Baring Emerging Europe Share Discussion Threads

[cautiousone] 19/1/2002 11:39

I need to open some business premises in Yorkshire and have been offered a very competitive rate on a few sites in Beeston, Leeds LS11. However I've been advised that the rates are competitive because the area has problems. Is anyone au fait with this area? Is it high crime, off the beaten track, run down or whatever? Any tiny snippets of information gratefully received.

[jez123] 14/12/2001 14:29

oh bolox..im selling then

[brnf] 12/2/2001 16:47

The announcement today that BEE is sticking with BAM as asset manager is extremely disappointing to private investors. Very few private investors want Eastern Europe as an asset class at all - let alone over and above general emerging markets. We were there only because of the investment skills of Rory Landman and Martin Taylor. That's why the trust was launched in the first place, that's why people have supported it and that's why the performance has been so good. Klaus Bockstellar may be good but then may not be. I find it amazing that the Board has gone with the unproven when it could have followed the proven. They claim that they could not squeeze better terms out of Thames River (who now employ Landman and Taylor) and so instead have negotiated a new fee with BAM. They are clearly so pleased with their efforts that they have not bothered to tell shareholders what that new fee is and their expertise is so great that they have had to go to outside advisers on what the benchmark should be.

When will investment trust boards learn that quality is more important than cost? When a trust has the undisputed best managers in a region, it should not mind paying up. As a shareholder, I would MUCH RATHER pay a premium rate for the best manager than a (still) high rate for an unproven manager. This is especially the case in under-researched regions where top managers can consistently add real and significant value. You only have to look at BEE's record against its index and its IT, AUT and offshore peers to see how much value good managers add.

This is a huge disappointment and the only real hope now is for unitisation. Come on Colin McLean, please do it!! That is the ideal solution. Those who wish to stick with Mr Bockstalar can do so, BAM gets to keep some of the money (they're not the villains of the piece), the board can stop inflicting their questionable judgment on shareholders and shareholders can benefit from an immediate substantial uplift (nearly 20%) on their investment.