In this post-meeting discussion, George Ladds is joined by David Ridland, Partner at Castlebay Investments, to reflect on their recent conversation with fund manager Michael Crawford.

George and David unpack some of the key themes from the meeting, including the difference between true long-term sustainability and fashionable ESG labels, and why cultural integrity, capital discipline, and alignment with company management matter more than buzzwords. They explore the idea of company life cycles — growth, maturity, and decline — and how this framework helps investors judge quality, value, and future return potential more clearly.

The discussion also touches on the tensions within global equity income investing, challenging the assumption that every holding must generate income today, and explaining why a blend of growth, compounding businesses, and higher-yielding mature companies can lead to more resilient long-term outcomes.

A thoughtful and practical follow-up conversation that highlights the importance of frameworks, patience, and clear thinking in an increasingly noisy investment world.

In this episode of Castlebay Conversations, George Ladds is joined by Michael Crawford, Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer at Chawton Global Investors, for a thoughtful discussion on long-term global equity income investing.

Michael shares the personal journey that shaped his investment philosophy, from early influences and professional training to the thinkers and frameworks that underpin his approach today. The conversation explores Chawton Global Investors’ Global Equity Income Fund and its focus on quality businesses, capital discipline, and patience in an increasingly noisy, short-term market environment.

Key themes include the importance of return on capital, company life cycles, alignment with management teams, and how sustainable income can be built through a blend of dividends and intelligent capital allocation. George and Michael also reflect on behavioural traps investors face, lessons learned over decades of investing, and why resisting short-term pressures is essential to long-term success.

A calm, insightful episode for listeners interested in quality investing, compounding, and building income that lasts.

In this post-meeting discussion, George Ladds is joined by David Ridland, Partner at Castlebay Investments, to reflect on their earlier conversation with Chris Bowie of TwentyFour Asset Management.

Together they unpack the key themes in plain English — from how bond prices and yields move like a seesaw, to why duration, liquidity and income matter far more than headline returns. The discussion explores common misconceptions around bond risk, the importance of understanding what sits inside a “corporate bond fund”, and why disciplined research and consistency of approach are crucial for investors.

A thoughtful, behind-the-scenes conversation that helps bridge the gap between theory and real-world portfolio construction.

In this episode of Castlebay Conversations, host George Ladds is joined by Chris Bowie, Partner and Co-Head of Investment Grade at TwentyFour Asset Management.

Together they explore how disciplined credit investing works in practice — from scepticism and risk-adjusted returns to income generation, duration, liquidity and the role of corporate bonds in diversified portfolios. Chris shares insights from decades in fixed income, explaining how high-quality credit can offer reliable income without taking unnecessary risk, and why patience, teamwork and downside awareness matter just as much as yield.

A clear, practical conversation for anyone looking to better understand bonds beyond the headlines.

In this post–fund manager meeting discussion, George Ladds is joined by David Ridland, Partner at Castlebay Investments, to reflect on their recent conversation with Havelock.

Rather than revisiting performance or short-term market views, the discussion focuses on how good investment decisions are really made. George and David explore the balance between conviction and humility, the role of human bias in periods of market stress, and what it means to build portfolios that are resilient across a wide range of outcomes.

They reflect on concentration versus diversification, the practical meaning of value, and why understanding businesses matters more than relying on headline metrics or popular narratives. A key theme is the growing use of data and technology in investing — and why, even in an age of AI, human judgment, common sense, and independent thinking remain essential.

This episode offers a behind-the-scenes insight into how Castlebay assesses fund managers and investment ideas — thoughtfully, patiently, and always with long-term client outcomes in mind.

A conversation rooted in the Castlebay Way: calm, considered, and focused on the journey rather than the noise.

In this episode of Castlebay Conversations, George Ladds speaks with Matthew Beddall, Chief Executive Officer of Havelock London.

The discussion explores Havelock’s evidence-based approach to global investing, combining quantitative research with human judgment. Matthew shares his journey from systematic investing to building a long-term, conviction-led strategy focused on quality businesses, valuation discipline, and resilience through market cycles.

They cover how value and quality intersect, why short-term performance can be misleading, the role of concentration and diversification, and how investors can manage behavioural bias in volatile markets. The conversation also looks at the limits of data and AI, and why common sense, patience, and historical perspective remain essential to good investment decisions.

A thoughtful discussion for investors and professionals who value long-term thinking over short-term noise.