John Poulter, CFA

Portfolio Manager, Cumberland Investment Counsel Inc., affiliate of NCM Asset Management Ltd.

My role

Lead manager of the Kipling Global Enhanced Growth Fund. As a Portfolio Manager, I believe part of my role is to be a mentor and guide to those around me.

What I enjoy about work

Interacting daily with smart, energetic professionals is very rewarding. Problem solving and contributing as one of the senior members of the team is fulfilling and it creates a sense of accomplishment. Producing best-in-class funds and investment solutions for our clients is a rewarding challenge.

How I got here

I knew early on that I was interested in the investment industry. I passed the Canadian Securities Course in 1982 while I was still at school at the University of British Columbia. I obtained my CFA designation in 1991.

Financial Econometrics was a new field in the investment world when I graduated, and it provided me a unique way to build my career around risk management, portfolio construction, and asset allocation. I continue to build on that education and apply these skills today.

What I do outside of work

I enjoy many activities with my teenaged sons and hobbies of my own. With my boys, the focus is sports where we enjoy skiing, motocross motorcycling and battling it out on a squash court. I like to stay fit through a dedicated gym routine. My main personal hobbies include collecting, tinkering, and riding antique motorbikes, many of which are over 60 years old.

Favourite advice

In the investment world, cycles repeat themselves. “It's different this time” is a very dangerous statement.