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Anthony Bolton is the stuff of legend but, says Hargreaves Lansdown head of research Mark Dampier, Fidelity has confused the issue of his retirement and set the speculation mill racing with the controversial split of the special sits fund
Anthony Bolton has become the closest thing to a legend that the fund management industry has. Despite the fact that top managers are virtually akin to football stars (but without the sponsorship), it still cannot be said that any of them have really become household names.
Anthony is probably the nearest to a household name and it has taken him 26 years although it has only really been in the last six years that there has been an explosive increase in sales in the fund.
The fund entered the new millennium at around pound 1bn in size, having had a more difficult time in the late 1990s when small and mid-cap value were well and truly out of favour.
Since the end of the tech boom, the fund's investment style has been very much in fashion. This does not belittle Mr Bolton's tremendous stockpicking ability. He has continued to add value above his style. Over 25 years, the fund...