The Curious Quant

The Curious Quant series, hosted by Michael Kollo, is a discussion between technically-minded professionals in the financial services, technology and data science fields. It carefully examines the application of new data and new methodologies to common problems in financial markets. The aim is to promote better discussions about these emerging areas, and a better understanding of new technologies.

 

 

Michael Kollo is a seasoned investment professional with a deep passion for the pragmatic discussion and application of quantitative models to solve problems. His PhD in Finance is from the London School of Economics where he lectured in quantitative finance in addition to Imperial College and at the University of New South Wales. He has created models and led quantitative research teams at Blackrock, Fidelity and Axa Rosenberg in the UK before more recently moving to Australia where he established the quantitative team for the $50 billion industry superannuation fund, HESTA. Kollo is an experienced speaker, author, mentor, a keen student of philosophy and more recently, a podcaster. The Curious Quant is a series of conversations with market leaders, deep thinkers and practitioners who deal with the wonder and frustrations of these models and who are on the front line of AI innovation.

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Californian funds told to invest in their own backyard

California Treasurer Bill Lockyer (pictured) sent his deputy Steve Coony to a recent CalPERS board meeting to tell the pension fund they needed to do more to invest in their own backyard. Coony shares his views with conexust1f.flywheelstaging.com on how public pension funds can play a greater role in boosting California’s ailing economy. mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored

De-risking is de rigueur, survey finds

Investors are looking to continue to scale-back their exposure to US equities, increase their allocation to fixed-interest assets and strongly focus on the liability side of their balance sheets, a recent survey of funds in the US and Europe found.mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

Bernanke throws the dice as funds look on bemused

Chairman of the Federal Reserve, Ben Bernanke’s speech at the International Monetary Conference this week reveals the delicate balance between the (stagnant) state of the US economy and the enormous growth of the emerging market economies.mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

Avoiding misinterpretation in calculating performance-based fees

Performance-based fee compensation relies on performance fee models that require that specific parameters be clearly stipulated in the investment management agreeement. This case study is one example of the misinterpretation that can occur when the fee model’s parameters are not specifically defined. mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

Commodities demand a fundamentally active approach

Investing in commodities via passive strategies presents some unique challenges due in part to the structure of futures contracts. GE Asset Management which has been managing commodities for the GE pension fund for five years, and opened that expertise to external clients last year, believes a better approach is active management using fundamentals. mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored

CalPERS’ alternatives SIO has responsibilities reinstated

The newly appointed senior investment officer of the alternative investments management program at CalPERS, Real Desrochers, will have authority and management delegation reinstated after it was withdrawn when the former SIO resigned amid a fraud lawsuit.mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

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