Congratulations to Will Danoff

Congratulations to my colleague, Will Danoff, who recently celebrated his 30th anniversary of managing Fidelity Contrafund.

Will’s dedication to seeking the best possible outcomes for shareholders has not wavered since he joined Fidelity as a full-time equity analyst in 1986. Over that time, he has received numerous letters from customers thanking him for his hard work. And this connection goes in both directions. Will’s commitment to shareholders is what motivates him to continue to work harder every year.

Will embodies one of our Fidelity Leadership Principles: “customer-obsessed.” He is constantly on the hunt for new opportunities—calling numerous companies daily to learn as much as he can and always striving to deliver for shareholders. Will is living proof that active management is alive and well.

Will’s impact extends beyond our customers. He has been an outstanding mentor and role model to Fidelity’s analysts and portfolio managers. Will embraces the player/coach mentality, and he’s consistently sharing his wisdom, while carefully listening to every opinion on the team. One of my favorite pieces of advice from Will is, “Just because a stock is up doesn’t mean you missed it. It's like sports matches. Who cares what happened on the last point scored? You're playing this point now. Do the work, continue to turn over rocks.”

One of our analysts summarized Will’s attentiveness and inclusivity perfectly, “He’s just someone who thinks that everyone has something to say that’s worth hearing.” I could not agree more—even though Will has decades of experience and is one of the all-time greats in the investment industry, he still treats every meeting, and every person in those meetings, as opportunities to learn more.

Thank you, Will, for the incredible impact you have had on Fidelity’s associates and shareholders.

#FidelityAssociate