
The Don't Get Fired Podcast by Stanford Long-Term Investing
In the coming decade, we will need long-term investors to innovate to meet their return objectives, as well as deliver a range of positive externalities to the world. This podcast will seek to showcase how leaders of long-term investors can innovate without getting fired. Ashby Monk and Daniel Adamson interview investment professionals working in long-term investors about the big innovations they have accomplished.
Latest episodes

Apr 29, 2025 • 46min
UPP's Aaron Bennett: How To Build A New Canadian Pension Fund
Aaron Bennett, Chief Investment Officer of Ontario's University Pension Plan, dives into the fascinating world of building a new Canadian pension fund. He discusses the innovative challenges of creating a mid-size fund likened to a 'baby dragon,' emphasizing unique governance and collaboration. Bennett explores how emerging technologies like AI can improve asset management and enhance investment decision-making. He also highlights the importance of team alignment and diverse talent in fostering high performance within the pension sector.

Apr 9, 2025 • 52min
ISIF's Founding CEO Eugene O'Callaghan: How To Build A New Sovereign Development Fund
Send us a textWith giant new new SDFs coming to Indonesia and the United States, the former and founding CEO of the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund reflects on the challenges of SDF design, governance, and management.

Mar 10, 2025 • 54min
PSPRS' Mark Steed: Unlocking More Powerful Investment Predictions / Decisions
Mark Steed, Chief Investment Officer of Arizona's Public Safety Personnel Retirement System, hashes out his journey from intern to investment leader. He discusses the challenges of predictive accuracy in finance, emphasizing the need for a total portfolio approach. The conversation dives into enhancing decision-making with innovative forecasting methods and the blend of human insight with machine learning. Steed also highlights the essential balance between accountability and technology in refining investment strategies.

Feb 19, 2025 • 45min
Cambridge University's Tilly Franklin: Rethinking Long-Term Investing Inside An 800 Year Old University
Send us a textThe CEO and CIO at University of Cambridge Investment Management discusses how she has leveraged Cambridge University's unique sustainability knowledge and networks in order to drive more resilience - and higher performance - into this £4.5B endowment portfolio.

Sep 29, 2024 • 49min
Fremont's Joseph Sáenz: Harnessing Real-World Superpowers to Power Outperformance
Send us a textThe Managing Director of Quantitative Analytics at Fremont Group discusses how this major Single Family Office has tapped neurodiversity in the pursuit of differentiated portfolios that outperform.

Sep 6, 2024 • 46min
CBUS' Brett Chatfield: Linking Long-Term Outperformance with The Real Economy
Send us a textThe Chief Investment Officer of the Construction and Building Unions Superannuation Fund discusses the power of long-term thinking and the connection of his fund's outperformance to the real economy.

Aug 30, 2024 • 44min
SFERS's Kurt Braitberg: Reconstructing Public Equities for Outperformance
Send us a textThe Managing Director of Public Markets at San Francisco Employees' Retirement System (SFERS) explains his fund's evolving approach to public equities and reflects on constructing -- and then reconstructing -- the active equities book.

Jul 26, 2024 • 53min
AIMCo's Kevin Bong: Delivering Clients Everything Everywhere (Almost) All At Once
Kevin Bong, the Chief Investment Strategist of the Alberta Investment Management Corp, known for his client-centric investment strategies, shares insights on his innovative 'Multi-Model Model.' He discusses the importance of collaboration in pension funds and how technology enhances customized portfolios. Bong emphasizes transforming infrastructure for better client delivery and draws intriguing parallels between investment management and orchestral music, spotlighting adaptability and teamwork as key elements for success.

Jun 26, 2024 • 43min
CalSTRS Christopher Ailman: Pioneering a Range of Innovation Programs
Send us a textAfter 24 years as Chief Investment Officer of the California State Teachers’ Retirement System, Chris shares his reflections (just days before he retires) on a remarkable career bringing innovation to public pension funds, with particular focus on his experience building three different "innovation labs" inside CalSTRS.

May 29, 2024 • 47min
CalPERS Michael Cohen: Building A Talent Pipeline From Universities To Public Pensions
Send us a textThe Chief Operating Investment Officer of The California Public Employees Retirement System explains how he invented the Long-Term Investor Fellowship - with a certain neat-o team from Stanford University - to build a new and unique talent pipeline from universities to public pensions.