BLSEM Co-Portfolio Manager takes the lead

Sam Shepherd has been appointed as the sole portfolio manager of the Bennelong Long Short Equity Fund and the Bennelong Market Neutral Fund, following the announced retirement of the funds' founder, executive director Richard Fish, effective 1 July 2017.

Shepherd has 24 years' Australian equities experience. He joined Bennelong Long Short Equity Management (BLSEM) in May 2012 and has worked alongside Fish as co-portfolio manager for the last five years. Prior to joining BLSEM, he was head of the Melbourne institutional equities desk for Credit Suisse and was a sales trader and research salesman for JP Morgan.

In a statement, BLSEM said that "there will be no change in approach to the day-to-day management of the portfolio following Richard's departure. Portfolio management is clearly defined and is managed in a highly disciplined way. Decision making is team based, and that has been the case for a number of years."

Commenting on his new role, Shepherd said: "We have planned for this change and anticipate that the team and well-established processes will ensure a smooth transition. We are as confident as ever about the fund's ongoing prospects."