Somers Limited

As at March 31, 2020 Somers Limited (Somers) has a relatively concentrated portfolio with investments which are primarily focused on the financial services sector. Geographically, Australia accounts for 49.9% (2019: 41.5%), Bermuda for 24.3% of the portfolio (2019: 26.8%), while the UK comes to 22.3% (2019: 28.4%). The Somers' portfolio consists of the following:[4]

Resimac Group Limited is a leading non-bank lending and multi-channel distribution business in Australia and New Zealand with a managed mortgage loan portfolio of A$14.7 billion as at March 31, 2020. Its primary activities are as mortgage manager, mortgage broker and in addition, originating, servicing and securitising mortgage assets. Its shares are listed on the Australian Securities Exchange and Somers owns 62.5% of Resimac Group Limited, with the balance owned by institutional and retail investors.

Bermuda Commercial Bank Limited is one of Bermuda’s four licensed banks and remains one of Somers’ largest investments. It accounts for 15% of the portfolio at March 31, 2020.

Waverton Investment Management Limited is a London-based specialist investment manager with £5.6 billion AUM, and Somers has a 62.5% holding in Waverton Investment Management Limited.

PCF Group (formerly Private and Commercial Finance Group) is a long established AIM-listed finance group that was awarded a UK Bank Deposit Taking Licence in 2016. PCF Group's bank is PCF Bank, which offers retail savings products and financing products for retail and corporate segments. Somers has a 62.8% holding in PCF Group.

West Hamilton Holdings Limited is a Bermuda Stock Exchange listed property investment and management company with property assets in Bermuda and in which Somers has a 57.1% equity interest.

AK Jensen is a hybrid business which provides brokerage and software to its clients as well as providing hedge fund services, including a hedge fund platform to hedge fund managers enabling them to set up a hedge fund at low cost, trade through AK Jensen’s proprietary technology platform, and operate under the AK Jensen regulatory framework.

Thorn Group Ltd is an Australian financial services organisation offering consumer and commercial options for leasing products and financing solutions.

MJ Hudson is a UK based specialist law firm and asset management services provider. MJ Hudson was founded in 2010 as a law firm, and it is now a multi-services and infrastructure business, and a one-stop outsourcer for asset managers and investors encompassing legal, operating and regulatory, fiduciary, administration and reporting, and investor relations services.

Other Investments: Somers Limited has a number of other smaller investments which are a mixture of both unlisted and listed holdings. As at March 31, 2020 Somers has funds directly and indirectly under management of over US$19.3 billion[5] (2019: US$17.7 million).

Somers Limited was founded in 2012 as Bermuda National Limited[1][6] when Bermuda Commercial Bank Limited, founded in 1969, created a new holding company.

In 2013, Somers made acquisitions including:

• Private and Commercial Finance Group plc, and
• Waverton Investment Management, formerly known as J. O. Hambro Investment Management from Credit Suisse Bank[6]

In the 2014 financial year, Somers' key acquisitions included:

• An investment in Ascot Lloyd Holdings Limited bringing Somers' total potential economic interest to 32.5%
• An increased shareholding in Westhouse Holdings plc to 84.6%
• A 6.6% interest in Merrion Capital[7]
• A 23.8% shareholding in Incol Limited (“Incol”).[8] Incol is a funding platform for financial institutions

In the 2015 financial year, Somers' key transactions included:

• Sale of holding of shares and convertible loan notes in Private and Commercial Finance Group plc to its wholly owned subsidiary, Bermuda Commercial Bank Limited[9]
• Acquisition of an additional 1,222,949 shares in West Hamilton Holdings Limited from BCB bringing Somers’ total holdings to 57.1%

In the 2016 financial year, Somers' key transactions included:

• Acquisition of a 79% shareholding in RESIMAC Limited (subsequently merged with ASX listed Homeloans Limited resulting in a 59% holding in Homeloans[10]), with a combined loan portfolio at the time of A$13 billion
• In September 2016, Somers acquired a 13% economic interest in MJ Hudson[11]

In the 2017 financial year, Somers' key transactions included:

• RESIMAC Limited merged with Homeloans Limited in October 2016, resulting in a 59% shareholding[12]
• Sale of holding of all shares in Ascot Lloyd Holdings Limited, to CPL Bidco Limited[13]

In the 2018 financial year, Somers' key transactions included:

• Acquisition of 38% of AK Jensen's issued shared capital[14]
• Acquisition of 94.5 million shares in PCF Bank from Bermuda Commercial Bank[15]
• Sale of holding of all shares in Merrion Capital Limited, to Cantor Fitzgerald Ireland Limited[13]

In the 2019 financial year, Somers' key transactions included:

• Agreement to sell Bermuda Commercial Bank, subject to government and regulatory approvals
• Completion of the sale of holdings in Stockdale Securities and Street Capital Group[16]

• Warren McLeland - Chairman of Somers Limited, a Non-Executive Director of Resimac Group Limited[17] and former Senior Managing Director with Chase Manhattan Bank (now JP Morgan Chase)
• David Morgan - Deputy Chairman of Bermuda Commercial Bank Limited[18], Non-Executive Director of Waverton Investment Management Limited,[19] and PCF Group PLC[20]
• Charles Jillings - Chief Executive of ICM Investment Research Limited and ICM Investment Management Limited[21], and a Director of ICM Limited[21], and Waverton Investment Management Limited[22]
• Alasdair Younie - Director of ICM Limited,[21] and a Non-Executive Director of Ascendant Group Limited,[23] Bermuda Commercial Bank Limited,[18] Bermuda First Investment Company Limited[24], West Hamilton Holdings Limited[25] and One Communications Ltd (nee KeyTech Limited)[26]
• Peter Durhager - Chairman of Ascendant Group Ltd[27] and the Bermuda Community Foundation[28], Non-Executive Director of Harrington Re[29] and F&G Re, and former President of Renaissance Services Ltd

Somers Limited announced in 2014 a four-year corporate sponsorship of the Bermuda Olympic Association, covering the next Olympiad which includes the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, and the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. As part of the partnership, the Bermuda Olympic Association introduced a youth education programme promoting wellness and involvement in sport.