Wednesday 30 January 2019

Is there any Aviva Investors news?

That's what I'm wondering this morning, dear reader(s). I can't even remember the last time I wrote about Aviva Investors. 'Before Christmas, boss.' Really? 'Yes. I believe you wrote your normal story about their, uh ... Christmas party.' Ha! Well, it's my "normal" story, Voice, because they always have a month-long party. And I find it fascinating. Their clients never complain. 'Well, Schroders handles all their funds, man.' Yes. [Those mugs!] And maybe the clients have accepted the fact that Aviva Investors is ... [drum roll] ... a refuge from the modern world.

Anyway, I've got a bit of news. I mean, I've just found some. 'Yippee! Tell us!' Aviva Investors is launching two new funds in the next quarter. One will be a global unconstrained fund, and the other will be a global emerging market unconstrained fund. 'Nice.' Yes. Oh, and they've got a new chief investment officer, David Cumming. 'Great!' Well, I say new, he's been with the firm for a year, but I didn't know. No one tells me anything.

A bit about our David -

Uh ... David Cumming has a degree in Economics and Accounting from the University of Edinburgh. He started his working life at Royal London Mutual in 1983 ... as a UK investment analyst, apparently. He moved to Edinburgh Fund Managers in 1985. He was a UK unit trust fund manager there, for his sins, and after that he was a director at Morgan Grenfell Asset Management. Later on, David went to work for Standard Life Investments as head of UK equities. He left there in 2017. Then I guess he rocked up at Aviva Investors in January 2018. So ...

That's it, really. I'm sure he's a great guy and everything, and I'm sure there's other news, but ... 'Other news? Does it even matter, boss? We all know the truth about Aviva Investors.' Ha! Well, we kooks, man. We know. But the general public don't know. 'I suppose not.' Listen, they say that you can fool all the people half the time, but most of the time they won't know anything, anyway, and a bit of the time they might have a clue, but don't count on it, and a lot of the time ... people don't care, so ... you dig? 'Yes. That's how I look at it.' You're a very sensible voice, Voice.

...

We, I mean you ... shouldn't get upset, dear reader(s). If you don't live and let live, you will drive yourself insane. Seriously. It's not worth the hassle. Stop thinking about Aviva Investors. Stop thinking about all these firms - even if you work for one of them. Look at your own situation. Your personal situation. Are you happy?

If you're not happy, I ... / Maybe you need a hobby. And I don't mean golf. Forget golf!

If you suffer from anxiety, go for a long walk. I walked to Richmond and back last Saturday. ['I saw you, Mikey.' Shut up, Voice!] Eight miles. Try it!