AURORA INVESTMENT TRUST - Key Persons
Ben has a BA Honours degree in Business and Management. After leaving University, he joined a small café chain with three locations where he helped manage and improve business efficiency. Following this, Ben moved into business analyst role with an online wedding list solutions provider, which involved work across all areas of the business, ultimately helping to improve efficiency during a time of significant growth.
In his spare time, Ben enjoys reading, films & TV, poker and caffeine.
Charlotte has been with Phoenix for 16 years and is Deputy Portfolio Manager and Managing Director. She spends most of her time on research. Her areas of expertise include FMCG (both national and multinational companies), Engineering and Banking.
Before joining Phoenix, Charlotte worked in Investment Management at Ernst & Young LLP, where she passed the ACA Chartered Accountancy exams. She holds a Masters in Mechanical Engineering. Charlotte also studied Manufacture & Management at the University of Birmingham and the University of Illinois and spent two years working in Industry at Alvis Aerospace and Procter & Gamble.
When her two young kids aren't keeping her busy, Charlotte enjoys tennis, cycling and travelling.
Dan graduated from the University of Bath with a BSc (Hons) in Economics. During his time as a student, Dan completed multiple internships within the investment management industry.
Job Titles:
- Columnist for the Financial Times
- Non - Executive Director ( Non - Independent )
David Stevenson is a columnist for the Financial Times, Citywire and Money Week and author of a number of books on investment matters. He was the founding director of Rocket Science Group. Currently he is a director of SQN Secured Income Fund Plc, Gresham House Energy Storage Fund Plc, AltFi Limited and Brismo Limited and a strategy consultant to a number of asset management firms and investment banks.
Doug studied Business Administration at the University of Bath, graduating in 2013. Upon graduation Doug joined the graduate scheme at UBS Investment Bank and worked in various roles within the prime brokerage division.
After 3 years at UBS Doug took a career break and cycled 7,000 km through Africa, during this trip he obtained a job working for the big cat conservation organisation, Panthera, which saw him work on projects across Asia and Africa.
Always having had a passion for business, finance and investing Doug joined Phoenix in July 2019.
Job Titles:
- Non - Executive Director ( Independent )
Farah has spent 20 years in financial services across Audit, Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity and is currently an Independent NED at Lloyds of London managing agent Apollo Syndicate Management Limited. Previously the Head of Investment Solutions at Hermes GPE and the Head of UK at Adveq, Farah brings extensive experience of growth, innovation and strategy with a particular focus on technology and ESG. Farah worked at boutique corporate finance house McQueen where she worked on numerous deals within the retail, consumer and leisure sectors. She previously gained her ACA qualification at Deloitte. Farah sits as an Advisory Council member at Real Estate Balance, a non-profit campaigning for diversity in Real Estate, and throughout her career, has a been a member of committees including BVCA and the Global Thinkers Forum and Arts for India charities.
Gary Channon co-founded Phoenix in 1998 and has been the Chief Investment Officer since inception.
Using the same strategy applied to the Phoenix UK Fund, Gary also manages additional segregated accounts for pension fund clients.
Gary brings over 27 years of business and financial services experience. His career began in Fixed Income Trading at Nikko Securities Europe in 1987. He joined Goldman Sachs in 1989, working in Global Equity Derivative Products Trading. In 1992, Gary joined Nomura International PLC as Head of Equity Derivative Trading. He remained at Nomura International as Co-Head of Equity and Equity Derivatives Trading until moving on to co-found Phoenix.
Gary's investment approach at Phoenix is long-term, value-based and focused. He looks out for businesses run by competent, honest managers, who act in the interest of shareholders. Ideal companies have strong pricing power to generate an enduring high return on capital. Gary identifies great companies with good management, and waits for the opportunity to invest in them at attractive prices.
He lives and works in Barnes, South West London.
Graham graduated from Bath University with a BSc (Hons.) degree in Business Administration. During his time at University he completed internships with Fidelity, Principal Investment Management and Motorola Finance as well as passing the IMC exam.
In 2005 he joined Aviva Investors on the graduate scheme, and then became a UK Equity Analyst. Having passed all three levels of the CFA exam, he became a UK Equity Fund Manager in 2008 and later also managed European funds before joining Rothschild Wealth Management in 2013 as a Senior Equity Analyst. There he helped shape and implement the equity research process, investing on a geographically unconstrained basis.
He enjoys running, supports Colchester United and has a particular interest in behavioural economics.
James joined Phoenix in 2013. He is a Research Analyst and his current areas of expertise are Grocery Retail, Sports Retail and Food & Beverage.
Before Phoenix, James spent three years at Aviva Investors in the Pan-European equity team. He specialised in Technology, Media, Telecoms, Construction and Tobacco.
James has passed all three levels of the CFA program and holds an M.Eng (Hons.) degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Durham.
Outside of work, James enjoys running, cycling, reading, and is a cat enthusiast.
Job Titles:
- Leader of Westminster City Council
- Non - Executive Director ( Independent )
Lady Robathan is the Leader of Westminster City Council. She was first elected in 2010 and held the Finance, Property and Housing Cabinet portfolios before becoming Leader. Prior to this, Rachael worked for 20 years in emerging market investment management at Invesco and AIB Govett before joining Pictet as part of the UK based Family Office team. In addition, Rachael has been a Director of the National Lottery Community Fund since June 2015 and is a member of its Remuneration Committee. She is also a Trustee of Westminster Almshouses Foundation, a sheltered housing charity. Rachael was appointed Audit Chair, replacing Richard Martin who stepped down from the role in December 2019 after having served none years as a director.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Non - Executive Chair ( Independent )
Lucy is a director of Aurora Investment Trust and Henderson International Income, as well as an independent member of the audit & risk committee for SportsAid, and a trustee of KEEN London. Lucy has spent her career in the investment management industry, most recently as a fund manager and Head of Third Party Funds at Sarasin & Partners LLP, and before that at HSBC Global Asset Management. At Sarasin, Lucy managed the team responsible for researching over £1.2 billion of assets under management, as well as a range of funds, and the model portfolio service.