Investment team

Based in London, our four-strong team hails from a diverse range of backgrounds, including roles with high-profile European institutions, and central banks.

Our Asian fixed income team contributes views on both Asian markets and specific bond selections. Macroeconomic research from our Australian team of economists also feeds through to the London team, as part of our culture of shared information and insights.

Helene Williamson - Head of Emerging Markets Debt

 
 Helene Williamson Helene Williamson is Head of Emerging Markets Debt at First State Investments, where she is responsible for the company’s full suite of emerging markets debt portfolios. Helene’s extensive experience includes 16 years as Head of Emerging Markets Debt with F&C Asset Management. In this position, she managed F&C’s Emerging Markets Debt SICAV, which received a 5-star rating from Morningstar. Helene holds an MBA in Finance from the Wharton Graduate School and is fluent in French, German and Spanish.

Jan-Markus May - Senior Portfolio Manager

 
Jan-Markus May   Jan-Markus joined First State Investments’ Emerging Markets Debt team as a Senior Portfolio Manager in September 2011. He is responsible for research across Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, sub-Saharan Africa, and some Latin American countries. Jan-Markus previously worked at UNIQA Financial Services for nine years, managing an emerging markets debt portfolio. He attended Johann Wolfgang-Goethe University in Frankfurt where he was awarded a Diplom-Kaufmann in Finance and Monetary Economics.

Manuel Canas - Senior Portfolio Manager

 
  Manuel Canas Manuel Cañas is a Senior Portfolio Manager in First State Investments’ Emerging Markets Debt team, where he is responsible for researching the Latin American region. Before joining the company in November 2011, Manuel spent four years with ING Investment as Senior Investment Manager of Emerging Markets Debt funds and four years with the Central Bank of Argentina. He has a total of 15 years’ experience in emerging markets. A CFA charterholder, Manuel holds a Licentiate in Economics from the University of San Andrés. A native Spanish speaker, Manuel is also fluent in Portuguese.

Philip Fielding - Portfolio Manager

 
 Philip Fielding  Philip Fielding is a Portfolio Manager within First State Investments’ Emerging Markets Debt team, where he has regional responsibility for Central Europe, the Baltics, Turkey and South Africa. Prior to joining First State Investments in October 2011, Philip spent five years in F&C Asset Management’s emerging markets debt team where he had research responsibility for Central Europe and managed segregated funds. A CFA Charterholder, Philip holds the Investment Management Certificate and a Masters in Economics/Business Administration from St Gallen University. A native German speaker, Philip is also fluent in Croatian.