About Priori

A first-principles approach to equities and derivatives markets

Priori combines fundamental equity research with macroeconomic, statistical, and derivatives expertise in a single portfolio.

The background

Built from complementary investment methods.

Priori Capital Management Investment Fund is a private investment vehicle available to wholesale investors. It was founded on the back of two independently developed and tested approaches.

Thomas Argueso developed a personal investment track record grounded in company-specific research, with particular depth across technology hardware, software, and infrastructure. Mudiwa Makaza developed a disciplined derivatives framework combining macroeconomic analysis and statistical modelling.

The co-founders met as members of Westpac's 2024 graduate cohort. Their working relationship quickly became a daily process of testing ideas, challenging assumptions, and refining their respective methods. Priori was established to combine those disciplines and pursue stronger risk-adjusted outcomes than either approach could target in isolation.

Fund managers

Experience across markets, credit, and structured finance.

Both managers remain directly responsible for research, portfolio decisions, risk oversight, and investor communication.

Co-founder and fund manager

Thomas Argueso

Head of Equities

Thomas progressed through Corporate Banking and Leveraged Finance at Westpac, followed by Investment Banking at Campbell MacPherson, where he worked across capital raisings and mergers and acquisitions. He later moved within Westpac into Portfolio Management, covering a diversified corporate book with transaction sizes ranging from approximately A$15 million to A$250 million.

Thomas's investment methodology focuses on deep fundamental underwriting and valuation, with particular attention to technology supply chains across semiconductors, hardware, software, and AI infrastructure. He seeks opportunities where company-specific research supports an attractive asymmetry between expected return and downside risk.

Co-founder and fund manager

Mudiwa Makaza

Head of Derivatives

Mudiwa began in Westpac's Institutional Bank, spending much of his time on the structured finance desk and helping maintain a securitisation portfolio of approximately A$8 billion. His work included assessing credit and market trends and analysing how risk is structured through tranching, derivatives, and covenants. He later joined Volkswagen Financial Services in treasury and securitisation before moving to AMAL Trustee, now part of IQ-EQ, in securitisation modelling and analytics.

Mudiwa's methodology is built on macroeconomic analysis. He pairs a regime-based approach with statistical modelling to rotate between index, commodity, and currency markets. He uses derivatives to express a fundamental outlook on capital flows.

Development of Priori

From shared research to an operating fund.

2024 Methods combined

The managers begin jointly testing fundamental, macro, and derivatives ideas.

2025 Fund structure established

Governance, reporting, operations, and the quarterly vintage structure are formalised.

1 January 2026 External capital accepted

The inaugural Priori Q1 Fund commences with external investor capital.

Investor communications

Quarterly reporting and investor updates.

Priori issues quarterly performance and market intelligence materials to approved investors and accepts new investors on a quarterly cycle. Wholesale investors can contact the management team to discuss fund information and onboarding requirements.

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