Insightful Investor #87 - Eduardo Repetto: Financial Science Meets Portfolio Innovation
Sep 9, 2025
Eduardo Repetto, CIO of Avantis Investors, shares his intriguing journey from aeronautical engineer to financial innovator. He highlights the crucial role of scientific problem-solving in investment strategies and the evolution of financial knowledge. Eduardo discusses the power of diversification in mitigating risks while emphasizing the balance between systematic approaches and market adaptability. He also explores how AI can enhance portfolio management, transforming data handling and investor psychology for better decision-making.
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From Caltech Lab To DFA Research Floor
- Eduardo Repetto recounts moving from Caltech to Dimensional Fund Advisors and working with finance luminaries like Jim Fama and Myron Scholes.
- He describes the experience as “like redoing a PhD” while applying engineering tools to investing.
Leaving DFA And Founding Avantis
- Eduardo describes leaving DFA, taking two and a half years off, then founding Avantis with backing from American Century.
- He emphasizes wanting low fees and the ability to remain in Los Angeles as part of the deal.
Systematize Active Management With Tech
- Systematizing active management uses data, models, and technology to approximate stock-picking at far lower cost.
- That process can scale diversification and lower fees while preserving much of active value-add.