Comgest Growth Europe ex UK GBP U Acc

Lead fund manager biography

Franz Weis joined Comgest in 2005 and is a Portfolio Manager specialising in European equities. In addition to being the Group’s Chief Investment Officer (CIO), he is Managing Director of Comgest Global Investors as well as a member of the Group’s Board of Partners and Executive Committee. Franz leads the firm's European research efforts and co-leads the management of the majority of Comgest’s European equity strategies. In his role as CIO, Franz oversees the firm’s investment teams and chairs the Investment Committee, which is responsible for applying Comgest’s philosophy on successful long-term investing. He started his career in 1990 at Baillie Gifford & Co. where he worked as a Portfolio Manager before joining F&C Asset Management as a Senior Portfolio Manager and Director of European Equities in 1996. Franz graduated from Heriot-Watt University (Scotland) with a Master’s degree in International Banking and Financial Studies and received the International Bankers in Scotland Prize in 1990.

Lead fund manager biography

James Hanford joined Comgest in 2018 and is an Analyst and Portfolio Manager specialising in European equities. James contributes widely to the investment team’s research coverage for a diverse selection of pan-European quality growth stocks. He started his career in 2011 as an Analyst at Credit Suisse and prior to joining Comgest spent four years as a global generalist at Capital Group. He obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Durham where he graduated top of his class and holds a Master’s degree in Finance from the University of Cambridge. He is also a CFA® charterholder.