Michael has been recognized as worthy of our industry's highest honours, including a prestigious brendan wood international topgun award. Recognized as an enlightened voice in his profession. Recognized for his consistently outstanding performance through his diligence and wisdom. But what does michael himself recognize as his driving inspirations? the bench press of an urban gym, the words of a landmark poem and his undying curiosity.
"Lifting weights in a serious way basically pits you against your biggest competitor: yourself. And that's where you learn to push harder, dig deeper, never settle for the status quo. That carries over into my investment discipline. I'm not swayed by trends or tech crazes. Some people pile into something popular but I never lose sight of valuation. I scrutinize the companies we buy. Go deep into the balance sheets. Visit the plants. Assess the free cash flow. I've learned there's no gain without pain, and I'm after serious gain."
"I take inspiration from certain passages of Kipling's If: 'If you can dream – and not make dreams your master; If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster, And treat those two impostors just the same.' Those words always remind me to keep a rational eye on the markets, whatever they're doing. There's no tsunami you can't surf if you keep your head, keep your focus."
"Some might consider my being a generalist a negative, but I – and a league of happy clients – would beg to differ. The fact is I'm as curious as I am disciplined, which means I enthusiastically apply my diligence and knowledge across a successful range of investment vehicles, industries and companies. Look at the funds I've run, the numbers they've produced and the market cycles they've endured, and you'll see why a broad net can catch an awful lot of fish."
The 2012 Lipper Awards were awarded based on the best risk-adjusted performance over the three-year period ended October 31, 2011. The 2011 Lipper Awards were awarded based on the best risk-adjusted performance over the three-year period ended October 31, 2010. Lipper Inc. is a Thomson Reuters company.
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