Our series of interviews with some of Australia’s most successful fixed income allocators exploring the evolution of their careers, current markets and asset allocation, and where to look for opportunities in the future.
Leveraging Insights
Episode 1: James Simpson
James Simpson is a cornerstone investor of IAM and a pioneer of the Australian asset management industry.
In this candid and wide-ranging conversation, James reflects on:
- Lessons from the 1987 crash and his time working with Kerr Neilson
- Managing the Japan fund through investment cycles, including a 20-30x return on early investment in SoftBank
- Why he believes fixed income should be the engine of portfolios
- Emerging investment opportunities in AI and synthetic biology
- IAM’s growing role in democratising access to institutional-quality credit and modernising portfolio construction in Australia
James has 34 years of experience in active funds management, 17 of which were alongside Kerr Neilson and, more recently, in managing his own family office. He has a foundation in equities but has broadened that focus to include the bond markets and private credit. As a co-founder of Platinum Asset Management (ASX:PTM), he brings a deep understanding of investment products and financial markets. James recently accepted a non-executive board position with PTM.
Episode 2: Bob Sahota
Bob Sahota is founding partner and chief investment officer of Revolution Asset Management.
Bob has helped shape the evolution of private debt in Australia, and in this interview explores the lessons, philosophies and pivotal decisions that have defined his career. Bob shares:
- His early experience at ANZ and NAB that shaped his focus on private credit
- The story behind growing Challenger’s private debt portfolio from $200m to $9.3bn
- Why he believes capital preservation always beats chasing yield
- His perspective on today’s market and what lies ahead for private credit in Australia
- The sectors he backs, and avoids, in every cycle
