273: Money Makers Investment Trusts Podcast - with Laura Elkin and Maggie Fanari (03 May 2025)

In this edition of the Money Makers Investment Trusts Podcast, Jonathan Davis, editor of the Investment Trusts Handbook and winner of the 2024 AIC Best Broadcast Journalist Award, is joined by Laura Elkin, lead manager of AEW UK REIT (AEWU), and Maggie Fanari, CEO of RIT Capital (RCP). These discussions were recorded on 01 May 2025 and 27 March 2025 respectively. *** Out now: The 2025 Investment Trusts Handbook *** The Investment Trusts Handbook is an independent educational publication designed to provide investors with a handy annual reference book that summarises all you need to know about investment trusts. Now in its eighth year, the Handbook is a high-quality, full-colour hardback of more than 340 pages, the largest yet, with reviews of the past year, extensive interviews and commentary, plus nearly 80 pages of “how to” information and performance data. Available to order from Harriman House (https://harriman-house.com/ithb2025) or Amazon. There is also a free e-book version you can read on a PC, tablet or smartphone, plus an audiobook version. *** Section Timestamps: 0:00:24 - Introduction - 0:00:41 - Talking to Laura Elkin, AEW UK REIT - 0:01:42 - AEWU’s Q1 2025 results - 0:02:57 - Valuations across the commercial property sector - 0:04:55 - Asset management and adding value - 0:12:32 - Raising more capital and issuing new equity - 0:13:28 - Scope for consolidation in the sector - 0:17:16 - Risks to continued strong performance - 0:20:55 - Dividend policy 0:24:53 - A short break - 0:25:59 - Talking to Maggie Fanari, RIT Capital Partners - 0:26:18 - How Maggie became CEO of RCP - 0:27:49 - Characterising RCP’s performance issues - 0:29:46 - How the brand lost its luster - 0:33:23 - Reasons for the significant discount - 0:35:35 - The cost disclosure issue - 0:38:46 - The driver for reducing private investments - 0:39:30 - How the operating environment might develop - 0:42:22 - Characterising performance - 0:43:11 - The value of the dollar - 0:44:22 - Lessons from managing a Canadian pension fund - 0:47:22 - The buyback programme - 0:49:13 - The RIT Capital offer 0:51:45 - Close If you enjoy the weekly podcast, you may also find value in joining The Money Makers Circle. This is a membership scheme that offers listeners to the podcast an opportunity, in return for a modest monthly or annual subscription, to receive additional premium content, including interviews, performance data, links to third party research, market/portfolio reviews and regular comments from the editor. A subscription costs £12 a month or £120 for one year. This week, as well as the usual features, the Circle features a profile of Law Debenture Corporation (LWDB). Future profiles include European Opportunities (EOT) and J.P.Morgan US Smaller Companies (JUSC). Our new expanded weekly subscriber email includes a comprehensive summary of all the latest news plus the week's biggest share price, NAV and discount movements. Subscribe and you will never miss any important developments from the sector. For more information please visit money-makers.co/membership-join. Membership helps to cover the cost of producing the weekly investment trust podcast, which will continue to be free for the foreseeable future. We are very grateful for your continued support and the enthusiastic response to our more than 270 podcasts since launch. You can find more information, including relevant disclosures, at www.money-makers.co. Please note that this podcast is provided for educational purposes only and nothing you hear should be considered as investment advice. Our podcasts are also available on the Association of Investment Companies website, www.theaic.co.uk. Produced by Ben Gamblin - www.bgprofessional.co.uk