Rathbone Global Opportunities Class S - Accumulation (GBP)

James Thomson typically seeks companies that offer superior sales and profits growth, compared with their competitors. This has benefited the fund's performance over the long term, though this type of growth stock won't always be in favour and past performance isn't a guide to future returns.

The fund went through a tough patch during the 2008 financial crisis when it held too many companies that are more sensitive to the health of the economy. Thomson learnt from this and now he doesn't only invest in companies whose fortunes are tied solely to how the economy's doing. We think the fund will reward long-term investors, though it's a more adventurous option in the Global sector.

James Thomson is one of only a few global fund managers to show they can pick great companies and perform better than the broad global stock market over the long term. We think he has the potential to repeat this success in future, although there are no guarantees. His success can be put down to a straightforward, disciplined approach, and a willingness to view the world a little differently. He looks for easy-to-understand businesses that can grow to dominate their industry and defend themselves from competition. He'll also search off the beaten track to find companies with superb potential that might be overlooked by other investors.

James Thomson mainly focuses on innovative companies with high-growth potential that tend to do better when markets are rising. But he also invests in some companies that could grow their earnings at a steadier rate, which could hold up better when markets wobble, and avoids those that are overly complicated. He likes companies where a positive catalyst, such as a change in management, will eventually get noticed by other investors and boost their share prices.

Thomson thinks exceptional companies are few and far between, so he only invests in a small selection. This gives each the potential to contribute significantly to performance, but it does increase risk, as does the flexibility to invest in smaller companies and emerging markets. At the moment he mainly invests in developed markets, such as the US, UK and Europe.