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 is the founder and CEO of Milltrust International Group, Chairman of Milltrust Agricultural Investments, Chairman of British Innovation Fund and Executive Committee Member of Kickstart Initiative launched by National University’s Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine.
Milltrust International Group is a leading UK and Singapore-based investment group focused on sustainable investing. The group manages a range of sustainable investment solutions focused on Global Emerging Markets, Agriculture Farmland, Science, Technology & Innovation, Climate Change, and other Sustainable impact investments.
Milltrust oversees investments across 32 developing public equity markets, sustainably manages over 10,000 ha of agricultural land, and Milltrust’s clients have invested in a number of groundbreaking plant-based protein and clean energy technologies, including the decarbonisation of the maritime shipping sector. Milltrust has also been instrumental in drafting the animal welfare section for the OECD Farmland Investment guideline and was an active participant in the ISU, an initiative of the HRH Prince of Wales.
Simon has been a senior figure in the international investment management industry for more than three decades. He has been an early advocate of hedge fund investing for institutional investors, and has been a prolific capital raiser for single manager funds, funds of funds and listed closed-end funds.
Passionate about the emerging markets, Simon has launched numerous closed-end fund structures, and more recently a number of QIAF funds in Ireland and SPCs in the Cayman Islands. One of his greatest recent achievements is the launch of the first UK-wide university venturing initiative, the British Innovation Fund, starting with a landmark investment into Roslin Technologies, the UK’s largest-ever agri-science start-up, in partnership with the University of Edinburgh.
In 1996, Simon founded Fortune Group, a multi-asset class advisory firm raising over 10bn USD of assets under management. The firm was sold to publicly-listed Close Bros Group Plc. in 2006 where he served as global head of the institutional asset management business, before founding Milltrust International Group.
In 2017, Simon completed the FT Non-Executive Director Post-graduate Diploma in Hong Kong
In addition to the group companies, he serves as an investment advisor to the British Innovation Fund, a U.K. University Venture Fund. He also serves as 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.
Simon is also Chairman of Ag Merchant Bank, Agpeer and an advisor to CerraCap Ventures, based in CA. He was formerly advisor to the board of Southern Pastures, and in recent years has been instrumental in funding several significant ag companies including Waitonui, NZ’s 2nd largest producer of milk solids. Previously he served as a director of Novare for more than a decade, building shopping malls across the African continent, and CITIC Securities Investment Partners’ One Belt One Road Fund, an affiliate of China’s largest investment bank.
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.
Simon is a regular commentator on fund industry topics in the financial media including Bloomberg and CNBC and he has addressed numerous conferences, the OECD and the London School of Economics.
Simon graduated with honours from the University of Bristol’s Faculty of Law.
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.
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.
