Somerset Capital's Johnson: Why we are focused on keeping the partnership alive

Firm favours specialist boutique niche

Dominic Johnson, CEO of Somerset Capital Management and chairman of New City Initiative, talks about "the absence of pain" in emerging markets currently, aligning clients' interests with those of managers, and why a "golden age" is coming for fund providers.

Setting up an asset management firm is a daunting task itself, while choosing to specialise in emerging markets raises the risk bar even higher. But taking a single-minded approach focused on this sector is exactly what the team behind boutique firm Somerset Capital Management chose to do nine years ago. The company was set up by chief executive Dominic Johnson, Jacob Rees-Mogg, and fund manager Edward Robertson, all of whom had previously worked together at Lloyd George Management (now known as LGM Investments). They wanted to use their core emerging markets experience to create a ni...