How We Invest
An evidence-based approach to advice
You may have heard of “evidence-based medicine,” the notion that medical decisions should be based on clinical research and evidence. This standard of care is key in a profession fraught with risk.
Like medicine, financial advice is a complex business that is similarly hazardous. The typical investor’s journey is spotted with potholes and plagued with changing weather. The rewards of safe navigation are considerable, while the cost of misstep is high.
As with Medicine, in this modern era experience and judgement alone are not enough to demonstrate best practice. Today’s financial adviser needs to offer a higher standard of care in evidence – including data, analysis and fact-based insight.
This approach involves continuous, self-directed learning and detailed research in order to provide clients with practical financial solutions that have a demonstrated ability to work in the real world and over the long-haul.
“A good portfolio is more than a long list of good stocks and bonds. It is a balanced whole, providing the investor with protections and opportunities with respect to a wide range of contingencies.”
Harry Markowitz
Putting financial science to work
In the past, many investment portfolios were built around one or two asset classes, some promising “stock stories” and a series of illusive forecasts. The returns these portfolios delivered were disparate and highly subject to ‘chance’.
The world has moved on. In this modern age it is possible to take a much more scientific approach to investing.
Data storage and computing power have facilitated significant advancements in the fields of finance and portfolio theory. These headways make it possible for investors to construct portfolios with more certain outcomes and superior risk and return characteristics.
Our Investment Committee works relentlessly to embody these academic improvements into each individually managed portfolio under our supervision. A clear rationale sits behind every dimension of portfolios, based on evidence and academic rigor. The result is contemporary, low cost, highly diversified portfolios which provide our clients with the greatest chance of meeting their longer-term investment objectives.
Reflecting your values and beliefs in your investment approach
With a growing awareness of the environmental and social challenges facing our global community, you may be looking for ways to better align your investment portfolio with your own values. Creating this alignment involves developing an investment program that looks beyond traditional economic factors to the environmental and societal impacts.
At Minchin Moore we are passionate about sustainable investing and we can work with you to develop an investment program that allows you to feel ethically content, while remaining confident in your portfolio’s ability to generate superior risk adjusted returns.
Our approach goes beyond the typical “negative screening” technique of excluding a short list of sensitive industries. Rather we look to actively identify and “overweight” investments that are scoring well in terms of their alignment with your values. These are investments which display greater potential for positive societal and/or environmental impacts.
The techniques used won’t compromise the evidence-based principles of investment for which we are renowned. Each investment continues to be evaluated carefully and approached with the same analytical rigor as any other investment to identify suitable opportunities that aim to deliver impact as well as performance.
Investment committee
Our investment committee collectively have over 100 years of practical experience with capital markets and portfolio management. Collectively they are the custodians of our investment process and philosophy.
Andrew Marchant Chairman
BCom, GDipFP, GDipApFin
Andrew’s professional investment experience spans 23yrs and includes senior investment roles with some of Australia’s leading fund managers and private banks. Andrew was specifically recruited in 2018 to take custody of our investment process and Chair our Investment Committee. Andrew’s appointment as a dedicated CIO, a first for Minchin Moore, signifies our growth and our ongoing commitment to upholding investment excellence.
Dr Steve Garth
PhD AppMath, MAppFin, BMathSc, BA, BBA
Steve has a PhD in Applied Mathematics, a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Physics, a Bachelor of Arts with majors in History and Politics, a Masters of Applied Finance and a Graduate Diploma in Business Administration.
Up until 2020 Steve spent two decades working with one of the World’s largest fund managers with his roles over the period encompassing management of Australian and International equity portfolios, overseeing dealing and trading, and managing the firm’s fixed interest strategies.
Prior to his funds management career Steve was on the faculty of the University of New South Wales. His teaching and research interests were in optical fibre technology and quantitative finance.
Dr Doug Turek
BASc, PhD, DFP, TEP
Doug has been working in financial services for over 20 years, first as an industry consultant then as a private client adviser to families and individuals.
He holds a PhD in engineering, a Diploma in Financial Planning and has done executive study at Wharton while working for a Fortune 50 US company.
Doug is Australian born and has lived and worked in Canada, the United States and throughout Asia. He is a member of the Financial Planning Association and the International Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners.
Prior to merging his business with Minchin Moore in May 2022, Doug was the founder and Managing Director of the highly acclaimed financial planning firm Professional Wealth. Over 17 years Doug, his Team and Clients enjoyed considerable successes including in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 Doug being named as one of Australia’s Top Financial Advisers by leading US finance publication Barron’s (as published in The Australian) .
Prior to founding Professional Wealth, Doug worked for The Boston Consulting Group consulting to banks, insurers, and fund managers.
Doug deeply understands how the industry and investing works and importantly how clients need to make it work for them. He is a frequent commentator on investment strategy and portfolio design in Australian media including a regular contributor to Alan Kohler’s Eureka Report and now The Australian.
Mark Minchin
BCom, GDipFP, GDipApFin, CFP
Mark’s professional investment experience spans 24yrs and includes time with leading fund managers and investment banks. With a deep knowledge of economics and capital markets coupled with an academic mindset, Mark was one of the chief architects of Minchin Moore’s investment philosophy.
Tom Jeffries
BCom, DipFP, GDip ApFin, CFP
Tom’s professional investment experience spans 14 years and includes time with some of Australia’s leading fund managers prior to him joining Minchin Moore in 2011. Tom has many years of practical experience building fit-for-purpose, bespoke portfolios for private clients. A former Chair of Minchin Moore’s Investment Committee, Tom has played a pivotal role in the design and maintenance of our philosophy and approach.
Charlie Perkins
BBus, GDipAppFin, DFS, F Fin
Charlie’s professional investment experience spans 22yrs and includes time at leading investment banks in Sydney and London as well as several years running his own private portfolio management business. Charlie joined Minchin Moore in 2016 and has been a key member of our Investment Committee ever since. Charlie brings a deep knowledge of investment markets, international experience and a highly analytical mind to our committee.
Angus Warden
BAgrEc, GDipFinPlanning, GDipAppFin, F Fin, SSA, CFP
Angus’s professional investment experience spans 24yrs and includes time with leading fund managers and banks prior to him joining Minchin Moore in 2015. A key member of our investment committee Angus has a deep and practical knowledge of portfolio management and brings a highly pragmatic ‘perspective from the bush’ to our Investment Committee.