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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Washington State prioritises excellence

The $70.5 billion Washington State Investment Board has prioritised hiring the best managers in public equities and is willing to sacrifice the number of active investment relationships in lieu of the managers it believes are “truly exceptional” as it enters 2010 with plans for global manager searches. mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

CalPERS sets investment strategy

The $206 billion California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) set its investment strategy roadmap for 2010 at a board offsite last week, as chief investment officer, Joe Dear, attributes strong gains in 2009 to a “sharpened investment focus”. mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

Back to normal

In this research brief, Tim Barron suggests the entire notion of the “new normal” being somehow different is an exaggeration or an embellishment. He says there is nothing “new” about this normal but it is more appropriately described as “back to normal.” And, that if it lasts for three or more years, it will then

Passive tilt for Massachusetts state fund

The $42 billion Massachusetts Pension Reserves Investment Management (PRIM) will move half of its developed non-US equity portfolio and 25 per cent of its emerging market equity portfolio into passive strategies and has begun a search for a single manager for each asset class with a commencement date of May. mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2

Ontario Teachers’ buys UK schools from private equity

The private capital arm of the $87.4 billion Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP) has acquired a UK special education and fostering services provider believed to be valued at about £200 million ($326 million).   mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

Make companies pay for engagement

Businesses should be forced to pay a levy to support robust shareholder engagement, says Peter Butler, chief executive of Governance for Owners (GO), a UK shareholder rights partnership, because effective stewardship will only become a fixture of the institutional investment industry when it carries a big price tag. He spoke with Simon Mumme. mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored

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