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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PIMCO predicts a “new normal” to reign in investment markets

A “new normal” will reign in investment markets after the shocks of last year, according to PIMCO, with the manager’s secular outlook favouring investment at the front-end of the yield curve as well as income producing instruments. This article looks at the outcomes of its recent secular forum including a call for investment management vehicles

Meet Invest AD, gateway to MENA opportunities

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Overcoming UNPRI implementation hurdles

With some government-committed funding, the Responsible Investment Academy, has the flexibility to achieve its aim of being the first global academic-training centre to teach pension funds and their service providers how to formally incorporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues in their investment assessments. Amanda White spoke to chair of the academy’s advisory council, Steve

Kazakhstan SWF invites global equity managers aboard

The $23 billion National Oil Fund of Kazakhstan, an economic stabilisation fund built from surplus oil revenues, is seeking external active and passive global equity managers as it pumps money into the domestic economy in an attempt to offset the impacts of the financial crisis. mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

Temasek’s strategic outlook extends to emerging countries

Temasek Holdings has made changes to the long-term outlook of its S$185 billion ($134 billion) portfolio reducing the asset allocation to OECD countries and adding an allocation of 10 per cent to “other geographies” including Latin America, Russia and Africa. mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

Big pension funds list their target asset classes for next 3 years

Investment grade bonds, followed by emerging market equities and then diversified global equities, are the asset classes which will best meet the requirements of large pension funds and multi-manager packagers, according to a survey of the fiduciaries of assets totalling more than $5 trillion. mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

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