Fund Manager Selection Committee

Dr Weiss has extensive global experience across a range of industries, both at executive and board levels.

Dr Weiss is Executive Director of Ariadne Australia Ltd, a diversified investment company with investments in a variety of sectors. He is the Chairman of Ardent Leisure Limited, Cromwell Property Group and Estia Health Limited. He is a Non-Executive Director of Hearts & Minds Investments Limited, Thorney Opportunities Limited, the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute and The Centre for Independent Studies.

Dr Weiss was Chairman of Ridley Corporation Limited from June 2010 until August 2020, Clearview Wealth Limited from July 2013 until May 2016 and of Coats plc from 2003 until April 2012 and executive director of Guinness Peat Group plc from 1990 to April 2011.  He has also held directorships of numerous companies, including The Straits Trading Co Ltd in Singapore, Premier Investments Limited, Tag Pacific Limited, Westfield Group, Tower Australia Ltd, Australian Wealth Management Limited, Tyndall Australia Ltd (Deputy Chairman), Joe White Maltings Ltd (Chairman), CIC Ltd, Whitlam Turnbull & Co Ltd and Industrial Equity Ltd. Dr Weiss was also a director of Brisbane Broncos Ltd (formerly Pacific Sports Entertainment Ltd), an ASX-listed company which owns the Brisbane Broncos.

Dr Weiss is also a Commissioner of the Australian Rugby League Commission

In 2019, Dr Weiss was awarded the Member (AM) in the General Division of the Order of Australia for significant service to business, and to the community.

Dr Weiss holds an LLB (Hons) and LLM from Victoria University of Wellington and a Doctor of the Science of Law (JSD) from Cornell University. He was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of New Zealand, a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Victoria and as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales.

David Wright is a Managing Partner and joint founder of Zenith Investment Partners (Zenith).

David established Zenith in October 2002 and has extensive investment industry experience. David’s role includes overall responsibility of the business and remains closely involved in servicing the Firm’s investment consulting clients with portfolio construction, management and monitoring advice.

Prior to establishing Zenith, David held senior positions within the financial services industry including IWL Ltd (Head of Research), an ASX listed company in which he was also a significant equity holder. David was instrumental in building and further developing IWL's managed investment research methodology and process and expanding the group's distribution of research to financial advisers. Other roles included Associate Director and Head of Managed Funds research at Lonsdale Limited and an analyst with the Advisor Group, a national financial planning group.

David has extensive experience researching, assessing and rating many forms of managed investments including, unlisted managed funds, listed managed investments including LIC’s, ETF’s, ETMF’s and property syndicates.

David is also a former practitioner lecturer of the Securities Institute of Australia (now FINSIA).

Charlie is a former Managing Director of BlackRock, one of the world’s leading fund managers.  He was head of the Fundamental Active Equities team in Australia. He has been a fund manager for 30 years with his career also spanning Schroders in London, Platinum Asset Management and Perpetual Investments where he was Deputy Head of Equities.

Michael Walsh is a founding member of the organising committee for the Sohn Hearts & Minds Investment Leaders Conference and has been critical in the success of the event. Michael Walsh is currently a Senior Advisor, UBS Global Markets and Head of Global Family Offices, UBS ANZ.

Brief history at UBS -

2020: Member of the UBS Sustainable taskforce and UBS social impact committee.

2019: Founder of the UBS future of Australia series. This is a forum for world’s leading though leaders and speakers. Topics are focused on future insights and industries UBS has been the leading investment bank in ANZ for the last 25 years, my role is to ensure we maintain the thought leadership.

2016: Co-founder and arranger of the Annual UBS Australasia Conference. This is now the leading Investment bank conference in ANZ.

2015: A member of the foundation and organising committee that established the Sohn Hearts & Minds Conference – the most successful investment conference in Australasia dedicated to supporting medical research.

2005: UBS – set up the global equity business in Sydney providing research, sales and advisory to domestic clients in global equities.

2003: UBS - foundered the Family Office Business which eventually formed the UBS Global Family Office Business in Australia & NZ. This business continues today and involves advising clients on public markets and private markets opportunities in venture capital and private equity.

2001: UBS Warburg, Sydney Co-Founded UBS successful Prime Brokerage business in ANZ. The group was at forefront of the emerging Hedge fund /alternative asset management industry.

2000: UBS Warburg – assisted to run desk Hong Kong.

1997 – 2000: SBC -Warburg, Sydney Established successful middle markets business which catered for the emerging boutique fund management industry. The group seeded / supported some of the most successful fund managers in ANZ.

1994 – 1996: SBC - Warburg Global Markets Institutional Account Management Equity Capital Markets, Sydney. Joint founder of stockbroker’s foundation (raised $29m so far).

1989 – 1993: SG Warburg (Potter Warburg Division), London & New York Global Markets Equities Sales / Global Account Management Desk Head, London, UK.

1987: Potter Partners, Melbourne Global Markets, Equities Sales Institutional account management.