As part of Zenith Investment Partners’ Meet the Manager series, Chris Cuffe sat down with Dug Higgins to share an in-depth look at the Third Link Growth Fund, a truly unique Australian equities fund-of-funds launched in 2008.
In this conversation, Chris explains:
• How the Fund provides investors with a high-quality Australian equities portfolio while directing its investment management fee to charity, making community impact a built-in feature rather than an add-on.
• The Fund’s manager selection philosophy which targets active boutique managers with fund capacity constraints, strong ownership alignment, and the ability to outperform the index by 3% p.a. over rolling five-year periods.
• Why the portfolio naturally carries a small- to mid-cap bias, where active managers can generate meaningful alpha.
• How Zenith supports the Fund with insights and ideas to help identify potential new managers.
• What makes the Third Link Growth Fund the only investment vehicle of its kind in Australia as an unlisted unit trust combining competitive performance with philanthropic purpose.
• Whether the Fund is an impact fund and how it has been hugely impactful, having donated more than $24 million to charity since inception while delivering over 10% p.a. (as at 31 October 2025).
If you’re interested in Australian equities, active management, boutique funds, or the intersection between investment and philanthropy, this is an insightful overview of a fund that continues to deliver strong returns and meaningful community benefit.
Watch the full discussion now.
