Founder of Switzerland-based RV Capital — an investor who holds a concentrated portfolio of about ten companies for the long term.
Life story
Rob Vinall graduated with honours from the University of Cambridge in 1996 in modern and medieval languages. Little is publicly known about his birth year, family or childhood. He lives with his family in Kilchberg near Zurich.
How they got started
Vinall started at Goldman Sachs Asset Management in London in 1997. From 1998 to 2004 he was a telecoms analyst at DZ Bank in Frankfurt, and he then worked at CDL Investors, a boutique advisory firm in Zurich.
He founded RV Capital in 2006, and the Business Owner Fund launched on September 30, 2008. By June 30, 2024 it had returned 887.1% in total (about 15.6% a year). Each January the firm hosts an annual gathering in Engelberg for investors, company leaders and peers; Andreas Lechner is co-managing director.
Investment style
Vinall tests every idea with four questions: will the company be around and flourishing in ten or more years? Is it building a lasting competitive advantage? Does management set the right example? Is the price attractive? The portfolio holds roughly ten positions, chosen globally across all sectors.
He thinks of himself as a business owner rather than a stock trader, and he has criticised mainstream ESG frameworks as a recipe for bureaucracy and wrong incentives.
Best decisions
The Business Owner Fund's long-term record
From 2008 to mid-2024 the fund's value rose almost tenfold (887.1%), including 28.9% in the first half of 2024 alone.
Long-held quality companies
His historic holdings have included names such as Google, Meta, Salesforce, Credit Acceptance and Novo Nordisk.
Biggest mistakes
Limited information
We found no verified public account of Vinall's specific mistakes and their financial impact. The best source on this is the fund's own semi-annual letters.
Today
In 2024–2026 RV Capital continues to manage separate accounts and the Business Owner Fund. In 2024 it made its first oil and gas investment (International Petroleum Corp) and owned several Chinese companies.
What to learn from following the portfolio
- The portfolio is tiny (~10 names), so each new position is a deeply researched decision — use it as a starting point for your own analysis of the company.
- 13F shows only US-listed positions; Vinall's European and Asian holdings may be missing, so the picture is incomplete.
- He leans towards technology and consumer businesses, but has also owned financials such as Credit Acceptance, which are usually not halal. Check each position's halal status in the Portfolio tab.
- 13F data is 45 days late — prices may already have moved.
An introduction based on public sources — not investment advice. Spotted an error? Let us know.