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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Tread carefully among systemic risks

Funds managers, pension trustee boards and fund members should adjust to a low-returns environment and think carefully about investment risk in such uncertain times, warned Tim Gardener, global head of consultant relations at AXA Investment Managers (AXA IM) and a veteran of the UK asset consulting industry.mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

Lone wolves may secure the best returns

Some animals instinctively gather as a herd, apparently pension funds are such animals. A new asset allocation study by academics at Maastricht and Yale, presented at the ICPM discussion forum last week, reveals the mob behaviour by funds when it comes to asset allocation, leaving way for security selection to be the differentiator in returns.mrec4inarticleinline

Defining the game is two sides of same coin

A constant whispering in the hallway of pension plans is how to prepare for the inevitable move from a defined benefit to defined-contribution structure. But fiduciaries shouldn’t be scared, the game’s the same, at least psychologically.mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

APG’s IMQubator launches second fund

Dutch Pension fund administrator APG will open up innovative investment ideas to other institutional investors, with the IMQubator hedge fund seeding platform it has backed launching a second fund to channel money to emerging managers.mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

Myths may shackle SWFs

Chair of the A$75billion ($79bn) Australian Future Fund, and outgoing chair of the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds, David Murray (pictured), believes sovereign wealth funds are at risk of discrimination if some key myths about their structure and investment intentions are not discussed.mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

CalPERS slams ‘smoke and mirrors’ report

CalPERS has hit out at a report calling for radical change in the way California public sector pension benefits are calculated, describing the authors’ methodology as flawed and ideologically slanted.mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

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