Mobius: time to feast | beyondbrics

There are many investors whose success and longevity has translated into financial fame. But few have been the subject of a Japanese Manga-style illustrated book detailing their exploits. Yet Mark Mobius’ striking bald pate and status as a pioneer of investments in strife-torn, underdeveloped countries made him a fitting, if unusual, subject of a 2007 comic by Kaoru Kurotani – Manga Mark Mobius, an Illustrated Biography of the Father of Emerging Markets Funds.

The “emerging markets” moniker was first invented by Antoine van Agtmael of the International Finance Corporation in 1981 to rebrand nations previously known as “less-developed countries”. But it was Mobius who was approached by Sir John Templeton to launch what is considered the first dedicated emerging market equity fund in 1987.

The venerable investor – he turns 77 later this year – is still as enthusiastic about emerging markets today as he was when he started. Indeed, even after over two decades of traversing the world in search of profitable investments, Mobius is still perpetual motion personified.

* username: rupertbu