutual Investment Group South Africa (OMIGSA)’s Absolute Return product offering. His current responsibilities include capital protected funds, hedge funds as well as an equity product offering.

  Previous Experience

  Since joining Old Mutual in 1998, Hanno has been involved in structured products, equity derivatives and absolute return solutions. He was appointed as investment structuring analyst in 2004 and portfolio manager in 2006.

  

• 

  Bryn Hatty

  Portfolio Manager

  Current Responsibility

  Bryn joined Old Mutual Investment Group (OMIGSA) in February 2006 as an investment structuring specialist. He is currently involved in managing absolute return and hedge funds. In particular, our offshore volatility hedge fund is one of his main focus areas. Bryn also provides input to most of OMIGSA and OMLACSA’s derivative activities. He has 11 years of experience in the South African and offshore derivative markets.

  Previous Experience

  After completing his articles at Price Waterhouse Coopers in 1996, Bryn worked in the Investment Banking division of Bankers Trust in London. He joined Cadiz Financial Services in 1998 doing institutional derivatives research, sales and structuring. In 2001, Bryn joined Investec treasury performing derivative structuring and sales for institutions and corporates.

  

• 

  Saul Burman

  Portfolio Manager

  Qualifications

  BBusSc: Actuarial Science (Hons), FIA, CFA Charterholder

  Current Responsibility

  Saul is responsible for the portfolio management of a range of products that target inflation beating returns in the Absolute Return Investments team.

  In addition, he is responsible for the business and portfolio management of the offshore Fund of Hedge Fund products as well as the management of the Double Alpha portfolios.

  Saul’s wide range of experience gives him a good insight into the full gamut of asset classes and investment offerings in the market. His actuarial background is vital in understanding the liability side of the equation and is of great benefit in designing and running products for the benefit of clients.

  Previous Experience

  Saul has been with Old Mutual Investment Group South Africa (OMIGSA) since 2000.

  Although he has been a portfolio manager since 2003, he has had a number of roles in OMIGSA. These include heading up OMIGSA Product Development, providing a technical interface for the management of asset consultant relationships as well as managing the relationship and joint investment initiatives between OMIGSA and Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (OMLACSA). He joined the Absolute Return Investments boutique to focus on managing Absolute Return portfolios.

  

• 

  Daniel Polakow

  Derivatives Specialist

  Current Responsibility

  Daniel joined Old Mutual Investment Group South Africa (OMIGSA) in November 2010 as a derivatives specialist. His current responsibilities include assisting the Absolute Return Investments team across a number of their funds, advancing the rigour of the models and ensuring these funds are optimally structured.

  Previous Experience

  Daniel started working as a professional statistician from 1994. While studying for his PhD, he consulted to the academic development programme (ADP) on the predictive modelling of the Alternative Admissions Research Project. His doctorate included work on HIV/AIDS research, fire-recurrence and models for natural disasters with censored data.

  In 2000, Daniel left academia to work in the sell-side of the financial services industry, first as a Quantitative Analyst and then a Derivative Analyst for Cadiz Securities. Four years later he moved to Peregrine Securities, becoming a director and head of research. From 2009 to mid-2011, Daniel consulted to various local financial services companies, including 10 months at Brait SA as a portfolio manager.

  Qualifications

  BSc (Hons) (with distinction) MSc PhD

  

• 

  Nelisiwe Nzama

  Portfolio Manager

  Qualifications

  BCom: Accounting, BCom: Actuarial Science (Hons)

  Current Responsibility

  Nelisiwe joined Old Mutual Investment Group South Africa (OMIGSA) in August 2006.

  Since 2006, she has been involved in the management of the Old Mutual Volatility Arbitrage Fund, and since 2009 has been co-manager of the Old Mutual Premium Equity Fund. Nelisiwe has been instrumental in building and populating various quantitative models used extensively in the management of the derivative-based hedge funds.

  Nelisiwe is a true team player with a drive to succeed. She has strong technical and quantitative modelling skills.

  Previous Experience

  Prior to joining OMIGSA, Nelisiwe worked as a senior actuarial assistant at Old Mutual Retail Product Development for one year.

  Nelisiwe worked as a senior portfolio implementation analyst at Metropolitan Asset Managers for two years. She also worked as an actuarial assistant at Momentum Employee Benefits for five and a half years.

  

• 

  Bivashen Naidoo

  Portfolio Manager

  Qualifications

  BBusSc: Actuarial Science (Hons), FIA, CFA Charterholder, CAIA

  Current Responsibility

  Bivashen is a portfolio manager in the Absolute Return Investments (ARI) Boutique. Since April 2010, Bivashen has been co-managing various portfolios within the ARI Boutique, including a volatility product and derivative-based hedge funds.

  Previous Experience

  Bivashen joined Old Mutual Investment Group South Africa (OMIGSA) in August 2007 as an investment structuring actuary in the Absolute Return Investments (ARI) boutique. He was part of the Absolute Return Fund portfolio management team, responsible for research, operational management and client servicing; he was also co-manager of a call-overwriting fund.

  Prior to joining OMIGSA, Bivashen was at Metropolitan Employee Benefits Investment Services where he was part of the team responsible for the management of the capital guaranteed products, and also involved in product development.

  

• 

  Tassius Chigariro

  Portfolio Manager

  Current Responsibility

  Tassius joined OMIGSA in January 2008 and is currently responsible for the portfolio management of the Capital Builder absolute return fund. In addition, he is also involved with the structuring and implementation of various structured solutions.

  Previous Experience

  Prior to joining OMIGSA, Tassius was an Investment Manager at Resolution Asset Management (UK) for three years. Prior to joining Resolution, Tassius was a Pensions Consulting Actuary with Alexander Forbes (UK) for three years. Tassius has 10 years of work experience, initially as a Pensions Actuary before moving into Asset Management.