James Mawhinney, founded Mayfair 101, a privately backed investment group in 2009, has recently diversified his funds into the ‘real’ space, focusing on Queensland tourism and related property ventures.
The Group has invested heavily into development sites and residential properties at nearby Mission Beach. Mayfair 101 has about 250 properties under contract with more than 100 already settled there.
Mawhinney has been looking to diversify not only the firm’s investment strategy base, which started in the technology and fixed income areas, but also the investor base to include high-net-worth individuals, other family offices and small institutions.
He describes the investment firm as a “cross between the Virgin Group and Berkshire Hathaway in its philosophy”. This means it aims to be both opportunistic and tactical as well as strategic in terms of its direction, and with a tendency towards control over the underlying investments.
Mayfair 101 has bought all the freehold land on Dunk and leased the famous ‘Spit’ for 30 years. The rest of the island is national parkland. “We bought at the bottom of the market and aim to capitalise on that while making the island a fabulous tourist destination again,” he says.
In terms of its new investment funds, such in the technology and fixed income markets, Mayfair 101 tends to co-invest and absorb the first loss, if necessary, on its balance sheet. “We are still involved in the technology area which we know well,” Mawhinney says. “But more recently have invested in emerging markets too, such as India, which are an important part of having a diversified portfolio.”
The firm offers investors a wealth management platform with administration for SMSFs, high-net-worths and smaller institutions. According to Mayfair 101’s consultant, Patrick Liddy from MSI Group, the platform will be using a major third-party custodian and able to invest and settle in more than 100 markets.
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