Geoff Wilson

Leading Sydney based fund manager, Wilson Asset Management, is backing founder-led companies with the launch of their latest fund, the Wilson Asset Management Founders Fund.

Wilson Asset Management, which invests more than $5.9bn on behalf of over 130,000 retail and wholesale investors, launched the Founders Fund this week, funded by founder-led executives, CEOs, the firm’s staff and key high-net-worth backers who are aligned with the investment strategy. The investment portfolio will be managed by seasoned Portfolio Managers Tobias Yao and Oscar Oberg.

The launch of the Founders Fund reflects Wilson Asset Management Founder and Chairman Geoff Wilson AO’s long-held belief that investing in founder-led companies delivers outperformance over the medium to long term.

Geoff Wilson AO notes the appeal of investing alongside founders. “After over 40 years in financial markets there is one universal truth I have found: all the great businesses of the world are founder-led.”

Portfolio Manager Tobias Yao said: “Founder-led companies have generated significant returns across our Funds since 2018. These are businesses where the founders have a strong stake, driving an almost obsessive commitment to success.

“After taking a deeper dive into what is driving this performance, it became clear that unique attributes that founders bring to the table play a pivotal role – a compelling vision, long-term investment, and close engagement with shareholders,” said Mr Yao.

The anticipated interest rate cuts in 2025 could provide a welcome tailwind for the IPO market. Founder-led IPOs have historically outperformed their non-founder-led counterparts and the team will be actively assessing every potential investment, with a strong focus on identifying undervalued companies with a catalyst to outperform.

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