Talking with … Aviva Investors' David Cumming

Square Mile’s series of informal interviews

clock • 7 min read

Aviva Investors chief investment officer David Cumming talks active management and activist investing, information advantages and playing the piano, with Richard Romer-Lee

How did you get into the industry? Markets have power - more than people imagine. So when I left university, having read economics, I joined Royal London. I was more interested in macroeconomics than companies at the time, as well as economic strategy in less developed countries. That was in 1983 and I placed my first trade within three weeks of joining. That wouldn't happen nowadays. I ran my own fund - a UK income fund - at Edinburgh Fund Managers a couple of years later. What makes a good equity fund manager? Being emotionally dispassionate and being aware of, but not involved wit...

To continue reading this article...

Join Professional Adviser for free

  • Unlimited access to real-time news, industry insights and market intelligence
  • Stay ahead of the curve with spotlights on emerging trends and technologies
  • Receive breaking news stories straight to your inbox in the daily newsletters
  • Make smart business decisions with the latest developments in regulation, investing retirement and protection
  • Members-only access to the editor’s weekly Friday commentary
  • Be the first to hear about our events and awards programmes

Join

 

Already a Professional Adviser member?

Login

More on People

People Moves: Vanguard promotes Rachel Baxter to head of investment management in Europe

People Moves: Vanguard promotes Rachel Baxter to head of investment management in Europe

Based in London

Professional Adviser
clock 13 July 2026 • 1 min read
Advisers face CII sanctions over conduct failures and ethics breaches

Advisers face CII sanctions over conduct failures and ethics breaches

Members face disciplinaries over abusive emails and racist social media posts

Isabel Baxter
clock 09 July 2026 • 5 min read
EV promotes Chet Velani to CEO

EV promotes Chet Velani to CEO

Been with the business for more than 18 years

Jenna Brown
clock 09 July 2026 • 2 min read