The Alternative Data Podcast The Kirk McKeown Episode
May 19, 2022
Kirk McKeown, the former head of proprietary research at Point72 and co-founder of CarbonArc, brings his deep expertise in primary research and alternative data to the discussion. He shares insights on the relationship between primary research and alternative data, emphasizing that the latter complements the former. Kirk also delves into regulatory risks in data acquisition, the innovative mission of CarbonArc in delivering actionable insights to corporates, and the future of data markets, including the potential for compensating consumers for their data.
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Cold Calls Built An Edge
- Kirk McKeown started cold-calling CEOs at Tudor in 1999 and built deal-sourcing skills through persistent outreach.
- He used deep primary research on the Sears-Kmart project to win buy-side interviews and break into the street.
Scaling Primary Research At Glenview
- At Glenview Kirk scaled a proprietary research team that did thousands of expert-network calls and supply-chain checks.
- He learned market cycles firsthand during 2007–2009 which shaped his domain expertise and processes.
Alternative Data Sits Under Primary Research
- Kirk frames alternative data as one collection method under the broader umbrella of primary research.
- Primary research equals self-directed collection, synthesis, and transformation into proprietary insight.
