Hannes van den Berg Returns to Fairtree After Nine-Year Break

Asset manager Fairtree has announced the appointment of Hannes van den Berg, a seasoned professional in the investment field, as their new portfolio manager, effective 1 October 2026. This marks Van den Berg’s return to Fairtree for a second stint after accumulating over 22 years of industry experience.

Prior to this, Van den Berg was with Ninety One for more than nine years, where he held the position of co-head of SA Equity & Multi-Asset in the asset manager’s 4Factor team. In this role, he oversaw portfolios including general equity, balanced strategies, and equity hedge funds.

During his previous nine-year tenure at Fairtree, Van den Berg served as a portfolio manager and analyst, where he was instrumental in establishing the equities trading desk. In his new role, he will focus on portfolio management within the firm’s hedge fund capabilities while also contributing to their multi-asset strategies.

Fairtree Group CEO Kobus Nel expressed enthusiasm about Van den Berg’s return, stating that he and the firm “share the same values and approach to investing.”

According to the firm, Van den Berg will be crucial in propelling Fairtree’s long-term strategy forward and enhancing the growth of its hedge fund capabilities along with multi-asset strategies.