Simon Hopkins is a professional fund manager whose clients include public funds and some of the world’s leading families. He has been a pioneering investment manager, a champion of investors rights, as well as a serial entrepreneur, building innovative businesses driven by his personal convictions and a better deal for stakeholders. His interests include university venturing, sustainable agriculture, and visiting and contributing to the progress of the many countries in which he invests. A committed climate change warrior, Simon and his colleagues at Milltrust recently launched a fund to invest in Asian companies which are at the forefront of combatting climate change. The fund has committed to distribute up to 40 percent of the fee income it generates to the world’s leading ecology charity, WWF, to protect wildlife and their habitats.
“Simon Hopkins is a renaissance man. He is an industry pioneer, a global connector, and a valued mentor. He has a keen interest in life sciences and up to date on the latest discoveries and trends. His network spans three continents. The world needs more people like him.” Dr Raja Kamal, Senior Director of NUS Medicine International Council, Former Director of International Development, Harvard University
“I have worked with Simon for more than a decade. I often joked that Simon is a walking Rolodex. His global connectivity is mind-boggling.” Jack Schwager, best selling author of Market Wizards
“Simon’s profound interest in finding solutions to global challenges is indisputable. His indefatigable nature means he never takes no for an answer.” Professor Roger Foo, Professor – Department of Medicine, Senior Consultant, Division of Cardiology, National University Heart Centre, National University Hospital, Assistant Dean, Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine
“I’ve known and collaborated with Simon over the past 8 years, and in that time I’ve never failed to be impressed with the expertise and depth of experience he’s been able to bring to the wide variety of investment opportunities with which he’s involved. His standing and reputation in the investment community are a testament to his personal and professional integrity.” Danny Howell, Former Head of Wealth Management for Asia at Willis Towers Watson
Within this site, you will find information about Simon’s career, past and present.
Simon Hopkins, serves as CEO of Milltrust International Group in Singapore, Chairman of Milltrust Agricultural investments Ltd, and CEO of Milltrust Ventures Pte Ltd (Singapore).
He is a successful entrepreneur and investment professional and has been a senior figure in the international investment management industry for more than two decades.
Mr. Hopkins started his career at British bank S.G. Warburg, subsequently holding senior roles at HSBC James Capel and Nomura International. In 1996 Mr. Hopkins created Global Fund Analysis, one of the industry’s first dedicated research and investment consulting businesses with over 27,000 registered users at its peak.
Concurrently, Mr. Hopkins played a pioneering role in seeding many European hedge funds through the Fortune Group, an award-winning alternatives investment advisory, and fund of hedge funds business. Fortune Group went on to become one of the UK’s pre-eminent multi-asset advisory firms managing over 7bn USD, with clients in 24 countries and a focus on pension funds, charities and endowments, as well as a number of the world’s leading families. The firm was successfully sold to Close Brothers Group PLC in 2006, culminating in its full integration in January 2010.
In 2011, Mr. Hopkins founded impact-focused Milltrust International in Singapore dedicated to the mantra of “Sustainable Prosperity”, and operating an award-winning, FCA authorised, investment platform focusing on three key secular themes: the development of Emerging Markets, with long term ESG focused investments across 32 developing countries, Agricultural Investments, and Science & Technological innovation.
More recently, he launched the Singapore-based Venture Fund Management Company, Milltrust Ventures, a Milltrust affiliate regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.
In the UK, Milltrust serves as manager of the Irish-regulated Collective Asset Vehicle (ICAV), Milltrust International Managed Investments offering a range of world-class investment solutions including over 20,000 ha of diversified farmland investments in Australia and New Zealand. In 2015, Milltrust launched the British Innovation Fund (BIF), partnering with the leading Universities and Centres of Innovation in the UK and around the world.
Today, Mr Hopkins focus is on world beating Agri science, innovation in health and wellness, and high impact climate focused investing. In Singapore, Milltrust affiliates have already made an investment into Green Feed Company, Protenga Pte Ltd, along with Enterprise Singapore’s SEEDS Fund, and also backed My Doc, the largest telehealth business in the region. In 2020, he and his team at Milltrust launched the award-winning Climate Impact Asia Fund, a unique initiative in partnership with WWF, Hong Kong to back companies dedicated to decarbonisation in Asia.
Additionally, Mr. Hopkins serves as advisor to the board and was formerly investment manager at CerraCap Ventures, an early stage technology investor with offices in Singapore. He is a director of Swallowcourt Limited, a UK healthcare business, Xoomtrip Pte Ltd, a GCC-focused online travel agent, incorporated in Singapore, and Roslin Technologies. Mr Hopkins was also a founding director of Novare Fund Manager, one of the largest African asset management firms, and CITIC Securities One Belt One Road Fund (CSOBOR).
He currently serves as a member of NUS Medicine International Council, Singapore where he sits on the Kickstart investment committee, helping to mentor breakthrough science.
He graduated with honours from the University of Bristol’s Faculty of Law in 1986 and speaks fluent French. In 2017, Mr Hopkins completed the FT Non-Executive Director Diploma in Singapore.
He resides permanently in Singapore with his wife, but travels extensively.
Simon is a regular commentator on fund industry topics in the financial media including Bloomberg and CNBC. He has addressed numerous conferences, the OECD and the London School of Economics.
Simon started his career with SG Warburg & Co in 1986, joining UBS in 1988 as a European equity specialist. From 1990 to 1996, he spent over six years as a French equity market specialist in Paris, first with HSBC James Capel, then Nomura France, where as director of French equities, he built a highly-rated equity sales and research business.
SG Warburg & Co., United Kingdom, Graduate Trainee, Equity Sales (1986-1988)
UBS, United Kingdom, European Equity Specialist (1988-1990)
HSBC James Capel, France, French Equity Market Specialist (1990-1994)
Nomura, France, Director, French Equities (1994-1996)
In 1996 Simon created Global Fund Analysis (GFA), one of the industry’s first dedicated research and investment consulting businesses providing truly independent and objective analysis for investors. At its peak, GFA had over 27,000 registered users around the globe.
Simon played a pioneering role in seeding many of the incipient European hedge funds through the Fortune Group, an award-winning alternatives investment advisory, and fund of hedge funds business which he ran concurrently with GFA, raising over 10bn USD of capital.
Fortune Group went on to become one of the UK’s pre-eminent hedge fund advisory firms, with a focus on pension funds, charities and endowments, as well as a number of the world’s leading families.
The firm was successfully sold to UK-listed, financial services group, Close Brothers Group in 2006, culminating in its full integration in January 2010.
As of the date of the transaction, Close oversaw in excess of $41 billion largely through its trust and asset management activities.
As an independent firm, Fortune managed the award-winning Fortune family of funds, and numerous customised mandates, overseeing US$7 billion for a wide range of institutional clients including insurance companies, private banks, family offices and endowments.
The firm also seeded over 20 single strategy funds during the course of a decade through its unique emerging manager program.
Simon was profiled in a significant interview with FTfm in December 2008.
Many of Fortune Group’s award-winning funds achieved impressive results. Fortune Liquid Trading Portfolio achieved an annual compound return of 11.66% during 2004 -2009, compared to MSCI World P L’s 1.12% annual compound return during the same period.
Fortune’s USD denominated MAP strategy had a 10-year track record (1999-2009), with a realised annual compound return of 6.44%, compared to HFRI Fund of Funds Index’s 5.10% and MSCI World Index return of -0.51% over the same period.
When market conditions were not favourable, Fortune provided strong downside protection. In 2007-2009, when the HFRI Fund of Funds Index and MSCI World P&L registered negative annual return of -1.35% and -10.22% respectively, Fortune Multi Strategy Portfolio recorded a positive 2.98% annual return.
In 2011, Simon moved to Singapore to establish Milltrust International Group (Milltrust), a specialist investment organisation focused on delivering sustainable prosperity to its institutional investors.
Milltrust currently offers a unique range of innovative investment solutions investing and has investments across 32 developing public equity markets, farmland investments with over 10,000 hectares of diversified land under cultivation in Australia and New Zealand, and investments in over 82 cutting-edge technology companies around the world operating in the realms of med-tech, life sciences, nanotech, artificial intelligence, deep learning, cyber-security, and alternative energy, the British Innovation Fund and other partnerships.
Milltrust is regulated and co-headquartered in the asset management hubs of London and Singapore, and counts an experienced team of institutional investment managers with close to two decades of experience managing institutional assets.
Milltrust has 21 institutional clients and including sovereign funds and corporate and local authority pension funds.
In 2015, Simon launched EICM, a dedicated private wealth initiative in Singapore serving his own family and that of other Singapore-based and global entrepreneurs.
EICM leverages the international reach of Simon and his team to deliver a unique multi-family wealth management service.
In 2017, Simon completed the FT Non-Executive Director Post-graduate Diploma in Hong Kong.
Today, Simon serves as a director of Swallowcourt, a healthcare business, Xoomtrip, a GCC-based online travel agent, and Roslin Technologies (University of Edinburgh). He serves as a member of NUS Medicine International Council (NIC) and chairs Singapore-based investment firm, Milltrust Ventures.
He sits on the Board of Directors of the Milltrust International Managed Investments ICAV which comprises the British Innovation Fund, the Milltrust Global Emerging Markets Fund, the MAI Buy & Lease Australia & New Zealand Funds, and the Climate Impact Asia Fund, an equity impact fund launched in collaboration with WWF Hong Kong, which backs companies that provide a positive impact with respect to the global threat of climate change and our environmental footprint.
He is also Chairman of Agpeer and an advisor to CerraCap.
On 13 April 2020, Simon was also appointed as one of three members on the Executive Committee of the Kickstart Initiative launched by National University of Singapore’s Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine for his expertise on commercialising medical innovation and breakthroughs in the MedTech and HealthTech space.
He was until recently a director of CITIC Securities’ One Belt One Road Fund (CSOBOR) and of Novare Fund Manager, an Africa- focused fund manager.
Simon’s varied personal interests include current affairs and international cultures. He has travelled extensively to countries in Europe, Asia, the Americas, and Africa.
He also has an interest in human rights and civil liberties, and a general aversion to violent conflict. Mr Hopkins supports a number of charitable entities including Coram, the Ghurkha Welfare Trust, WWF, Smile Train, Kiva and Friends of the Earth.
In 2009, Simon helped organise the first inter-faith conference on investing for the Three Faiths Forum.
Other interests include sport, theatre, and music.
Until 2019, he was the manager of the Asian Film Fund, advised by Singapore-based movie production company, M! Capital Pte Ltd, which produced over 11 Asian language films, two of which are showcased below.
Simon graduated with honours from the University of Bristol’s Faculty of Law in 1986 and speaks fluent French with some knowledge of Spanish, German, Korean.
Simon is married to Korean born Joann Eun Young Jhin, with whom he has three children. Joann is a graduate of Georgetown University (School of Foreign Service). Since 2010 they have made their home in Singapore.
