Chris Donohoe (CEO, Chairman)

Chris is the founder of Seed Partnerships. Chris has CEO experience in funds management and considerable experience in the initiation, capital raising and management of Listed Investment Companies. Chris was a member of the investment committee of the Future Generation Global Investment Company, after serving as the co-CEO in the company’s inaugural year. Prior to forming Seed Partnerships in May 2015, Chris was the CEO, Board Director and Compliance Committee Member at PM CAPITAL Limited. He was also the CEO and Director of the PM CAPITAL Global Opportuni­ties Fund Limited (listed in December 2013) and PM CAPITAL Asian Opportunities Fund Limited (listed in May 2014). Prior to a 14-year career in funds management, Chris gained several years’ experience trading in the derivatives and bond markets. Chris is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. He holds a Masters of Business in Finance, majoring in Funds Management, from the University of Technology, Sydney.

William Spraggett (Director)

Will is a Partner and Director of Seed Partnerships and was previously Head of Listed Managed Investments (LMI) at Bell Potter Securities. In that role he was responsible for the LMI research function including the author of the highly regarded LIC Weekly and Quarterly, and actively involved in a large number of capital raisings in the Listed Investment Company space. Prior to that appointment Will was an Equities Analyst with Bell Potter Securities and IWL Limited, and an Analyst with Goldman Sachs International. Will Spraggett is a passionate financial services executive with over 20 years’ experience in the industry. Will is a director of ClimateWorks Australia. Will holds a Bachelor of Business, majoring in Economics and Finance, and has passed Level II of the CFA Program.

Fraser McAusland (Partner)

Fraser is a Partner at Seed Partnerships, having joined in 2016, and has over 25 years’ experience in the financial services industry. Prior to joining Seed, Fraser held the position of Head of Investment Sales at BT Financial Group, running the business and team responsible for the listed and unlisted equity structured products issued by Westpac Bank. Fraser formerly held senior positions at domestic and international investment banks including ABN AMRO (Royal Banks of Scotland) and Macquarie Bank, where he was responsible for the distribution of equity derivative solutions to UHNW Individuals, Private Banks, Independent Financial Advisers, and other financial intermediaries. Fraser also acts as Head of Compliance at Seed Partnerships.

Nicholas Morris (Partner)

Nick has over twelve years of experience in capital markets and financial services. Most recently Nick worked in the Corporate Finance team at Ord Minnett where he was responsible for executing wide variety of capital raisings, including public and private transactions across debt, equity and hybrid structures. Prior to joining Ord Minnett, Nick worked in Suncorp Bank’s Treasury team where he spent time in Funding, Sales and Balance Sheet Management teams. Prior to Suncorp, Nick worked as an investment analyst for a boutique private equity firm. 

Adam Curtis (Partner)

Adam has over 20 years’ experience in financial markets. Having graduated with an International Business degree in 1997, Adam joined Bankers Trust working in the funds management and margin lending business. In 2000, Adam moved to London and joined the Bank of New York for the next two years, where he worked on the fixed income desk and serviced a range of institutional clients across mainland Europe. Upon returning to Australia, Adam was hired by a specialised Asset Consultancy based in Sydney, CPG Advisory. He worked there for nearly five years, providing advisory services and consulting on the investment portfolios of some of the firm’s largest wholesale clients across a range of industries. In August 2008, Adam was recruited into Perpetual’s Income and Multi Sector business where as Senior Investment Specialist he covered Perpetual’s capabilities across multi – strategy portfolios, fixed income and alternative investments. In 2016, Adam was appointed as the Head of the Investment Specialists of Perpetual Investments. He has completed the designation of Certified Investment Management Analyst and is currently a member of CIMA Society of Australia.

Nicholas Chaplin (Director & Senior Portfolio Manager)

Nick has worked in the finance industry for over 35 years. Nick has over 25 years’ experience specialising in the structuring and education of financial capital, with a focus on hybrids. Prior to joining the Investment Manager, Nick spent 12 years building and leading NAB’s hybrid and structured capital originations business. Prior to NAB, Nick built the hybrid capital business for Westpac in Sydney including originating several rare foreign issues into Australia. Nick has a long history in managing investments in hybrid capital products. From 2002 until 2004, Nick successfully managed a portfolio of hybrid securities with a volume of over $250 million for CommSec as part of its Equity Capital Markets business. From 2015 until 2022, Nick founded and managed the HIF investment strategy within the Paraclete Funds Management Trust which invested exclusively in prudentially regulated securities. Nick is a graduate of the University of Wollongong and holds Graduate Diploma’s in Applied Finance from both the Securities Institute and the Australian Financial Management Association. He is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has served on numerous not-for-profit Boards of Directors.

John Corr (Chair of Risk & Investment Committee, Portfolio Manager)

John has worked in the finance industry for 40 years. He has experience in banking, broking, proprietary trading and funds management. He maintains an active interest in markets through personal investments and trading strategies, as well as continued engagement with many of the staff he has trained and mentored during his career. John was a founder and Chief Investment Officer of Aurora Funds Management. In this role he was responsible for the oversight of the investment team that managed a variety of funds across domestic and international equities. John was a founder and Chief Investment Officer of Fortitude Capital. The Fortitude Capital Absolute Return Fund was awarded the Australian Hedge Fund of the year in 2008 and in 2009. In 2013 John was recognised by AIMA for his Contribution to the Australian Hedge Fund Industry. Prior to these roles he held various positions at investment banks and broking firms including Head of Equity Proprietary Trading for Citigroup, and a Proprietary Trader at County Natwest. John has a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Wollongong and a Graduate Certificate in Financial Markets from Macquarie University. He was also a Director of Cure Our Kids.

Craig Hughes (non-executive)

Craig is a director of Pharus Advisory Group, with over 20 years experience in business advisory and financial services.  Craig specialises in taxation, accounting and business advisory services across a range of industries including agriculture, wholesale trade and property.

Prior to working at Pharus, Craig was a partner at Moore Stephens Business Advisory and Partner at HLB Mann Judd. He holds a Bachelor of Economics from University of Technology Sydney and a Bachelor of Commerce Accounting from University of Western Sydney. Craig is also the current Chairman of the Harvest Hotels Pub Fund.