Artemis Co-Founder John Dodd to Retire After 27 Years at the Firm
3 SEPT, 2024
John Dodd, co-founder and executive chair of Artemis, has announced his retirement at the end of 2024. After nearly four decades in the investment industry and 27 years leading Artemis, Dodd’s departure marks the end of an era for the £25.8bn asset manager.
The End of an Era for Artemis
Dodd, who founded Artemis in 1997 alongside Mark Tyndall, Derek Stuart, and Lindsay Whitelaw, has been instrumental in shaping the firm’s growth and success. Before launching Artemis, Dodd made his mark at Ivory & Sime, where he spent a decade managing UK smaller companies funds. His expertise helped establish Artemis as a key player in the asset management industry.
Over the years, Dodd took on various roles, including managing the Artemis UK Smaller Companies Fund and co-managing the £140m Artemis Alpha Trust (ATS). His retirement comes as ATS is being proposed to be merge with the £216m Aurora Investment Trust, a move announced on 2 September.
Reflecting on Dodd's career, Artemis senior partner Mark Murray praised his contributions, stating,
John played a huge part in the growth and success of the firm over the past 27 years. His leadership has been vital in shaping Artemis into the independent firm it is today.
Mark Murray, Senior Partner at Artemis
Legacy and Transition
Dodd’s departure will see his responsibilities distributed among Artemis’s senior management team, which includes partner Philip Wolstencroft. Despite persistent sale rumours earlier this year, Artemis has denied any such plans, with Chief Investment Officer Paras Anand reaffirming the firm’s independence and commitment to growth.
Artemis is majority-owned by US-based Affiliated Managers Group, with equity also held by current and former employees, including Dodd himself. The firm’s assets under management total £25.8bn as of mid-2024, and Dodd’s influence remains embedded in its corporate culture.
John’s personality is in the DNA of the organisation. His entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to delivering strong investment performance will continue to shape the firm.
Toby Gibb, head of investment solutions at Artemis
With Dodd’s retirement, Artemis Alpha Trust’s move to Phoenix Asset Management will also mark the firm’s exit from the investment trust space. However, Artemis remains well-positioned to thrive, with Murray affirming that the firm is “in a great position to continue to deliver excellent investment performance and service for our clients.”
