Alistair Thompson successfully led the Asia Pacific equities mandate for St. James’s Place for seven years. Today, that connection continues: having seen our approach to wealth management up close and personal, Alistair and his wife, Rosie, entrust SJP with their own as well as his children’s personal financial plans. 

Alistair

Meet Alistair Thompson

Alistair Thompson has long served as the portfolio manager for St. James’s Place’s Asia Pacific Fund, bringing deep expertise in managing money across the region. As a member of the FSSA team overseeing the APAC equities mandate for SJP, his market insight has been instrumental to the firm’s success in Asia over the past decade. Through his close interactions with SJP, Alistair gained a deep appreciation for our approach to wealth management – so much so that, despite being a seasoned fund manager himself, he entrusted us with his own financial planning.

Details matter in building trust

Alistair and Rosie

In 2015, Alistair and his investment firm, FSSA, were introduced to SJP for the first time. The two parties had an instant connection, and FSSA came on board as one of SJP’s equity managers.

“I got to know James Courtman [now Head of Equities], and his team went over details I had never come across in my career,” Alistair says.

After coming on board as one of SJP’s investment experts, Alistair and his wife, Rosie, were introduced to David Gardner. Gardner remains his personal financial adviser and close friend to this day.

“I didn’t know much about the services SJP offered, but David came in and we chatted about the service offering for SJP clients. That was another major factor in my decision to have them manage part of my portfolio.”

"I knew first hand how thorough SJP was. That ultimately led to me becoming a client.”

Alistair Thompson
Alistair at desk

Managing wealth beyond investments

While Alistair’s investment expertise and financial knowledge saw him carve out a highly successful career, he felt he needed some assistance with his broader financial plans, particularly managing assets across different jurisdictions, navigating multiple tax regimes, and inheritance planning. SJP proved to be a perfect fit.

“Fund managers tend not to be good managers of their own money,” he jokes. “Most investment managers specialise in one area, and I only really knew about APAC equity investments, and not so much about bonds and other asset classes.

"It was quite neat to hand over a portion of my assets to SJP for peace of mind.”

Alistair Thompson
Alistair Rosie with dog

Life after retirement

SJP was able to help Alistair simplify his UK workplace pensions, guide his tax planning between Singapore and the UK, and prepare his inheritance plans.

Working with an adviser has reaped benefits for Alistair since he retired in 2022, allowing him to fulfil his ambitions after leaving the workforce with solid plans in place. He is enjoying family life, managing his personal investments and working for the global financial literacy initiative, Money Awareness and Inclusion Awards. With his financial future firmly set, he is enjoying freedom in retirement — and passing on knowledge to the next generation.

“I want to be in Singapore for the foreseeable future,” he says. “My eldest daughter works here, and my middle daughter may move back here in a few years. My son is at uni and wants to achieve great things. They are all very sensible with their money — and they are all SJP clients.”

This is just one client’s story and each situation is unique. The advice given to Alistair was provided after a full evaluation of specific needs, circumstances and requirements, and was correct at the time it was given. The solutions provided may not be suitable for everyone, and the information provided here does not constitute advice.

The value of an investment with St. James’s Place will be directly linked to the performance of the funds selected and may fall as well as rise. You may get back less than the amount invested.

The levels and bases of taxation and reliefs from taxation can change at any time. The value of any tax relief depends on individual circumstances. You are advised to seek independent tax advice from suitably qualified professionals before making any decision as to the tax implications of any investment.