Last Tuesday I took part in a live web debate on "Activist Investing" hosted by the Pension Social Media site Mallowstreet.I have never done anything quite like this before.
The debate was chaired by Dawid Konotey-Ahulu from Mallowstreet (2nd from right). Next to me was Maarten Wildschut, Co-Head of European Focus Fund | RWC Partners. While on the left of Dawid is Steve Brown, Chairman | Governance for Owners. I was there as a local government pension fund trustee.
I think there are two types of activist investors. Maarten and Steve are fund managers who will invest in companies they think are being poorly managed and will then "actively" try to turn around these companies and make them more profitable.
While I see myself as also being an "Activist investor" but one who will try and make sure that companies my pension fund invest in are not only well run but have good governance, don't kill their workers, destroy the environment, employ child labour or bribe public officials. They also should ensure that the interests of pension beneficiaries come before the interests of management and their advisers.
You can see the debate here but warning it goes on for 45 minutes. Check out this post I did on Active investing from the LAPFF conference 2013.
