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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Chinese whisper over CIC turf wars

The $300 billion China Investment Corporation (CIC) aims to sidestep official barriers to investing in the US by offloading its stakes in home-country banks. The proposal would see the sovereign wealth fund (SWF) relinquish responsibility for the Chinese government’s majority stakes in the country’s largest banks, such as Bank of China, the Financial Times reported.

Companies face up to investors on say-on-pay

Proxy advisory firms have substantial influence on executive pay decision-making processes in US companies, however they have had little impact on the design of executive compensation programs, according to about half the respondents in a Towers Watson survey. The Towers Watson”Executive Say-on-Pay Flash Survey”, conducted in June surveyed 251 US public and private corporations representing

MSCI index launches ESG into mainstream

Following its merger with RiskMetrics, global index provider MSCI will launch a series of indexes and risk products incorporating ESG for the first time, and in doing so will propel ESG factors into the mainstream. Amanda White spoke to managing director, global head of index and applied research at MSCI, Remy Briand. With more than

CalSTRS to get nimble for risk…

CalSTRS will explore the potential of risk-oriented strategic allocation management and wider asset class ranges, as it sets out its investment business plan for 2010-11, which also includes collaborating with UC Regents and CIC about improvements to Barra One – its risk management system – and potentially further insourcing. Each fiscal year CalSTRS sets out

CalSTRS team rejig makes way for new deputy CIO

The $130 billion Californian fund, CalSTRS, will hire a deputy chief investment officer who will oversee the new absolute-return asset class, investment operations and a majority of the day-to-day investment branch management. This brand new position will allow the chief investment officer, Chris Ailman, to focus more on portfolio management and asset allocation. All existing

Russell takes up fundamental index for alternative beta series

Alternative beta is catching on, with Russell Investments the latest market index builder to embrace the non-cap-weighted index trend by inking a deal with Rob Arnott’s Research Affiliates company. Russell will launch a series of “fundamental” indices, in association with Research Affiliates, during the third quarter of this year. Fundamental indices rank stocks according to

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