Educational Alpha

In this episode, Bill sits down with colleague Hossein Kazemi, Professor of Finance at the University of Massachusetts and Senior Advisor to CAIA Association and the Financial Data Professional Institute, to understand the new chatbot from OpenAI that is inspiring awe, fear, and stunts – ChatGPT. Hossein defines what the “G”, the “P”, and the “T” stand for, and the power and limitations of the tool that is even more advanced than we think.  Listen in!

In this episode, Bill catches up with David Lee Kuo Chuen,  professor of social sciences at Singapore University whose professional career could be described as a “diverse portfolio”. From his early days as a hedge fund manager, to researching bitcoin, crypto, and blockchain technology, to an educator of fintech and social impact, David’s career spans decades of continuous movement toward the forefront of investment and technology. Listen in!

In this episode, Bill talks with Mario Therrien, Head of Investment Funds and External Management at CDPQ, a global investment group based in Montréal. The conversation spans from Mario’s insight on how working with a pension fund provides him with a deeper sense of the impact of generating alpha. Mario expresses how he strives to leave the industry in a better place than when he started. Listen in!

In this episode, Bill catches up with two guests from the digital assets space, Jennifer Murphy, Founder & CEO of Runa Digital Assets and Alex Botte, Head of Client & Portfolio Solutions at Runa. It’s no secret that the evolution of the “Web” has transformed our world. Its first phase, Web 1, opened the unprecedented availability of information, and Web 2’s interactive social and mobile applications created some of the world’s most powerful networks and most valuable companies. Listen in to hear how Jennifer and Alex believe digital assets to be the start of Web3.

In this episode, Bill hears from Stefania Di Bartolomeo, Founder of Physis Investment and self-described “Quant Humanist”. Early on, Stefania became the youngest impact investing fund manager in Europe. Since then, she has worked to fill the need for a “different” level of transparency to answer the next “big question” – How do we measure the impact of money on the planet? Listen in!

In this episode, Bill chats with one of his professional mentors, Dale Favors, Managing Partner for Adaptive Growth Leadership. The two discuss everything from developing leaders who build diverse teams, to the effect of culture and leadership on business growth. Listen in to learn more on how education comes with experience, exposure, and most importantly, access.

In this episode, Bill talks with Ashby Monk, whom he describes as a “rock-star” in the industry. Their intriguing discussion breaks down Ashby’s recently co-authored paper the Investor Identity: The Ultimate Driver of Returns. This one is a real “behind the curtain” peek at the argument being made about institutional investors’ “identity” being the leading driver of returns within a portfolio. Listen in!

In this episode, Bill meets up with CAIA Member, Jaclyn Foroughi, cofounder and managing partner of Brazen Impact and a lecturer in management at Stanford Graduate School of Business. The two dig deeper into the distinct difference between the often-confused terms of impact and ESG, as well as her passion and perspective on what the next generation stands to inherit - beyond money. Listen in!

In this episode, Bill ponders the changing of the guard within the investment landscape – a generational shift among investment professionals, the emergence of a new investor, and the impending tremendous transfer of wealth to come. He is joined by Brian Portnoy, Founder and CEO of Shaping Wealth, and a leading expert on the psychology of money. Fascinating discussion on money, minds, and markets. Listen in!

In this episode, Bill talks with one of the earliest CAIA designation adopters, Dick Pfister, Founder and CEO of AlphaCore. Pfister’s storied career in finance began as a floor trader at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and has taken a remarkable path that may just parallel the evolution of the industry and client expectations of alternative investments on portfolio outcomes. Listen in.

In this episode, Bill welcomes Dr. Margaret Cullen to the discussion about all things governance. A preeminent person in the field of governance in Ireland, Dr. Cullen brings fascinating insight into the world of corporate and investment fund administration. Listen in.

In this episode, Bill catches up with Robert Rubinstein, social entrepreneur and driving force behind TBLI Capital – the world’s leading impact investing authority and network focused on education, advising, and connecting investors. Listen in and hear what Robert means when he says, “I have full confidence in the greed of people”.

In this episode, Bill chats with Troy Prince, CEO and Founder of Wall Street Bound – a New York City-based nonprofit finance education and training organization. A Wall Street veteran, Troy’s idea to support diverse and underrepresented talent discover careers in the financial services industry took hold over 15 years ago! Hear more about its impact and other defining moments like meeting Warren Buffet, the book he credits with igniting his passion for finance, and why he was determined to learn multiple languages. Listen in!

In this episode, Bill talks with a tireless champion for tobacco-free investment, Dr. Bronwyn King. An Australian radiation oncologist, Bronwyn made the horrifying discovery in 2010 that her pension money was being invested in big tobacco. In that moment, she realized that she was working hard to help people suffering from the effects of tobacco use, while investing in the very products that were responsible for their pain. She just couldn’t let that be. Listen in to hear how she started Tobacco-Free Portfolios, a non-profit aiming to eliminate tobacco from investment portfolios globally.