Dean Duchak, Chief Investment Officer at KFF sits down with David Weisburd to discuss the lessons learned from 13 years at KFF, how to create a culture of collaboration in endowments, and Dean’s perspective on diversifying investment strategies.
(0:00) Introduction to $700 million endowment and venture capital allocation
(1:27) Overview of KFF and asset allocation strategies
(3:46) Correlation between assets and macroeconomic trends
(7:07) Thematic investing in healthcare and AI
(8:29) Sponsor: Carta
(9:21) Leveraging GP relationships for investment insights
(10:27) Daily portfolio management activities
(15:14) Strategies for managing a $700 million endowment
(20:47) Challenges of illiquidity in venture capital
(22:24) Persistence of returns and tax policy impact
(24:29) Navigating through different market cycles
(26:16) Timing and diversifying the venture market
(29:43) Exploring new asset classes and investment processes
(31:27) Key lessons from 13 years at KFF
(33:09) Developing skills for new institutional investors
(35:54) The role of networking in investment success
(36:50) Closing remarks and sponsor message