Pound shops and the online food chain: Rowsell's small-cap ideas

In smaller companies investing, there are few managers more high profile or successful than Standard Life Investments' Harry Nimmo.

Over five years to 15 November, the manager of the £1.2bn UK Smaller Companies fund has returned 204.7%, compared to the IMA UK Smaller Companies average of 185.5%, according to Morningstar. However, the fund, which soft-closed in 2011, has seen a downturn in performance in recent years, underperforming the benchmark over one and three years. SLI has expanded its range with a number of funds to capitalise on Nimmo’s popular investment style, including the European Smaller Companies fund and, most recently, the £178m Global Smaller Companies fund, co-managed by Alan Rowsell. Launche...