Guernsey Fund Manager addresses Dubai gathering
GUERNSEY fund manager Justin Oliver provided an independent review of the current economic climate at the International Adviser Gulf Expert Investor Forum in Dubai.
Mr Oliver, fund manager at Collins Stewart Fund Management, discussed how likely it is that the economic recovery currently underway will continue in the months ahead, to the 150-strong assembly of delegates from the Middle East and Africa.
Mr Oliver said: ‘My aim was to provide delegates with a series of balanced arguments, highlighting some of the data which we are monitoring at the moment and which we are using to help us formulate our investment strategy.’
‘The positives and negatives presented reflect that, as investors, one needs to consider all arguments. The biggest danger any investor can make is to maintain too dogmatic a view’ he added.
His speech highlighted that while there are some key reasons for investors to look forward with optimism, the outlook for the US consumer is paramount. Certainly it remains too early to expect demand from China to solve the World’s problems. Ultimately, the US consumer and global economy will continue to recover, but this will be a slow, gradual and anaemic process, he concluded.
The Forum, which was organised by Last Word Media, publishers of trade magazine International Adviser, offered guest speakers twenty minute slots on the main platform and the opportunity to participate in a delegate-led Q&A session with the other speakers. This was then followed by more intimate thirty minute workshops in the afternoon.
In addition to the Forum, a series of presentations were arranged with Friends Provident International's key introducers in Dubai. FPI is Collins Stewart’s strategic distribution partner for the Select funds in the region.
Mr Oliver added: ‘Feedback received from delegates was extremely positive and they were particularly pleased that we presented a deliberately balanced view. Too often they seem to hear just one side of the argument, typically from groups which have something to sell on the back of it.’