46: Can Global Giants and Focused Specialists Co-Exist? | $500B Industry Think Tank CEO Dani Hristova of the Independent Investment Management Initiative on Building a Successful Boutique | Why Story is Critical to Success

There's room for everyone at the table in the fund world—not just the bigs, but have fund buyers gotten the memo? 

Thanks to champions like Dani Hristova, who are relentless about spotlighting the underdogs, fund buyers can thrive. 

As CEO of the Independent Investment Management Initiative–a networking group representing 45 firms and $500B in assets–Dani gives small shop owners a platform to bring the specialized brilliance of small shops to the center stage. 

In this episode, Stacy and Dani discuss: 

• Dani's Backstory –  from earning a psychology degree to discovering her passion for finance at Schroders
• Redefining the word ‘boutique’ – why Dani believes it’s not a dirty word but a superpower
• Why ‘putting your cards on the table’ and sharing the story behind the performance builds trust from a human psych perspective 

About Dani Hristova:

Dani Hristova is CEO of the Independent Investment Management Initiative (IIMI), the member-led industry think tank representing investment boutiques. In 2023, she was also appointed Non-Executive Director at Spring Capital Partners. 

Dani began her career in financial services at Legal & General Investment Management in 2015 within the defined benefit pension scheme client team; she later joined Schroders Investment Management, with responsibility for some of the firm's largest pension scheme clients. Dani also worked for Nordea Asset Management, leading its UK insurance efforts until May 2023.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode: 

Song: Red Hot Chili Peppers - Can't Stop

Book: Save Your Acorns by Robert Gardner

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