Formerly known as the CYPRUS VALUE INVESTOR CONFERENCE
An annual by-invitation gathering of investors to share investment ideas & network in a casual setting.
HISTORY
Sick of expensive and terrible conferences, Sophocles Sophocleous and Tim du Toit organized the first event in 2016. The goal was and continues to be to organize an event where participants will share their actionable ideas, learn from each other, develop friendships with other investors, and not cost an arm and a leg. For more history: May 2018 article.
PHILOSOPHY
Sharing of knowledge. Our goal is to create an environment that is conducive to learning and sharing, the development of friendships between value investors, and for everyone to walk away with a tangible benefit. The event is kept small so as to allow people to get to know each other and for friendships to develop. As a result, participants hear investment ideas, gain knowledge from the topics discussed and get to meet new and interesting investors from around the world.
Confidentiality. No sharing of anything you hear, see, receive, or discuss at the event. If you want to share something then you need to get permission from the other person. I can’t stress enough the importance. We have family offices, activists, and investors still building positions that may not want their work or information to leak.
Non-solicitation. We have adopted a rule that is in place both here and in Cyprus and we first encountered it at VALUEx Klosters which is organized by Guy Spier: During the whole event, please refrain from all unsolicited pitches – whether of investment or business propositions. You should of course, feel free to respond to genuine enquiries of interest from other participants. Our goal in doing this is to create an environment that is conducive to learning and sharing. We have learned that some of our highest-valued participants will not come if they think that they will be accosted by enthusiastic salespeople. During the event, there are plenty of networking opportunities so once everyone gets to know each other, any future business happens on its own and thus sales pitches are not required. So no participant needs to worry about their story or business not getting known. But we frown upon ‘cold-call’ type pitches.
Our philosophy is not negotiable
EVENT CHARACTERISTICS
Exclusive & focused. The event is focused on investment ideas. Participants are expected to share an idea with others. Sharing of knowledge, along with confidentiality, and non-solicitation are the pillars of our event philosophy. Investors who are not aligned should not consider attending. Investors only.
A safe space to grow. People can express themselves without the worry of getting judged. This isn’t a 300-person conference. This is a gathering of friends. Feedback should be expected. And that’s how we as investors grow and improve. No one should be afraid of hearing some good-natured opinions. Of course, we don’t always agree but that’s fine. We grow and become better investors by sharing and discussing our ideas.
A private, by-invitation event. Your knowledge, passion, and character are what is important, not your wallet.
Quality over quantity. A smallish, higher-quality community of 80 investors.
Why? Join us not just to hear exceptional investment ideas but to become part of a vibrant community of like-minded investors. At our Cyprus event, participants have forged incredible friendships, and some are collaborating on exciting new opportunities.
TESTIMONIALS
- ‘The highest return on investment decision of the year’
- ‘The combination of the people and the location is something special.’
- ‘Thank you for expertly organizing and overseeing what has been much the best conference that I have attended in years’
- ‘I go to a lot of conferences and usually I don’t hear many interesting ideas. Here I want to dig into most of them!’
- ‘The European Value Investing Conference with the best social events and networking opportunities. You come for the ideas, you go with friends (and ideas).’
Sample of Past Participants
Robotti & Co, Firebird Mgmt, Kopernick Global Investors, Veraison Capital, LLB Asset Mgmt, Bank Havilland, Crescat Capital, Bireme Capital, Nordic Investment Partners, Vidya Capital, Quo Vadis Capital, Pastel & Associés, Axia Capital, Ambient Sound Inv., Sicart Associates, Stone Forest Capital, Renaissance Group, Aquitania Capital Mgmt, Thistledown Inv Mgmt, Invesco Perpetual, River Oak Capital, Uguisu Research, Helsinki Partners, Forum Family Office, SIM Ltd, etc
Organizer: Sophocles Sophocleous, CFA
FORMER KNOWN AS THE CYPRUS VALUE INVESTOR CONFERENCE