Manager merry-go-round: Are active funds still worth the effort?

Are active funds still worth the effort?

Simon Brazier, Andrew Cole and of course, Neil Woodford, have all left their firms in the last 18 months, causing a headache for fund buyers, but does it build the case for buying passives?

This week saw yet another star manager move that got fund buyers talking, as Julie Dean announced her resignation from Schroders after just a year at the group. With Simon Brazier leaving Threadneedle the week before, and a raft of other prominent fund managers having departed over the past 18 months - including Neil Woodford - investors are rightly questioning the validity of their fund choices. The latest departure caused rating reviews and suspensions: Whitechurch Securities chose to sell Dean’s UK Opportunities fund immediately following the announcement and Chelsea Financial Serv...