Peter Steele

STAFF MEMBER PROFILE

When did your interest in financial markets start? My interests in markets goes way back to the mid 1970’s. I guess the beauty of this is that I’ve seen my fair share of cycles. The 1970’s was a tough time for investors.

When did your interest in financial markets start?

My interests in markets goes way back to the mid 1970’s. I guess the beauty of this is that I’ve seen my fair share of cycles. The 1970’s was a tough time for investors.

What did you study and why?

Due to my interests in people and financial markets I studied Personnel Management and completed a Henley Sales Management Diploma. I have also completed the courses at the Academy of Financial Markets.

What do you think equips you to do this job properly?

I feel that three factors play a significant role in the success of a business development manager. Firstly, long-standing relationships built over time in an industry that is overtraded, short of time and consequently, reluctant to engage new faces. I am fortunate enough to know many advisors, having been in the business since 1977. Being an ‘old-timer’ has meant that advisors are more willing to see me.

Secondly, the right attitude. Business development involves a deep respect for advisors and the knowledge that they are professionals that want to spend most of their time servicing their clients and less time engaging asset management firms. So I strive to find the happy balance of informing advisors of our market views, which I believe will play a positive role in correctly positioning their clients, whilst appreciating and respecting their time constraints.

Lastly, third party marketing requires of you to have a good understanding of why financial advisors support asset managers. My belief and experience is that advisors seek managers with deep research processes that over time will deliver results, they demand fairly priced products that are not overly complex and expect the manager to offer administrative and service support. Northstar Asset Management covers these basics.

What do you love about investing?

If undertaken correctly, the results play a meaningful role in securing the financial futures of our clients. Diversification, sound asset allocation, logical stock selection and critically, time in the markets will always deliver good results. Patience pays off!

What do you find the most challenging part of your role?

That emotion plays such a significant role in markets and emotions are the enemy of sound investment decisions. A typical piece of dysfunctional investor thinking is that large managers are safer and outperform smaller managers. The emotional angle to this is that investors feel safer in numbers, so they crowd around larger managers. The evidence on the other hand clearly dispels the belief that big is better and in fact, large managers struggle to outperform over time. It is a challenge preaching the gospel of logic in an environment ripe with emotion!

Why do you think clients will do well under you and your research team?

Because we care. Because our research is exceptional. Because we work tirelessly to generate results and place our clients first!