George Brits

George earned a PhD in physics from the University of Johannesburg in 1987 and worked as a scientist for ten years. After completing an MBA at the University of Cape Town, he transitioned from the scientific field to the financial industry when he joined Investec Asset Management in 1995. During his time at Investec, he was instrumental in formalising investment processes and launching specialised investment boutiques. When Investec acquired Guinness Flight Asset Management in 1999, he relocated to London and assumed the role of Chief Investment Officer, tasked with rebuilding the investment team from the ground up.

In 2006, George assumed the position of CEO at Stanlib Asset Management, becoming the overall head of Stanlib in the following year. He faced various challenges, including streamlining operations, improving investment processes, increasing profitability, and boosting employee morale. He also placed a strong emphasis on promoting employment equity, particularly in senior and middle management positions. However, the global financial crisis of 2008 had a severe impact on investment performance, leading George to leave Stanlib at the end of 2009 due to the fallout from the crisis at the Liberty group level.

In 2011, George returned to a primary investment role by joining Macquarie Securities as the head of research just after the team had lost eight of their top ten analysts. He took on the challenge of rebuilding the team, successfully regaining the number 2 position in the Financial Mail survey by 2015. However, the business faced significant fee compression, posing challenges to its viability. George left Macquarie Securities during a round of retrenchments just before Macquarie's decision to close all its security businesses outside of Australia.

George now runs his own consulting practice that helps fund selectors and financial advisors navigate the complexities of the investment landscape and make better fund selection decisions.