Tradeview Capital Sdn Bhd, a boutique fund management company licensed by Securities Commission Malaysia, started operations on Apr 1 last year with little fanfare and smack in the face of the 2022 market meltdown which saw massive selloffs from local retail, foreign and institutional investors.
Raising funds was tough at the time, but Tradeview Founder and Chief Executive Officer Ng Zhu Hann, better known as Hann, said he and his six-member team, had focused on making the most of market opportunities amid economic uncertainties instead of taking it as it is.
After 11 months since the firm's opening, the company's Private Mandate Funds and Tradeview Sustainability Fund (TSF) had outperformed markets and delivered an average 9.3 per cent returns in eight months and 3.5 per cent in three months respectively.
On Saturday (Mar 4), the company collaborated with Sime Darby Auto Bavaria Sdn Bhd for the first time, where guests were given the opportunity to test-drive the BMW Electric Vehicle (iX3 and iX xDrive40) series in the exclusive event. There was a great turnout for the event and most of the guest were high net worth individuals, corporate leaders and business owners who were also the clients of the firm.
"I have always believed in the brand and philosophy of BMW and I felt that we (Tradeview) can relate because the organisation is an exemplary corporate which emphasises on sustainability. Although they are a business entity, they contribute back to the world by investing in next generation technology," Hann said.
"Our team shares the same values where our investment thesis is premised on finding good companies and investing for the next generation for our clients. We are all about building wealth and preserving legacy, hence working with an organisation that shares the same DNA will be very synergistic for both parties. This was how the collaboration came about.
"This is our first event together, and there is a possibility of future collaborations in the future", Hann said.
The event, held at the Auto Bavaria Ara Damansara showroom and service centre in Petaling Jaya, saw participants experiencing the prestige and power of the new EV BMWs where 10 vehicles were lined-up for the 20km test-drive.
Hann, who also personally owns an EV car said he used to wonder about the feasibility of having one but after the driving experience of the EV, he felt the benefits outweigh the disadvantages.
"An electric car emits zero carbon emission and this helps to conserve the environment. It is also user-friendly and I believe this technology is here to stay for the automotive industry," he said.
Tan Thiam Hock, Managing Director of OzAsia Sdn. Bhd. concurs with this after the test-drive. He added that driving an EV provided a totally different experience. He still owns a BMW which he had bought in 1992, and said he found the new EV iX series an "interesting concept."
"The pick-up was good. But due to the limited number of EV chargers, it would be a cause for concern to take the EV car out of Kuala Lumpur for now. Tan cited the case of his friend who owned a iX xDrive40, who uses a petrol car on trips out of Kuala Lumpur.
Leonard Chew, another participant, believed EV is the future of the automotive industry but said fossil fuel is still needed to power the EV cars.
"But I really enjoyed myself at the event. If I could, I definitely would like to own an electric car. The EV chargers is a concern for now but technology will improve in the future and acceptance of EV cars will grow," Chew said.
Another participant, Vincent Tan said EV cars would only be suitable for city driving but he, too, believed this will change in the future.
Meanwhile, the participants were also treated to some light refreshment and a talk on the 2023 market outlook where Tradeview's Executive Director and Chief Investment Officer Nixon Wong shared with the audience that the US-China trade wars will only push investors of the two nations to turn their attention to countries like Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam in the days to come. He believes Malaysia's economy will remain resilient in 2023 and would not dip into recession. The current market weakness provides opportunity to investors who are in it for the long haul.
