If you have ever wondered how fund managers raise money, Hendrik du Toit has the answer. The chief executive of Investec Asset Management gave an insight into how he has built a £30bn (€44bn) business almost from scratch in seven years when he helped raise thousands for the Aids orphans charity Starfish.

Having gathered the great and the good from the asset management and securities industry at the South African High Commission in London, du Toit had a novel way of turning their attendance into hard cash. He asked everyone to take off and unfold their name badges to reveal a donation form with their name and company printed on it. All they had to do was sign. And he provided a pen for every guest and arranged for a former Miss South Africa to collect the forms.