Investment Management Operations

Bryan Corbett is the president and CEO of the Managed Funds Association, which represents the global alternative asset management industry. With offices in Washington DC, New York, Brussels, and London, MFA has over 170 members, including hedge funds, credit funds, and crossover funds that collectively manage over 3 trillion in AUM.Bryan joined the MFA in January of 2020 after spending 11 years in private equity at The Carlyle Group. Before Carlyle, Bryan worked on Capitol Hill for the US Treasury Department and as a special assistant to President George W. Bush.If you want to know where the puck is going in the industry, this is the interview. Bryan’s unique experience as a private equity lawyer with Capitol Hill experience puts him in the poll position.Learn MoreFollow Capital Allocators at @tseides or LinkedInSubscribe to the mailing listAccess transcript with Premium Membership

Maarika Paul, CFO & COO at CDPQ, discusses her career, team structure, technology, tax, ESG, advice for operations professionals, and the importance of standardizing the deal process. They also explore implementing ESG factors, climate targets, and responsible investing.

Gordon Barnes, EVP Portfolio Strategies at Bain Capital, talks about his role in managing assets for the firm's partners. He shares insights on operational due diligence, working with investment managers, and the challenges of less mainstream strategies. The episode also discusses the importance of planning, collaboration, and transparency in investment management.

Colin Campbell is a Partner at Bain Capital and co-head of the Partnership Strategies team that manages assets primarily for Bain Capital’s partners in strategies that diversify away from the equity-orientation of the firm’s core. In its search for attractive, uncorrelated assets, the Partnership Strategies team became an early mover in environmental markets.Both Tom Steyer and Bill Orum cited carbon credits and offsets as a necessary and important near-term component to effect climate transition. Colin’s deep engagement in the space provides a wonderful primer for those interested.Our conversation dives into Colin’s background and investment approach that led to the discovery of the opportunity in environmental markets. We then turn to his investment thesis, sourcing, description and nuance of compliance and voluntary markets, and implementation. For full show notes, visit the episode webpage here.  Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership 

Sean Arp, COO of the University of Wisconsin Foundation, discusses investment operations, collaboration, due diligence, technology, peer networks, and governance. He highlights the challenges of managing a forever money portfolio, foundation governance and investment committee, automation in board reporting, managing expectations and partnering with CIOs, and the importance of operations in starting a fund.

Byron Pavano is a Managing Director of Fund Strategy and Counsel for Audax Group, one of the most active private equity firms in North America with $36B in assets under management.Our conversation covers Byron’s path from outside counsel for private funds to inside counsel at Audax, insourcing vs outsourcing, the regulatory landscape across countries, and managing communications. We discuss AI disruption and use cases, the Audax deal process, and the operational interplay between the operations and investment teams. We close on ESG, DEI initiatives and advice on how high performers manage themselves and their relationships with investment-oriented founders.Learn MoreFollow Capital Allocators at @tseides or LinkedInSubscribe to the mailing listAccess transcript with Premium Membership

Ken Meister is a Founding Partner, President, and COO at Evanston Capital Management – a $4.3 billion hedge fund of funds focused on early-stage investment managers in complex, innovative strategy areas. Ken co-founded Evanston in 2002, and today oversees all business and operations of the firm plus operational due diligence. Before Evanston, Ken spent time at William Blair, Ameritech Corporation, and Northern Trust.Our conversation covers Ken’s path to Evanston, its operational makeup, and the firm’s approach to ODD, technology, and communication. We close with Ken’s perspective on the hedge fund industry and advice to aspiring fund managers.Learn MoreFollow Capital Allocators at @tseides or LinkedInSubscribe to the mailing listAccess transcript with Premium Membership

Annie Kerns and Blake Fischer from UVIMCO discuss the importance of investment technology and research management systems. They highlight the benefits of using Bipsync for easy access to information, improved communication, and data analysis. They also explore the potential of AI and automation. The podcast covers implementing a new system during COVID and the success of the switch to Bipsync with extensive preparation and training.

Scott Pomfret, former SEC branch chief and Chief Compliance Officer at Highfields Capital Management, discusses best practices in fund compliance. Topics include relationship between compliance and investment staffs, building teams, scaling operations, managing routine SEC exams, and the importance of organizational values in staying on track.

Jenn Birmingham is a Managing Director at the Princeton University Investment Company (or PRINCO), one of the world’s largest and most prestigious university endowments, where she has been leading efforts in finance and operations since 2010. Prior to PRINCO, Jenn spent over eight years at Deutsche Bank Asset Management where she was a Managing Director and Global CFO of DB Advisors and Deutsche Insurance Asset Management.Jenn and PRINCO are a prime example of how operations can provide leverage to the investment organization. For context on PRINCOs investment philosophy, longtime and retiring CIO, Andy Golden, is a repeat guest on Capital Allocators, and his first appearance is replayed in the feed.Jenn and I discuss her transition to the endowment world from Deutsche Bank and how PRINCO has evolved operationally since her arrival. We turn to the nuances of working at an endowment, collaboration across teams, and practical ways to drive adoption of new technology. We close by examining organizational challenges facing endowments today along with operational advice for emerging managers.Learn MoreFollow Capital Allocators at @tseides or LinkedInSubscribe to the mailing listAccess transcript with Premium Membership