Neil Woodford, 56, graduated from Exeter University in 1981. He also studied at London Business School. In 1988, after working for various City employers, he became a fund manager for Invesco Perpetual, running several of its funds. In 2014 he left to set up his own company, Woodford Investment Management.
What was his strategy?
He also believes in holding a concentrated portfolio of carefully selected, high-conviction stocks, rather than spreading wealth thinly over hundreds of stocks. His portfolios also have lower turnover than most comparable funds.
Did it work?
Despite an erratic performance after the financial crisis, his funds held a total of £33bn in assets by the time he left Invesco Perpetual. Over the last two years, his CF Woodford Equity Income Fund has done well, returning just under 20%, compared with an average of 9.7% for similar funds.
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What was his best trade?
What lessons does he have for investors?
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Neil Woodford continues to cast a shadow over his successor at InvescoFeatures Mark Barnett, former star manager Neil Woodford’s successor at Invesco, has applied the same formula, and is struggling.
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Neil Woodford: no silver lining for his investorsEditor's letter Neil Woodford made every mistake it is possible to make as a money manager. And his investors have been stiffed. But however wrong it all went, Woodford never stopped taking the fees.
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Woodford’s empire collapses – what happens to his investors now?Features With Neil Woodford getting his marching orders and his funds being shut down, John Stepek explains what it means for his former empire, and for those with money locked in.
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The fall of the house of Woodford – and what it means for your moneyFeatures Neil Woodford has been fired from his Equity Income fund, which is now being wound up. John Stepek looks at how he got into this mess, and what it means for investors.
