Investment offices are learning that Lamborghinis don’t help in a traffic jam

Update: Marketwatch published an expanded version of this article that I would recommend you read here. Most recent headlines related to Harvard Management Company focused on the 8% returns number. However, a subtle but important point that commentators missed was Read More …

Investment Committee / Board Package Survey

As a follow-up to the paper on the need for technology to help investment offices with collaboration, we are now looking to further understand investor pain points around creating monthly/quarterly board packages. Please help us better understand your board package Read More …

What does an institutional investor’s Echo look like?

Amazon recently introduced the Echo Look, which lets you use the digital assistant Alexa to answer questions, including a style guide, where you can get suggestions on what looks better on you.   Theoretically, an individual can achieve a similar Read More …

Microsoft ate my Board_Package_2017_07v17edited_use_this.pptx

In his book Organizational Alpha, author Ben Carlson observes that when an investment office discuss their problems and issues, the focus is less on markets and more on organizational challenges such as governance, process and collaboration. The value of collaboration Read More …

Analytics is more like fishing than rocket science

Quantitative investment firms such as Two Sigma, AQR, Dimensional, etc. have built their success on a foundation of data and analytics. Asset owners, financial advisors, and fundamental asset managers now have an opportunity to use similar analytics and approaches to Read More …

Can machine learning predict asset price movements?

Machine learning and artificial intelligence are used interchangeably but they are essentially two different but inter-related approaches. The distinction I make when viewing the two is that artificial intelligence refers to the use of existing rules/formulae and memory in order Read More …

When hormones control investment decisions

Over the last several years, I have explored the impact of behavioral and structural biases in markets, as well as how they impact investment decision making. Recently I have been reading about the physiological changes that occur in our body Read More …

Winning with technology – learning from something you disagree with

I recently started following Stephen Duneir’s “Seeds of Thought”, and have developed a healthy respect for Steve’s insights around applying cognitive science toward investment and business decisions. In a recent article, Steve wrote about technology and investing, and compared the use of Read More …

Lessons from Arnold Schwarzenegger – “I am not a self-made man”

This post deviates from what I normally write, but I think it will be worth it. Improving yourself comes from an appreciation and understanding of different points of view, and influences from people and disciplines that are outside your immediate Read More …

The future of investment management

We are at a point in time where the convergence of several factors has the potential to meaningfully change investing, and the business of investing over the next decade. There is a need to thoughtfully examine these factors and initiate a Read More …