Current Investments

Below are some of Jim Slater’s main investments including those where he and his family hold a declarable interest in public companies:

Junior Mining Fund – Launched in September 2009,  Junior Mining Fund is managed by Angelos Damaskos of Sector Investment Managers.  Angelos was an investment banker for 14 years before launching Junior Oils Trust (see below) and is also Jim Slater’s son-in-law.  Jim has an investment of 26% in Sector Investment Managers and he and his family have invested approximately £3.5m in Junior Mining.  The fund invests predominantly in smaller mining companies which have the potential of becoming the giants of tomorrow.  The main focus is gold mining shares, with over 70% of the portfolio allocated to this at launch.  The fund can also invest 10% in other precious metals, 10% in base metals, 10% in uranium mining companies and can hold up to 30% in cash.  www.juniormining.co.uk

Junior Oils Trust - Jim Slater wrote the following about Junior Oils in the June 2008 edition of Investors Chronicle: “For investors in oil shares who prefer a spread:  Junior Oils Trust is administered by Capital Financial Managers and managed by my son-in-law, Angelos Damaskos.  I own 24% (now 26%) of the management company and also have a substantial holding in the fund (approximately £1m).  Junior Oils Trust invests in smaller oil companies, concentrating on those with reserves and production operating in relatively safe political territories.  It also favours companies that are unhedged and have strong exploration programmes.  Smaller oil companies are at their most attractive when they find new oil and gas deposits as the effect on their share prices can be disproportionate compared with say, BP, whose shares might only rise a few pence even after a big find.”  www.junioroils.com

Agrifirma Brazil – Jim Slater and Ian Watson founded, and invested substantially in, Agrifirma Brazil in the belief that Brazil is ideally positioned to satisfy the world’s demand for high-quality foodstuffs, given its excellent soil, weather, abundant supply of water and highly-trained and able people.  The next step was to recruit a management team.  Anna Rebollini, Galahad’s excellent Financial Director, was the first to join.  Using a headhunter Ian Watson then found Julio Bestani, the former CFO of Adecoagra, the South American agro-industrial group founded in 2002 with the backing of George Soros.  During his five years as CFO the company grew to become one of th largest food and renewable energy companies in the region.  Julio then recommended the purchase of RARO, one of Brazil’s leading agricultural consultancies founded by Rodrigo Rodriguez, who manages the company and also owns his own farms in three states.  Rodrigo joined the team as COO.  Over $175m has been raised and the Board of Directors strengthened by the appointment of Lord Wolfson of Sunningdale and Peter Stormonth Darling from London and Roberto Rodrigues, the previous Brazilian Minister of Agriculture, and Carlos Ortiz of Rabobank.  In addition an Advisory Board was formed including Jim Rogers and Don Coxe.  The Board decided to concentrate its activities on transformational land in Brazil.  The transformation process involves land clearance, soil preparation, crop planning and expert execution to ensure competitive yields.  The majority of the capital raised has been invested in the acquisition and ongoing development of farmland in Brazil.  Agrifirma has to date acquired 42,000 hectares of land in Western Bahia.  In addition, the company has been granted an option over a further 27,000 hectates.  The following link will direct you to the website of Agrifirma Brazil.

Andor Technology – The following press release is displayed on Andor Technology’s website:  “Jim Slater and family build a 3% shareholding in Andor Technology: Belfast, Northern Ireland, 3rd August 2009 – Andor Technology plc (Andor) confirms that Jim Slater, one of the UK’s top private investors, has recently invested in 3% of the company’s stock.  This is an endorsement of the company’s efforts to develop, manufacture and sell innovative imaging products and systems to the scientific research and OEM markets.  Renowned for his preference for growth shares, Jim Slater said today ‘Andor has a world-leading product, a strong balance sheet and excellent cash-flow.  A high growth rate and recent sales to China are also very encouraging.  It ticks all the boxes for me.’”  www.andor.com

Education Development International -  In an article for Investors Chronicle in March 2009 Jim Slater wrote the following “Education Development is a leading educational quality assurance company, government approved and regulated with UK and international reach and expertise in IT-based delivery and administration.  In the UK, EDI has over 300 accredited vocational qualifications, 279 specialist awards and approved programmes, 1,873 registered centres, 200,000 candidate registrations a year and over 650 school customers for on-line assessments.  In case this is not enough to  impress you, EDI also has a strong and growing position in the larger international market with over 4,500 registered centres across 103 countries and 275,000 candidate regsitrations a year.  Further pleasing facets of EDI are that the company is very cash-generative with a net cash balance.  I find it hard to understand why a company like EDI in a business so well-suited to today’s difficult conditions, growing very fast and generating plenty of cash, should be on such a low prospective multiple.”  Jim Slater and family have an investment of 3.3% in Education Development International.  www.ediplc.com

Norseman Gold -  From proactiveinvestors.co.uk:  ”Norseman Gold plc operates Australia’s longest continuously running gold mining operation, which has produced over 5.5 million ounces of gold over a period of more than 65 years from the Norseman field in Western Australia.  In addition to the two producing high-grade underground gold mines and lower-grade open pit stockpiles, the Company has a portfolio of highly perspective, advanced exploration targets to support continued future production.  The Company has a strong management team with extensive experience in the resource, as well as considerable knowledge in corporate and strategic planning, acquistions and finance.”  Jim Slater and family have an investment of 4.4% in Norseman Gold plc.  www.norsemangoldplc.com 

Spanish Mountain Gold – When Ian Watson joined the board of Spanish Mountain Gold (previously Skygold Ventures) in September 2008, Jim Slater invested in the company.  He has since assisted with two further rounds of financing.  Jim Slater, his wife Helen, a family company and his pension scheme currently own an aggregate of 15,102,000 shares which is 5.5% of the company’s share capital.  Spanish Mountain Gold Ltd is a Vancouver-based gold exploration company listed on the Toronto Venture Exchange (TSX-V:SPA).  The company’s primary asset is the Spanish Mountain property which is located approximately 180 kilometres north of Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada.  This 4,000 hectare property covers 161 mineral claims and two placer claims.  Spanish Mountain Gold also owns the Prince George, Manson Creek, Spanish Creek (Thunder Ridge) and MT properties located in central British Columbia which have a combined area of more than 373,000 hectares (923,000 acres).  A NI43-101 compliant resource estimate for the main zone at Spanish Mountain was published in May 2009 with these results:-

Caution: Mineral Resources, which are not Mineral Reserves, do not have
demonstrated economic viability.

As the figures demonstrate, at a cut-off of 0.3 the total Measured and Indicated resources are 3.94 million ounces of gold.  The Spanish Mountain deposit is owned 100% by Spanish Mountain Gold.  The infrastructure is excellent with road access, grid power to the property, producing mines nearby and an experienced workforce available.    Preliminary work has indicated 88-90% recoveries.  There is potential for resource expansion on the property illustrated by the diamond drilling results announced in January 2010.  They delivered the highest gold grade near surface interval yet seen in the main zone and confirmed the continuation of gold mineralisation northward beyond the boundary of previous resource estimates.  Click on the following link to visit the company’s website: Spanish Mountain Gold

Last updated 16th February 2010