Company: Liontrust Asset Management PLC
Personal AUM: Team AUM: £4bn
Company AUM: AUMA at 10 January 2026 was £21.7bn
Career history
James Klempster, CFA started his career in 2004 working in Cambridge for NW Brown, where he learnt a huge amount about stock analysis - especially small caps.
He worked closely with their wealth managers and, from the outset, gained an appreciation for the importance of service of investors.
James moved to Avebury Asset Management in 2005 where he worked on institutional bond funds, including both long-only and hedge fund strategies.
In 2007, he moved to Momentum GIM (then RMBAM) and held a variety of positions culminating in running the global investment team, sales, marketing and operations.
In 2021, he joined John Husselbee as deputy head of the Liontrust Multi-Asset team.
Key areas of focus
I believe deeply in the role that actively different investment management plays not only in delivering outcomes for clients, but in serving society more broadly.
While markets, tools and roles continue to evolve, I remain convinced that the core principles of investment management — discipline, rigour, accountability and long-term thinking — are as relevant today as they have ever been.
A central part of my role is providing leadership that ensures investment decisions are robustly challenged, clearly owned and focused on delivering the right outcomes over time.
I place particular emphasis on transparency and communication, continually looking for better ways to bring the team's work to life for advisers and, crucially, for the people whose money is ultimately being invested.
I believe that clear communication and access do more than inform: they shape behaviour, build trust and support better long-term decision-making.
I also bring a forward-looking perspective to my work, recognising the need for active managers to adapt while maintaining the discipline required to navigate uncertainty.
Beyond my day-to-day responsibilities, I am committed to strengthening the profession through my involvement with the IA Sectors Committee, mentoring those earlier in their careers, and championing more open and inclusive pathways into investment management.
Having entered the industry via a non-traditional route myself, I am a strong advocate for genuinely democratic opportunities.
