Meet the team

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 Economist at the Confederation of British Industry (‘CBI’). She provides business leaders with advice on the UK economic outlook and global risks, helping to develop the economic policy response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Rain has expertise in sustainability, governance on reducing carbon emissions and in developing environmental, social and governance (‘ESG’) reporting. Rain was previously 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.

Joined the Board on 1 August 2013 and is a member of the Nomination Committee. Francesca brings special expertise in omnichannel consumer marketing, branding and commercial strategies and provides guidance for the effective promotion of FCIT’s investment proposition and access to its shares. Francesca previously held the role of Global Business Development Director at Cheapflights Media and held senior executive roles with STA travel, the Thomas Cook Group and Thorn EMI plc. Francesca is currently a non-executive director of the Association of Investment Companies (“AIC”), Marshall Motors Holding plc and Air France.

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.

Appointed to the Board on 10 March 2020 and is a member of the Audit Committee. Quintin brings investment banking and investment management knowledge and expertise to the Board from a 30 year career working at a senior level for a number of leading companies. From 2005 to 2015 he was at BlackRock where he was Global Head of Alpha Strategies and a member of the Global Executive Committee. Quintin is a non-executive director of Liontrust Asset Management plc. He is also a non-executive director of Aperture Investors, a New York based fund manager.

Appointed to the Board on 1 January 2021 and is a member of the Nomination Committee. Tom has extensive investment knowledge, expertise and experience in global equity markets. He is Chief Investment Officer of the Church Commissioners for England which is responsible for managing the endowment portfolio of the Church of England. He began his career at Royal Sun Alliance Investment Management and later joined Schroders holding a variety of different roles ultimately becoming Head of Investment – Multi- Manager. He then joined RMB Asset Management where he was Chief Investment Officer until his appointment at the Church Commissioners for England in October 2009. Tom is a non-executive director of Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity and chairs its Investment Committee.

Julie is the Chief Financial Officer and a Board member of the Port of London where, as well as finance, she is responsible for risk, procurement, legal and information technology. She is also a pension trustee of a defined benefit scheme, working with investment advisors, the scheme actuary and pensions advisory committee. Julie is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants. She sits on the Industrial Development Advisory Board and previously chaired the audit committee of Leeds & York NHS Foundation Trust, prior to which she held various senior positions at BT plc.