OUR INVESTMENT TEAM

Connor Middleton joined Comgest in 2023 and is a Paris-based Analyst and Portfolio Manager specialising in European equities.

Prior to joining Comgest, Connor worked as a Global Research Analyst at Newton Investment Management for two years, focusing primarily on the technology, media, and telecom sectors. He started his career as an Analyst at J.P. Morgan in 2018.

Connor holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics (Honours) from the University of Warwick (UK), which included study abroad at Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (France).

Alexandre Narboni joined Comgest in 2009 and is a Paris-based Analyst and Portfolio Manager specialising in Global equities. He is also a member of the Comgest Group's Investment Committee.

Alexandre previously worked in the Group’s US equity team. Prior to joining Comgest, he worked in New York in asset-backed securities at Société Générale from 2005-2007, and later as a Hedge Fund Credit Analyst at HSBC.

Alexandre holds a Master’s degree in Financial Mathematics from the National School of Statistics and Economic Administration (ENSAE; France) and Columbia University in New York (US).

Nick Payne joined Comgest in 2025 and is a Paris-based Analyst and Portfolio Manager specialising in Global Emerging Market equities.

Prior to joining Comgest, Nick was Head of Global Emerging Market equities at Jupiter Asset Management in London for seven years. He previously worked at Nomura Asset Management and was a Partner at Rexiter Capital Management, a specialist emerging markets boutique, from 1999 to 2012. His career in emerging markets began at Kleinwort Benson Investment Management in 1996.

Nick holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Commerce and German from the University of Birmingham (UK) and is an Associate of the Society of Investment Professionals (ASIP), the UK’s forerunner to the CFA, now affiliated with CFA UK, the local chapter of the CFA Institute.

Daihao Peng joined Comgest in 2024 and is a Paris-based Analyst specialising in US equities.

Prior to joining Comgest, Daihao worked as an Equity Analyst at Tikehau Capital in Paris, covering European and US stocks across sectors.

Daihao holds a Master’s degree in Management from ESSEC Business School (France). He is a CFA^® charterholder and holds a CFA Institute Certificate in ESG Investing.

Heyang Ping joined Comgest in 2022 and is a Tokyo-based Analyst specialising in Japanese equities.

Prior to joining Comgest, Heyang worked at Sparx Asset Management as a Japanese Equity Analyst supporting its Sustainable Investment Strategy. She was previously a Japanese Equity Analyst at Macquarie Group, mainly covering the Transportation Sector, and started her career in 2011 at J.P. Morgan in Tokyo in Japanese Equity Research Sales.

Heyang holds a Master’s degree in Technology Management for Innovation from the University of Tokyo and a Bachelor’s degree in Management from Yokohama National University, both in Japan.

Mark Schumann joined Comgest in 2025 and is a Paris-based Analyst and Portfolio Manager specialising in European equities.

Prior to joining Comgest, Mark worked at DWS from 2006, where he was Head of Investment Strategy for European Large Cap Equities in Frankfurt. He previously served as Director and Senior Portfolio Manager for European Blend and Growth Equity Funds in DWS’s New York office, having earlier managed institutional and mutual fund mandates focused on European and International (EAFE) equities. Mark began his career in 2003 as an Investment Banking Analyst in M&A and Corporate Finance at Deutsche Bank in Frankfurt.

Mark holds a Master’s degree in Finance and Capital Markets from the University of St. Gallen (Switzerland) and studied abroad at the Copenhagen Business School (Denmark). He is a CFA^® charterholder and an EFFAS Certified ESG Analyst (CESGA).

Zak Smerczak joined Comgest in 2016 and is a Paris-based Analyst and Portfolio Manager specialising in Global equities. He is also a member of the Comgest Group's Investment Committee.

Prior to joining Comgest, Zak worked at Polar Capital from 2015 as an Analyst / Portfolio Manager for the firm’s global multi-asset income strategy. Before that, he was an Analyst at Mirabaud Asset Management from 2011, covering Global equities. He began his career in 2006 at Deloitte in London, initially in Assurance & Advisory Services before moving to Transaction Services, where he was responsible for operational and financial due diligence.

Zak holds a Bachelor of Business Science Degree in Finance (Honours) from the University of Cape Town (South Africa). He is a CFA^® charterholder and has been a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland since 2009.

Liudmila Strakodonskaya joined Comgest in 2024 and is a Paris-based ESG Analyst responsible for coverage of US equities.

Prior to joining Comgest, Liudmila worked as an ESG Analyst at AXA IM in Paris, where she developed thematic research, analysis and shareholder engagement on ESG topics with a focus on biodiversity and gender diversity. She represented AXA IM at the Finance for Biodiversity Foundation (FfBF) and co-chaired the FfBF’s Impact Assessment Working Group to help build and share knowledge on biodiversity metrics among investors. She was also involved in the creation of the Nature Action 100 initiative as a member of the launching investor group. Liudmila previously worked at Eleva Capital in Paris from 2019 as an ESG/SRI Analyst, contributing to the development and implementation of the company’s ESG strategy, and began her career in 2016 at EthiFinance in Paris as a Sustainable Investment Analyst specialising in ESG research and reporting.

Liudmila holds a PhD in Economics, with expertise in sustainable finance, from Paris II Panthéon-Assas University (France), for which she received a grant from FIR-UN PRI in 2016.

Justin Streeter joined Comgest in 2015 and is a Paris-based Analyst and Portfolio Manager specialising in US equities.

Prior to joining Comgest, Justin worked at J.P. Morgan in San Francisco as an M&A Healthcare Analyst from 2013 and previously in London in a similar role for the firm. He began his career at Macquarie Capital Partners (London) and at Société Générale (Paris).

Justin holds a Master’s degree in Management and Corporate Finance from Emlyon Business School (France). He is a CFA^® charterholder.

Slabbert van Zyl joined Comgest in 2014 and is a Paris-based Analyst and Portfolio Manager specialising in Global Emerging Markets equities.

Prior to joining Comgest, Slabbert qualified as a chartered accountant with PricewaterhouseCoopers and gained six years’ experience as a South African Investment Analyst in Cape Town.

Slabbert holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the University of Pretoria and a post-graduate qualification in Accounting from the University of Johannesburg, both in South Africa. He is a CFA^® charterholder.