TSG Time with Pat and Doug

John Longo joins us for Episode 20 of TSG Time. Dr. Longo is a Distinguished Professor of Finance & Economics at Rutgers Business School and Chief Investment Officer and Portfolio Manager at Beacon Trust. John co-authored Buffett’s Tips: A Guide to Financial Literacy, and he discusses how he came up with the idea for the book, the writing process, and the experience of writing a book with his son, Tyler. John talks about the trips he’s gone on with Rutgers students to meet Warren Buffett in Omaha, Nebraska. “For many years, Buffett met with students on a Friday afternoon, roughly around ten or twelve times a year, and we got to go for free. There was Q&A for a couple of hours, he took us out for lunch, and we got a tour of his businesses in the area.” In the lightning round, John tells us about the historical event he’d like to witness, and talks about the two people who have had the most profound impact on his life.Connect with John on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-longo-5625657/.

Nicholas Mirlocca joins us for Episode 19 of TSG Time. Nick is the Senior Product Manager for GIPS® at FactSet. He discusses FactSet's GIPS solution, the hurdles firms face on their way to compliance, and the impact outsourcing will have on GIPS professionals. "That additional level of validation needs to happen. If you're relying on a third party to send you your performance after they've done the operations and closed the books, you can't just lean on that. The performance team and the validation process are still key." He also talks about the latest trends in performance and provides advice to firms that are interested in becoming compliant. In the lightning round, Nick shares the top three items on his bucket list and the three items he'd bring to a deserted island.Connect with Nick on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-mirlocca-cipm-1300775/.

Cynthia Shaw-Pereira joins us for Episode 18 of TSG Time. Cynthia is Vice President and Head of Asset Owner Solutions at CIBC Mellon. She’s responsible for establishing strategic priorities for her firm’s asset owner segment and services for institutional investors active in the Canadian Market. A 2024 recipient of the Outstanding Women in Performance & Risk Measurement award, Cynthia tells us what the award means to her and reflects on her experiences in the industry.  Cynthia was part of the “Performance Challenges with Private Equity” panel at the PMAR Conference in May and she provides us with a summary and key points, and shares some of her favorite memories from the event. “I enjoyed all of the sessions. I found them all really good and timely in terms of the topics. I really enjoyed the sidebar chats that you have with people and firms when you’re at the conference.” She provides advice to other women in the industry, and talks about what the certificate in ESG Investing study and testing process was like for her. In the lightning round, Cynthia tells us what the theme song of her life would be and what fictional world she’d want to live in.

Theo Bell, Head of AI Product at Rimes Technologies, discusses leveraging AI for data management in the asset management industry. She shares insights on productivity, personalization, and strategies for AI adoption. Theo also talks about the Rimes AI lab and her admiration for her brother's career. A lighthearted lightning round covers funny pet sleeping positions and music preferences.

John D. Simpson sits down with Pat and Doug for Episode 16 of TSG Time. John has been in the performance industry since 1985, and he currently heads up TSG’s Global Investment Performance Standards (GIPS®) practice. He is also TSG's Chief Verification Officer (CVO) and discusses how this unique role sets TSG apart. John talks about his favorite PMAR memory, Performance Jeopardy, the importance of the CIPM designation, and what he likes most about his career in performance measurement. "Our industry is rapidly evolving, so there's always something new to learn. And again, I come back to the people as well; lots of great people in the space that are fun to work with." In the lightning round, he gives a synopsis of one of his favorite films, "My Life as a Dog." Connect with John on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/johndsimpson/.For more information on the PMAR Conference, visit https://tsgperformance.com/events/pmar/.

In Episode 15, Pat and Doug sit down with Frances Barney.  Frances is the Head of Global Risk Solutions and Institutional Accounting Operations within BNY Mellon Asset Servicing, and a 2018 recipient of TSG's Women in Performance & Risk Measurement award. This May at the PMAR (Performance Measurement, Attribution, and Risk) conference, Frances will be participating in a panel on methods and styles of client reporting, and she gives us a sneak peek at the topic. She shares her favorite PMAR memory and some key takeaways from last year's Women in Performance Measurement (Wipm) in-person event. "There's such a strong desire to connect and build a network, in part to help the next generation, but in part to develop a shared language and sense of experiences." She tells us about ImprovEdge, the business training company she co-founded shortly after graduating from college, and in the lightning round, shares her dream musical theatre role.Connect with Frances on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/frances-barney-cfa-24280b12b/.For more information on Women in Performance Measurement (Wipm) and the 2024 Wipm conference, visit https://tsgperformance.com/events/women-in-performance-measurement/.

In Episode 14, Pat and Doug interview Chris Lourens of Solve Consulting. Chris has a 30-year tenure in the financial markets, and over 24 years of involvement in the GIPS® standards. Last year, Chris participated in a webinar with David Spaulding titled “The GIPS Standards and The South African Market: What You Need to Know,” and he shares some of the key takeaways from that event. He discusses GIPS myths, the GIPS Compliance Thinktank, and the benefits of compliance for asset owners. "But I honestly believe that even from an asset owner point of view, the value they get out of implementing GIPS is making sure they go through all the steps and that everything is correct, so that at the end of the day, you know you've got a clean system, you've got clean processes, and things are working." In the lightning round, Chris talks about his favorite risk measure, the book he recommends everyone read, and the movie he's watched the most.Connect with Chris on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-lourens-management-consultant/.

Arun Muralidhar sits down with Pat and Doug for Episode 13. Arun is Co-Founder of Mcube Investment Technologies LLC, and Co-Founder and Client CIO of AlphaEngine Global Investment Solutions.  In 2016, Arun won the Dietz Award for his article “Attribution Hears a Who! The Case for Decision Maker-Based Attribution.” He talks about how he came up with the idea for this article during a conversation at a conference dinner in the Netherlands. “By the next morning, I had a draft of the paper, so sometimes, it’s just pure luck that you happen to sit next to somebody, and that’s why conferences are great.” Arun tells us about his new book on risk-adjusted performance and its importance for finance theory and practice, and he provides writing advice for other performance professionals.Connect with Arun on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/arun-muralidhar-74b2182/.

Melissa Ahern joins us for our first episode of 2024! Melissa is product manager for performance & analytics, including asset owner private market services at State Street, and she has over 20 years of experience in the performance industry. She shares her performance measurement origin story with us and talks about the importance of the CIPM exam for those beginning their performance journey. Melissa discusses the future of ESG, the Performance Measurement Forum, and how asset owners benefit from GIPS compliance. "I think being confident in the data that's being reported is certainly a benefit, and knowing that best practices are being followed and that there's consistency." In the lightning round, Melissa touches on Superman, Jody Picoult, and the last song she downloaded.Connect with Melissa on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissaahern/. For more information on the Performance Measurement Forum: https://tsgperformance.com/events/performance-measurement-forum-asset-owner-roundtable/.

In the final episode of the year, Pat and Doug sit down with Alex Serman. Alex has been with First Rate for seven years and is currently a managing director responsible for the strategic direction and growth of the Wealth Bank/Trust and Institutional markets. Alex attended the Performance Measurement Forum meeting in Porto, Portugal in November where he presented a topic on artificial intelligence. He shares some of the key takeaways with us, including when AI is coming, the risks, and the impact. "So, like any other tool, depending on how you use it, it could be good, it could be bad. It’s really up to you as a user to make sure that you integrate that properly, you mitigate all those risks." Alex also talks about his recent blog post, “5 Performance Measurement Methodologies to Master After-Tax Benchmarking,” the Whiskey and WealthTech podcast, which he hosts, and his love of languages. In the lightning round, Alex tells us about his go-to feel-good dinner and shares his favorite holiday memory from childhood.   Connect with Alex on LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/in/alex-serman-cipm-b04002a2/. For more information on the Performance Measurement Forum: https://tsgperformance.com/events/performance-measurement-forum-asset-owner-roundtable/.