Chris Welsh, Managing Partner
Jonathan is responsible for asset allocation and high-level thought leadership around listed and private markets. Extensively networked and with deep investment management experience, he is also directly engaged with many of the Universum client relationships.
Jonathan has accumulated 30 years of experience in financial services, predominantly within the Wealth & Asset Management and Private Equity & Venture Capital sectors. He has built a range of financial services businesses globally, across multiple jurisdictions.
He has chaired Investment Committees that managed multiple asset class investments across the globe. He previously led (as CEO) Close Brothers Asset Management, Principal Capital (AIM-listed), Prescient Wealth Management, and Nedbank Private Bank (Joint CEO).
Jonathan is a Rhodes University Economics graduate.
Bradley is chair of the investment committee and is responsible for coordinating all portfolio management discussion. Highly technical and with extensive analytical experience, he oversees the design of all investment management models and the related data libraries. Additionally, Bradley is the lead portfolio manager of the Universum Multi-Asset and Global Equity portfolios.
Bradley has 20 years’ Investment and Risk Management experience and previously fulfilled the joint roles of Head of Research and Fund Manager (global equity fund) during the nine years he was at Sasfin Wealth. Prior to this, he gained experience in various quantitative, investment and management positions during his five years at Nedbank Capital, two years at Standard Bank Group (SBG) Securities and five years at Momentum.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Witwatersrand and has completed various actuarial exams through IoFA London.
As a Senior Portfolio Manager, Terry is responsible for the development and implementation of appropriate investment strategies for private clients and their families using the Universum range of solutions across public and private markets.
He is an economics and investment graduate who has accumulated over 23 years of experience in financial markets across a variety of roles within the Private client Wealth & Asset management, Banking, Private Equity and Family Office sectors that has allowed him to develop a broad and deep understanding of private client requirements.
Terry remains a keen paddler and runner in his spare time.
Calum has two and a half years experience in financial services. Prior to joining, he was a generalist multi-asset analyst at a boutique fund manager, where he was responsible for equity and credit analysis both on the JSE and globally, as well as helping to manage a flexible unit trust.
He obtained his Honours in Financial Analysis from the University of Stellenbosch and is currently a CFA Level 3 candidate.
Peter is Head of Operations and forms part of our Cape Town-based operations team. Peter is responsible for managing internal processes, including onboarding, client service and trading.
Peter has three years of experience in Financial and Client Services. In Peter’s previous role as an In-House Investment Specialist, he was responsible for the monitoring, reporting and analysing of client portfolios.
He obtained his Honours in Financial Analysis from the University of Stellenbosch and has currently passed CFA Level III.
As a Client Services Specialist, Ciska optimises business success, performance, and development by overseeing all aspects of client administration, service, compliance, and onboarding processes, ensuring efficient business management. She excels at building and maintaining strong client relationships, ensuring customer retention by diligently attending to KYC and KYB requirements and managing client queries and concerns.
Ciska joined the financial investment industry in 2015, acquiring unique skills and capabilities throughout her diverse and rewarding career..
In her spare time, she enjoys spending quality time with her husband and their four-legged child, Axel.
Stephanie is a Partner at Universum. She is responsible for overseeing the Firm’s legal matters, and assists Chris with managing the Firm’s global platform, providing key input around governance, finance matters, and strategic business development.
Prior to joining the Universum team, Stephanie enjoyed a lengthy career at Mishcon de Reya Solicitors in London, where she specialised in all aspects of family law, with a particular emphasis on complex, multi-jurisdictional financial remedy cases for ultra-high net worth individuals. These cases usually involved international trusts and corporate assets, complex remuneration structures and were often heavy with allegations of non-disclosure or dissipation. Stephanie’s work also encompassed the additional issues that a client may face during separation or divorce, such as reputation management, tax, corporate and commercial advice.
Stephanie completed her Law LLB Degree at Exeter University, and her subsequent LPC Diploma at the College of Law in London.
His broad commercial experience, coupled with his versatile skillset and calm demeanour make him a hugely valuable contributor at board level and across the business. Chris serves on the Investment Committee for Universum Global Ventures and he is an impactful mentor for both teams and individuals across the group.
Chris founded and scaled a multinational Technology Advisory & Business Transformation Services organisation, successfully selling to a strategic buyer in 2016. He continued as CEO, achieving further 10x bottom line growth before exiting in 2020. He also served as Executive Chairman of Diagonal Consulting Inc, which he acquired in 2013 and sold 3 years later at 30x ROIC to a PE backed investor following a transformational program that expanded the managed service organization to offer strategic advisory, business transformation and enterprise solutions across United States.
Chris has engaged at C-level of large enterprise in global SAP transformation programs and worked with Private Equity firms APAX, CVC and THL to lead global transformational separation programs for their portfolio companies.
He completed his articles at Deloitte, is a Chartered Accountant and holds degrees in Commerce B.Comm Honours from University of South Africa and a B. Comm (University KZN)
