In an increasingly interconnected world, global collaboration is more than a trend, it’s a strategic advantage. Florbela Yates, managing director of Equilibrium, sat down with Gregoire Sharma, senior research and portfolio analyst at Momentum Global Investment Management, to discuss the benefits of working within a truly global investment team, the value of diverse perspectives, and how offshore markets open doors to unique opportunities.
Florbela: Gregoire, what do you believe are the biggest advantages of having a truly global team?
Gregoire Sharma: One of the greatest advantages is the depth and diversity of perspectives we bring to the investment process. Our team spans South Africa (SA) and the United Kingdom (UK), covering specialisations from macroeconomics and strategy to portfolio management and asset class expertise. This allows us to approach investment decisions from multiple complementary angles.
We benefit from both formal discussions, such as quarterly asset allocation meetings, and ongoing informal knowledge sharing. For example, our senior economist in SA often joins London meetings remotely to provide real-time insights into global and local macro dynamics. This collaborative structure combines global insight with local access, ensuring we remain connected to on-the-ground developments.
Florbela: Can you share some practical examples of how this collaboration has helped you become a better investment professional?
Gregoire Sharma: Absolutely. Having colleagues from both SA and the UK in fund manager meetings elevates the quality of discussions. Different backgrounds and areas of expertise bring varied questions and perspectives, often surfacing risks or opportunities I might not have considered.
When we meet with fund managers, each of us comes in with different priorities. Some want to dive into performance, others focus on the investment process or team updates, and some are after detailed insights about specific holdings. This diversity of focus makes the conversation richer and more balanced. It’s not just about asking more questions; it’s about asking better ones.
For example, when you join our meetings, the collaborative dynamic allows us to challenge assumptions and uncover nuances that might have been missed in a one-on-one setting. Similarly, our SA colleagues often alert us to offshore managers active in their market, enabling us to conduct more thorough due diligence.
Personally, this experience has sharpened my ability to frame questions, critically assess strategies, and think beyond my own biases. After nearly three years with the team, I’ve seen how this global collaboration broadens perspective, deepens understanding across asset classes, and fosters a more nuanced approach to fund manager evaluation and portfolio construction. It’s a constant learning curve, and that’s what makes it so rewarding.
Florbela: Offshore markets offer a wider range of investment options than those in South Africa. One area of interest is alternatives. Can you talk us through some of these and why they are natural diversifiers?
Gregoire Sharma: Offshore markets provide us with access to private asset strategies, including infrastructure, property, private equity, and niche areas such as aircraft leasing and music royalties. These assets behave differently from traditional stocks and bonds, making them excellent diversifiers.
They typically have low correlation with listed markets, generate steady income through contractual cash flows, and often act as inflation hedges. They also enable us to invest in long-term, structural trends such as renewable energy and digital infrastructure.
In SA, retail funds can’t access these private markets directly, so we use offshore closed-ended vehicles such as investment trusts. These listed companies operate with a fixed pool of capital to manage diversified portfolios of illiquid assets. This allows the managers to pursue long-term strategic objectives free from the volatility of investor flows, while providing liquidity through share trading.
One example is our Real Assets Growth and Income Fund (RAGI), launched last year. It has outperformed its peers with lower volatility. It targets annual returns of 7 to 8% and yields around 5 to 6%. As a result, it has quickly become a core diversifier in offshore portfolios and is currently undergoing regulatory approval for SA.
Another example is the Curate Global Sustainable Equity Fund, managed by Robeco. It’s a systematic, data-driven strategy focused on sustainable companies, aligned with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and designed to deliver strong long-term growth with a lower environmental footprint.
Florbela: I can add that the team is constantly looking for ways to diversify portfolios and identify opportunities beyond the traditional asset classes available in our local economy. You mentioned two funds: the Curate Global Sustainable Equity Fund, which we’ve already integrated into offshore portfolios and are now adding to local portfolios, and the RAGI Fund, which we’ve been monitoring since before its launch.
We spent considerable time as a global team in the UK reviewing these strategies, and while regulatory approval takes time, we’re optimistic that RAGI will soon be available locally. These efforts demonstrate our commitment to providing clients with world-class solutions that enhance resilience and growth potential. So, watch this space, there are exciting opportunities on the horizon.
I believe the key takeaway is that our global team is continually seeking ways to diversify portfolios and identify opportunities beyond traditional asset classes. These strategies, whether alternatives or sustainable equities, are designed to deliver resilience and growth in an evolving market landscape.
Equilibrium is an independent discretionary fund manager that partners with financial advisers to help them enable their advice outcomes. Equilibrium brings balance to an advice practice by delivering services and investment solutions to help clients achieve their defined investment goals. For more information, visit our website here.
Equilibrium Investment Management (Pty) Ltd (Equilibrium) (Reg. No. 2007/018275/07) is an authorised financial services provider (FSP32726) and part of Momentum Group Limited, rated B-BBEE level 1.
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