Educational Alpha

In this episode, Bill sits down with James Burron, the executive director of the Canadian Association of Alternative Strategies and Assets (CAASA). James shares his insights on the alts industry and how CAASA is making waves in Canada. Their discussion covers topics ranging from James’ background, adopting generative AI, the evolving landscape of diversification, the 60-40 investment strategy, and...

In today's episode, Bill speaks with CAIA Member Brian Digney, an expert in operational due diligence and a true advocate for enhancing the transparency and professionalism within the industry. Throughout, Brian shares intriguing anecdotes and observations, drawing on real-life scenarios and peppered with past experiences. They delve into the significance of operational plumbing within the ind...

In today's episode, Bill Kelly is joined by the CEO of the Financial Planning Association, Patrick Mahoney. A wealth of knowledge in the industry, Patrick shares his insights on the intricacies of the ever-evolving financial planning profession including the most pressing matters surrounding it today. Patrick draws insightful comparisons with established fields like dentistry, emphasizing the...

For this episode, Bill welcomes a very special guest, sports and business journalist, Gillian Kemmerer. She shares how her experiences as a hockey player and a locker room reporter gave her more empathy for her guests, opened her eyes to the importance of diversity in the workplace, and instilled an appreciation for the evolution of the role of female reporters in the sports industry. But the conv...

In today's episode, we are joined by special guest Ben Hunt, a seasoned professional with a diverse background. Bill and Ben share a common history, having worked together in the past, and now they're here discussing truth, transparency, and the power of narratives. Ben takes us through his three distinct career paths, from academia to entrepreneurship and ultimately landing in the world o...

In today's episode we have the honor of hosting an industry titan, Shundrawn Thomas. With over 25 years of impactful leadership in financial services, he brings a wealth of knowledge and perspective to this fascinating conversation. A South Side Chicago native, Shundrawn’s life experiences have colored his views on everything from societal economics to the critical role of education and faith....

In this episode we're joined by Lawrence Calcano, Chairman and CEO of iCapital, Inc. who will be sharing his expertise on private equity, alternative investments, and the importance of understanding liquidity in the market. Lawrence emphasizes that investors must be prepared for their capital to be tied up for several years, sheds light on how general partners drive performance improvements in...

In this episode, Sarah Williamson, CEO of FCLTGlobal, shares her insights on various subjects, including the differences between public and private investments, the critical transition to clean energy, and the modernization of pension systems. Delving into tools for investors and their long-term value impact, Sarah emphasizes the importance of climate considerations in portfolio management and cri...

In this episode we are joined by Marko Papic, a renowned expert in geopolitical risk. Marko shares his insights on the shifting dynamics of a multipolar global environment and its impact on climate change. Get ready for an intellectually stimulating conversation as we uncover the intersection of politics, finance, and global challenges. Stay tuned for an episode packed with expertise and thought-p...

In this episode, we welcome noteworthy guest, Thomas Deinet, who joins host Bill Kelly to discuss the fascinating journey of the Standards Board for Alternative Investments (SBAI), which was formerly known as Hedge Fund Standards Board, and its mission to establish industry-wide standards. Thomas takes us back to the pressure faced by the hedge fund industry during the financial crisis, the birth...

In this episode Bill welcomes esteemed guest Jane Buchan, a prominent advocate for diversity and a pioneer in the alternative finance space. They discuss the significance of diversification and demographic adaptation in risk management, the shift from traditional to decentralized finance, and the future trajectories within this field. Jane also shares her notable career experiences, such as co-fou...

In this episode Bill and guest Tony Davidow, author of Goals-Based Investing: A Visionary Framework for Wealth Management, discuss the evolving landscape of investing and the significance of adapting to it. Together, they examine relevant topics including the impact of inflation on investment strategies, the trend of consolidation, the importance of diversification, and much more! Throughout their...

In this episode, Bill speaks with the CEO at Preqin, Christoph Knaack, about the private capital industry, including challenges and strengths of balancing asset holding with realizing value. They explore topics such as transparency, secondaries, and the denominator effect, as well as the need for education, regulation, and technology. Christoph also shares insights from Preqin which focuses on alt...

In this episode, Tracy Vegro, a prominent figure in the financial services sector, joins Bill to discuss the significance of relevance, inclusion, and certainty in an uncertain world. The conversation covers integrity, ethics, culture, collaboration, and global economic development. Tracy shares insights on careers, digitization, AI, legal and regulatory fields, diversity, and the role of professi...

In this episode, Bill interviews Christine Bourron, the founder of Pi-eX, a company that tracks the public auction market data in the art industry. The episode covers various topics, including fractionalization, NFTs, investing in art, and the democratization of access to products. Christine outlines Pi-eX’s methodology for creating an auction market index and the challenges of investing in art.

In this episode, Bill catches up with Randy Cohen, a seasoned educator who has taught investments and alts at Harvard Business School for 25 years. Randy dives into the current state of education and how the pace of technological change is disrupting the job market, leading to stress on educational institutions to keep up with new demands. He also explores the use of AI technology in education and...

In this episode, Bill catches up with Stacy Havener, founder and CEO of Havener Capital. They discuss the importance of storytelling in the asset management industry and how it can shift the focus from asset gathering to creating value for clients while also diving into how the biases, norms, and outdated ways of thinking  can be the antagonist in a story and how it's crucial to understand the...

In this episode, Bill catches up with industry titan, Stuart MacDonald, Chairman of Aaro Capital. Stuart’s wealth of experience from over 30 years across top-tier global investment companies; his deep expertise in capital raising across alternative investment management and bankable technologies; his service on varied non-profit boards, and hosting the award-winning alternative investment radio sh...

In this episode, Bill talks with Fiona Frick, founder of Circe Invest and expert on investment allocation and sustainability issues. With over 30 years of experience in asset management, including 12 years as a CEO, Fiona is recognized by the financial industry as one of the most influential women in European finance. Dedicated to creating bridges between the finance industry, sustainability, and...

In this episode, Bill sits down with colleague Hossein Kazemi, Professor of Finance at the University of Massachusetts and Senior Advisor to CAIA Association and the Financial Data Professional Institute, to understand the new chatbot from OpenAI that is inspiring awe, fear, and stunts – ChatGPT. Hossein defines what the “G”, the “P”, and the “T” stand for, and the power and limitations of the too...

In this episode, Bill catches up with David Lee Kuo Chuen,  professor of social sciences at Singapore University whose professional career could be described as a “diverse portfolio”. From his early days as a hedge fund manager, to researching bitcoin, crypto, and blockchain technology, to an educator of fintech and social impact, David’s career spans decades of continuous movement toward the fore...

In this episode, Bill talks with Mario Therrien, Head of Investment Funds and External Management at CDPQ, a global investment group based in Montréal. The conversation spans from Mario’s insight on how working with a pension fund provides him with a deeper sense of the impact of generating alpha. Mario expresses how he strives to leave the industry in a better place than when he started. Listen i...

In this episode, Bill catches up with two guests from the digital assets space, Jennifer Murphy, Founder & CEO of Runa Digital Assets and Alex Botte, Head of Client & Portfolio Solutions at Runa. It’s no secret that the evolution of the “Web” has transformed our world. Its first phase, Web 1, opened the unprecedented availability of information, and Web 2’s interactive social and mobile ap...

In this episode, Bill hears from Stefania Di Bartolomeo, Founder of Physis Investment and self-described “Quant Humanist”. Early on, Stefania became the youngest impact investing fund manager in Europe. Since then, she has worked to fill the need for a “different” level of transparency to answer the next “big question” – How do we measure the impact of money on the planet? Listen in!

In this episode, Bill chats with one of his professional mentors, Dale Favors, Managing Partner for Adaptive Growth Leadership. The two discuss everything from developing leaders who build diverse teams, to the effect of culture and leadership on business growth. Listen in to learn more on how education comes with experience, exposure, and most importantly, access.