We’re the smart place to start
Founded in 1868 to bring the benefits of creative and responsible investing to a wider audience, we’re the oldest investment trust in the world. Our approach hasn’t changed since day one: to provide a reliable foundation that aims to deliver steady, long-term capital growth and a healthy dividend income.
- Our diverse portfolio spreads risk.
- Our straightforward approach makes investment easy.
- Our performance speaks for itself – 52 years of continuously increasing dividends.


A balanced, proven strategy
Our investment approach is steady and designed for the long-term. Our focus is on strong companies – including household names like Unilever and GlaxoSmithKline – and powerful newcomers – like Amazon and Tesla. We also tap into the growth prospects of emerging markets, including China and Latin America. We don’t restrict our investments to publicly listed equities. We also consider well managed, high-performing private equity funds.
Our aims
Launched in 1868, we are the world’s oldest collective investment scheme – and have since grown to become one of the largest. Our aim is to generate long-term growth and income by investing primarily in an international portfolio of listed equities. We are highly diversified and cautiously managed. Investing with us gives you exposure to over 400 individual companies worldwide.

Unrestricted vision
Unrestricted vision
Consistently resilient
Consistently resilient
Well-balanced
Well-balanced
Far-sighted
Far-sighted
Investment Risks
The value of your investments and any income from them can go down as well as up and you may not get back the original amount invested. Changes in rates of exchange may also reduce the value of your investment. Gearing is used for investment purposes to obtain, increase or reduce exposure to an asset, index or investment. The use of gearing can enhance returns to investors in a rising market, but if the market falls the losses may be greater.
Our Board
Our strategies and decisions are guided by an independent, non-executive Board of experienced financial experts.
Appointed to the Board on 1 September 2017 and as Chairman of the Board and the Management Engagement Committee on 1 January 2020. She was appointed Chairman of the Nomination Committee on 1 September. Beatrice brings to the Board investment knowledge and expertise in regard to both equities and global fixed income. She also brings leadership skills from her time as a Managing Director of Credit Suisse Asset Management, LLC where she spent 16 years in global fixed income. Beatrice is a member of the Board of Brown Advisory in the United States and chairs its international advisory board. She also holds a non-executive directorship at Telecom Plus PLC.

Ms Newton-Smith is Chief Executive of the Confederation of British Industry (‘CBI’). She was previously its Chief Economist, providing business leaders with advice on the UK economic outlook and global risks. Rain has expertise in sustainability, governance on reducing carbon emissions and in developing environmental, social and governance (‘ESG’) reporting. Rain was formerly Head of Emerging Markets at Oxford Economics, where she was the lead expert on China. Prior to that, Rain worked as a research advisor to Monetary Policy Committee at the Bank of England including a secondment to the IMF. She is also a Director of Eynsham Partnership Academy, where she is a trustee for six primary schools and two secondary schools and is chair of the finance committee. In 2012, Rain was nominated a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum and in 2020 she was asked to join their Global Future Council on Monetary and Fiscal Policy to help shape the global economic recovery plan.

Appointed to the Board on 25 July 2016 and is a member of the Audit Committee. Edward brings a combination of investment, operational and general management experience worldwide, with expertise in the digital transformation of large-scale organisations, Portfolio Management, Risk, Strategy and Technology. He is Chairman of the Board Risk and Compliance Committee of the £10.6bn Mattioli Woods PLC, where he also serves as a non-executive director. Edward was previously a member of the Board and Investment Committee for the investment portfolio of Trinity College, Cambridge, a Chief Operating Officer and Global Head of Business Management within the Technology function at HSBC, and prior to that he was a Chief Operating Officer at Barclays Bank. Until 2012 he was at McKinsey & Company, providing board and advisory services to clients worldwide, focusing on asset management, banking, strategy, risk management and technology. Edward is a Member of the Board of Trustees of Asia House, a centre of expertise on trade, investment and public policy, and is also a non-executive director of Redwood Bank.

Appointed to the Board on 1 February 2022. Steve brings the highest level of investment skills and knowledge to the Board. He is Investment Director and a member of the multi asset investment committee at Ruffer LLP, where he helps direct its investment strategy. He joined Ruffer in 2003 and has managed their flagship pooled funds and developed their institutional pension fund offering into one of the largest multi asset/absolute return fund managers in the UK. Steve previously managed segregated pension funds at Sun Life of Canada and advised pension fund managers as a strategist at HSBC.

OUR MANAGER, Columbia Threadneedle offer a range of cost-effective Savings Plans
Starting from £25 per month or a lump sum of £100, with the flexibility to start and stop contributions whenever you want.
There are no dealing charges on investments made online or through a monthly direct debit.
There are a number of ways to invest with us, through a financial adviser or a wide range of companies.
Insights and updates

Market snapshot October 2023

Market snapshot September 2023

Market snapshot August 2023
AIC Dividend Hero
Awarded to investment companies with increased annual dividend growth for at least 20 consecutive years. (We’ve been achieving that for over 50 years.)
RSMR Investment Trust
We’re rigorously rated and independently researched by RSMR. So your financial advisers can easily find the important information they need.