Kerr Neilson

Kerr Neilson founded Platinum Asset Management in Sydney in 1994 after leaving BT Funds Management. Platinum became Australia's most successful active fund manager, generating long-term returns significantly above MSCI World benchmarks through an international value approach focused on unloved stocks in out-of-favor markets and sectors. Neilson developed expertise in Asian markets, including early and substantial positions in Asian equities when they were deeply out of favor with Western investors. The Platinum International Fund became one of Australia's largest active equity funds. Neilson stepped back from the CEO role in 2018 but remained an investment executive. His track record over 25+ years made Platinum one of Australia's most respected investment institutions. His willingness to invest heavily in markets and sectors that other global investors were actively avoiding — a genuine contrarian discipline maintained over multiple cycles — produced the long-term outperformance that gave Platinum its unique standing in Australian institutional asset management.