Company: Progeny Asset Management
Personal AUM: £1.75bn
Company AUM: Progeny Asset Management (PAM) - £4bn
Career history
Mark joined PAM in August 2024 to manage the active portfolios. Previously, he worked at Aberdeen Asset Management where he was chairman of the Asset Allocation Committee for the MyFolio suite of fund of funds as well as portfolio manager on the Income & Sustainable ranges.
He started his career at Bestinvest, now part of Evelyn Partners, where he managed risk-targeted portfolios, MPS and supported wealth managers.
Mark is a member of the CISI (L7) and a CFA & CAIA Charterholder.
Key areas of focus
Our focus over the last 12 months has been enunciating to financial planners how active investment solutions can support their clients' financial planning goals. The proposition is based around the additional diversification benefit inherent in our alternatives allocation, which also enables us to produce portfolios with a higher expected return.
The industry has evolved significantly over recent years, and we need to evidence the value-for-money potential of active, otherwise cost becomes the primary driver of decision making. This inevitably leads to portfolios across our industry which are increasingly homogenised, as evidenced by the dispersion of return outcomes in mixed-asset sectors. In turn, this may lead to challenging financial planning outcomes during the next period of significant risk aversion.
Another area of focus this year has been balancing the needs of the business and portfolios, alongside those of our people. Whilst the pace of change in 2025 has been a challenge, we have managed workflow with clear goals & timescales and provided colleagues with space to manage their own diaries, including the expectation that colleagues will take time away from their desks. Having time to refresh, recharge and think leads to better and more sustainable results.
