Rathbone Global Opportunities

Introduction to the fund

James, with the support of assistant fund manager Sammy Dow, looks for innovative growth companies of all shapes and sizes: these should be differentiated, scalable and have sustainable growth, while shaking up their industries. There are no restraints on geography or sector, but James tends to have a bias towards mid-sized companies in developed markets, which he describes as his sweet spot. He usually avoids companies in emerging markets, only investing in them if he has extremely strong conviction. The fund is a concentrated portfolio of 40 to 60 holdings and has a defensive bucket of holdings that are less economically sensitive, with slower and steadier growth prospects, for risk management purposes. We have supported this fund for many years and James has always delivered good long-term performance.

Fund manager

James Thomson, Sammy Dow

James Thomson joined Rathbone in 2000. In 2003, he became co-manager of the Rathbone Global Opportunities fund and in July 2005 he became the sole manager. James grew up in Bermuda, before attending Cornell University in the USA. He joined Rathbones straight after graduating and was later appointed as a Board Director of Rathbone Unit Trust Managers in 2006.

James is supported by deputy manager Sammy Dow, who joined the fund in July 2014.

Opinion on fund

This fund is a truly active, unconstrained growth fund run by an experienced manager. James’ high conviction contrarian strategy has proven itself over many years. He is not afraid to admit his weaknesses or past errors, a refreshingly honest approach, which allows him to concentrate on his core strengths – including stock picking.

Fund performance

Documents

Key facts

  • Fund size

    £3,800.2m

  • Chelsea rating

    Buy

  • Core Selection

    Yes

  • Chelsea Risk Rating

    6.5

  • AMC

    0.75%

  • OCF

    0.76%

  • Unit Type

    Acc

  • Yield

    0.23%

  • FundCalibre rating

    Elite Rated

How to invest

Once you know where you want to invest, there are a number of ways you can invest:

  • Log in here and process your instruction
  • Call us on 020 7384 7300 to buy over the phone or request an application form
  • Download an application form and post it to us, along with a cheque
Find out more
Information icon

Important information

Source: Performance data sourced from FE Analytics (IA universe). Yield figures (per annum), Fund Size data and AMCs/OCFs are as at 23/01/2026 unless otherwise stated.

The performance graph, factsheets and Key Investor Information Document is provided by FEfundinfo, and updated on a daily basis.

Some funds listed are off shore-domiciled and subject to different regulations. Off shore funds typically do not offer investor compensation under the UK Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).

Performance history extended by FE fundinfo to illustrate the fund’s longer-term record.

Sector rankings calculated from multiple underlying sectors; certain funds remain unranked due to limited comparability.

Funds assigned to an alternative IA sector; sector rankings may differ accordingly.

The information provided is based on our proprietary qualitative and quantitative research. Whilst reasonable efforts have been taken to ensure accuracy, Chelsea Financial Services cannot guarantee that the information is free from errors, omissions, or inaccuracies.

This information does not constitute investment advice and should not be interpreted as a recommendation to invest in any fund listed. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future returns.

Please read the full Important Notice on page 2 of the FundReview 2025 carefully before making investment decisions.

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this information, Chelsea Financial Services takes no responsibility for any errors, omissions or inaccuracies contained therein. The funds within the Chelsea Selection are based on our proprietary research, which is both qualitative and quantitative. Please note this is not investment advice, nor does it imply that you should invest in this fund. Past performance is a not a guide to future returns.

To find out more about our Chelsea Risk Rating, please visit our dedicated page.

The AMC (annual management charge) is paid to the fund management company for managing the fund. It is calculated as a percentage of the value of the fund. The AMC is less than the Ongoing Charges Figure (OCF).

The OCF (ongoing charges figure): The cost includes the AMC and other fees such as registration, regulatory, audit and legal fees but does not include transaction costs and performance fees.