The Fiftyfaces Podcast

Julie Koeninger is Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager in Agriculture at Manulife Investment Management, where she leads business development for Manulife Investment Management global agriculture strategy.  She has over 30 years of experience in agriculture investing, having worked in a series of roles at other institutions prior to joining Manulife and led the first ever securitization of US Agricultural mortgages.   Our conversation traces Julie’s career at the intersection of infrastructure and finance and the evolution of those industries in terms of product creation and understanding of the asset class. We examine some of the lateral moves that Julie made throughout her career and how they contributed to her growth as a professional.  We spend some time on the innovations in products centered around agriculture and look at how investors are treating agriculture within the context of their overall portfolio.  This podcast is kindly supported by GCM Grosvenor. GCM Grosvenor is a global alternative asset management firm with a longstanding commitment to supporting small, emerging, and diverse investment managers. For over 30 years, the firm has developed expertise in funding and guiding these managers as part of its broader activity across alternative investments.  With over $20 billion in AUM dedicated to small and emerging managers and $16 billion in AUM dedicated to diverse managers, GCM Grosvenor leverages its experienced team, broad network, and proprietary sourcing capabilities to support their success. Through the Small, Emerging, and Diverse Manager Program, the firm creates opportunities for investors to access a wide range of talent while seeking to drive strong returns and impact. For more information, visit www.gcmgrosvenor.com.

Mike Tiedemann was a Founding Partner, CEO and Chairman of the Internal Investment Committee at Tiedemann Advisors, as well as CEO at Tiedemann Investment Group (TIG), before leading the merger that created AlTi. Early in his career, Mike lived and worked in Brazil as part of the equity research group at Banco Garantia and later ran the equity sales and trading operations for Latin America.Mike serves on the board of multiple organizations and has been recognized multiple times for his contributions to charitable causes. He founded and chairs The River Fund, a nonprofit that provides food, education and support services to help families in New York City break the cycle of poverty.Our conversation starts with Mike’s experience in emerging markets and how that set the tone for the rest of his career – leading to a comfort level with uncertainty and a tolerance for volatility. We move then to discuss his founder role in a financial firm, and how he experienced a merger of that firm and the dynamics that went with it. Finally we end our discussion with a deep dive into the issues that are close to Michaels’ heart and why.  This podcast is kindly supported by GCM Grosvenor. GCM Grosvenor is a global alternative asset management firm with a longstanding commitment to supporting small, emerging, and diverse investment managers. For over 30 years, the firm has developed expertise in funding and guiding these managers as part of its broader activity across alternative investments.  With over $20 billion in AUM dedicated to small and emerging managers and $16 billion in AUM dedicated to diverse managers, GCM Grosvenor leverages its experienced team, broad network, and proprietary sourcing capabilities to support their success. Through the Small, Emerging, and Diverse Manager Program, the firm creates opportunities for investors to access a wide range of talent while seeking to drive strong returns and impact. For more information, visit www.gcmgrosvenor.com. 

Sarah Fromson, who is Chair of the Cambridge University Endowment Fund Investment Advisory Board.  She also holds a number of other Non Executive Board roles, including at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Quilter Investors, Capital Generation Partners among others. She spent 11 years as head of Investment Risk at the Wellcome Trust and prior to that was a Chief Investment Risk Officer at RBS Asset Management.  Our conversation starts with Sarah’s ascent through the City in various investment and risk roles and discuss the evolution of the risk management function. We discuss how norms and corporate culture changed during this time, and how risk was handled at Wellcome Trust. We move then to discuss her portfolio career and what it takes to be an effective board member and chair.    This podcast is kindly supported by GCM Grosvenor. GCM Grosvenor is a global alternative asset management firm with a longstanding commitment to supporting small, emerging, and diverse investment managers. For over 30 years, the firm has developed expertise in funding and guiding these managers as part of its broader activity across alternative investments.  With over $20 billion in AUM dedicated to small and emerging managers and $16 billion in AUM dedicated to diverse managers, GCM Grosvenor leverages its experienced team, broad network, and proprietary sourcing capabilities to support their success. Through the Small, Emerging, and Diverse Manager Program, the firm creates opportunities for investors to access a wide range of talent while seeking to drive strong returns and impact. For more information, visit www.gcmgrosvenor.com.

Rob Gardner is the CEO and Co-Founder of Rebalance Earth, which redirects the flow of capital to protect and restore nature at scale, He was a guest on this podcast in 2021, and that show is available here.  He has recently written a book with the title FR££DOM, which advocates three money moves to transform your finances. EARN IT, KEEP IT, GROW IT. This is just one part of his career-long mission to further financial literacy, education and investing for a world worth living in.  This podcast is mainly focused on the book FR££DOM, which is designed as a toolkit for young people to enjoy financial freedom.  We talk about the different attitudes to money and different needs as well as the shifting priorities of generations – e.g. the current young generation seeking to own less and experience more.  On the topic of saving, we discuss how most people are not wired to save and the rise of credit – such as Buy Now Pay Later Schemes. We move then to discuss previous economic crises/property market crashes and what they teach us in terms of fiscal discipline and then discuss the two chapters in the book dedicated to digital assets and crypto currencies. This podcast is kindly supported by GCM Grosvenor. GCM Grosvenor is a global alternative asset management firm with a longstanding commitment to supporting small, emerging, and diverse investment managers. For over 30 years, the firm has developed expertise in funding and guiding these managers as part of its broader activity across alternative investments.  With over $20 billion in AUM dedicated to small and emerging managers and $16 billion in AUM dedicated to diverse managers, GCM Grosvenor leverages its experienced team, broad network, and proprietary sourcing capabilities to support their success. Through the Small, Emerging, and Diverse Manager Program, the firm creates opportunities for investors to access a wide range of talent while seeking to drive strong returns and impact. For more information, visit www.gcmgrosvenor.com.

"An investment in education gives the best returns” Benjamin FranklinTony Miller is managing director of Excolere Equity Partners, a private equity firm focused on the education space.  He holds a number of board roles including Apollo Education group, ACT, Criteria Corp and Go Guardian.  He was co-founder of the Vistria Group, a Chicago based private equity firm and prior to that was Deputy Secretary and Chief Operating Officer in the US Department of Education.  Our conversation traces his extensive career in education, including roles at McKinsey, Silver Lake, Vistria and the US Department of Education. He emphasizes the importance of deploying private capital in education to achieve significant impact at scale and highlights the need for innovative solutions that can be scaled across various educational sectors.  We turn then to the potential role of AI in transforming education, and how to align financial returns with educational outcomes. Miller underscores the significance of diversity and inclusion in education and shares personal reflections on career highs and lows. This podcast is kindly supported by GCM Grosvenor. GCM Grosvenor is a global alternative asset management firm with a longstanding commitment to supporting small, emerging, and diverse investment managers. For over 30 years, the firm has developed expertise in funding and guiding these managers as part of its broader activity across alternative investments.  With over $20 billion in AUM dedicated to small and emerging managers and $16 billion in AUM dedicated to diverse managers, GCM Grosvenor leverages its experienced team, broad network, and proprietary sourcing capabilities to support their success. Through the Small, Emerging, and Diverse Manager Program, the firm creates opportunities for investors to access a wide range of talent while seeking to drive strong returns and impact. For more information, visit www.gcmgrosvenor.com. 

Ilya Zaides is CIO and Founder of 14B. He started his career as a lawyer, eventually transitioning to an allocator role within two leading hedge fund allocators. He then made a switch into fund management, founding 14B 15 years ago.Our conversation starts with Ilya’s childhood and the impact of his parent’s immigrant’s journey – in which they   traveled from the former Soviet Union. We examine the impact that this has on work ethic, subject choice, and some of the philosophical underpinnings that he inherited from his parents.We speak about his own journey from law, what it was that he didn’t enjoy about this area of study, and how he transitioned into the world of investment. We turn then to his current focus at 14B and the challenge of navigating the current turmoil in markets. This podcast is kindly supported by GCM Grosvenor. GCM Grosvenor is a global alternative asset management firm with a longstanding commitment to supporting small, emerging, and diverse investment managers. For over 30 years, the firm has developed expertise in funding and guiding these managers as part of its broader activity acrossalternative investments. With over $20 billion in AUM dedicated to small and emerging managers and $16 billion in AUM dedicated to diverse managers, GCM Grosvenor leverages its experienced team, broad network, and proprietary sourcing capabilities to support their success. Through the Small, Emerging, and Diverse Manager Program, the firm creates opportunities for investors to access a wide range of talent while seeking to drive strong returns and impact. For more information, visit www.gcmgrosvenor.com.

Jeanie Coomber is the founder of the Warriors at Work platform, and an executive coach.  Our discussion charts her journey from a corporate career at Alliance Bernstein to becoming a coach. We talk about the personality type necessary to be a coach, and Jeanie Coomber highlighted her unique approach to coaching, integrating her mother's psychotherapy expertise. There is more information on the Warriors at Work platform here: https://jeaniecoomber.com/warriors-at-work-show/In discussing what she is tackling in her coaching conversations today, we also discussed the evolving needs of executives, such as navigating politics and fostering human-oriented conversations. Jeanie emphasized the importance of courageous conversations and self-reflection. She shared challenges that have been faced, including starting her business post-maternity leave and managing her family medical issues.  This podcast is kindly supported by GCM Grosvenor. GCM Grosvenor is a global alternative asset management firm with a longstanding commitment to supporting small, emerging, and diverse investment managers. For over 30 years, the firm has developed expertise in funding and guiding these managers as part of its broader activity across alternative investments.  With over $20 billion in AUM dedicated to small and emerging managers and $16 billion in AUM dedicated to diverse managers, GCM Grosvenor leverages its experienced team, broad network, and proprietary sourcing capabilities to support their success. Through the Small, Emerging, and Diverse Manager Program, the firm creates opportunities for investors to access a wide range of talent while seeking to drive strong returns and impact. For more information, visit www.gcmgrosvenor.com.

Shan Chen was until recently a portfolio manager focused on mostly private investments at the Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System, where he spent over 17 years. He previously worked primarily within information technology and did research work in biochemistry. He has recently retired from the PSPRS and is focusing full time on developing AI solutions for investment management.  Our conversation traces his route into the investment world from his science background and his years of learning under the leadership of Mark Steed, CIO at the PSPRS, whose podcast we captured in July 2021.  We move then to the innovation in place at the PSPRS investment process including the development of more refined and reliable predictions and the embrace of machine learning. We examine the potential for this in the asset allocation function  as well as how AI can assist allocators with getting through the sheer mass of information and documents that they face.  This is a self-aware retrospective by a member of the most forward thinking investment offices in the US public fund arena. This podcast is kindly supported by GCM Grosvenor. GCM Grosvenor is a global alternative asset management firm with a longstanding commitment to supporting small, emerging, and diverse investment managers. For over 30 years, the firm has developed expertise in funding and guiding these managers as part of its broader activity across alternative investments.  With over $20 billion in AUM dedicated to small and emerging managers and $16 billion in AUM dedicated to diverse managers, GCM Grosvenor leverages its experienced team, broad network, and proprietary sourcing capabilities to support their success. Through the Small, Emerging, and Diverse Manager Program, the firm creates opportunities for investors to access a wide range of talent while seeking to drive strong returns and impact. For more information, visit www.gcmgrosvenor.com.

Wendy Li is the co-founder and CIO of Ivy Invest, a FinTech asset management firm.  She previously worked in the investment office of the endowment of New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. In our discussion we start with her immigrant background in Pennsylvania, and her ascent through studying finance to a role in an allocator. Our discussion then turns to the founder's journey - the challenge and opportunity that FinTech and WealthTech present, and why the human element is unlikely to be replaced fully.  Wendy emphasized the value of mentorship and the significance of giving back to the community through nonprofits like EWAAB and Flight Path Dance Project. Wendy has a newsletter, which can be accessed here: askacio.ivyinvest.coThis podcast is kindly supported by GCM Grosvenor. GCM Grosvenor is a global alternative asset management firm with a longstanding commitment to supporting small, emerging, and diverse investment managers. For over 30 years, the firm has developed expertise in funding and guiding these managers as part of its broader activity across alternative investments.  With over $20 billion in AUM dedicated to small and emerging managers and $16 billion in AUM dedicated to diverse managers, GCM Grosvenor leverages its experienced team, broad network, and proprietary sourcing capabilities to support their success. Through the Small, Emerging, and Diverse Manager Program, the firm creates opportunities for investors to access a wide range of talent while seeking to drive strong returns and impact. For more information, visit www.gcmgrosvenor.com.

Jennifer Ryan is Head of North American Distribution at Lazard Asset Management.  She previously was Head of UK Institutional Sales at BlackRock and Head of the US Institutional Pensions at Blackrock, and started her career at Goldman Sachs.In our conversation we tackle the craft of fund distribution, and Jennifer highlights the importance of understanding client ecosystems, building trust, and adapting to evolving client needs. She stresses the significance of team-based approaches and mentorship in her success. Moving to the changing shape of the institutional landscape Jennifer notes the impact of market changes, such as the shift to private markets and the generational shift in CIOs, on client needs. We talk about the importance of honesty and transparency in client relationships and return to the oft-repeated themes of risk-taking and investing in networks.GCM Grosvenor is a global alternative asset management firm with a longstanding commitment to supporting small, emerging, and diverse investment managers. For over 30 years, the firm has developed expertise in funding and guiding these managers as part of its broader activity across alternative investments. With over $20 billion in AUM dedicated to small and emerging managers and $16 billion in AUM dedicated to diverse managers, GCM Grosvenorleverages its experienced team, broad network, and proprietary sourcing capabilities to support their success. Through the Small, Emerging, and Diverse Manager Program, the firm creates opportunities for investors to access a wide range of talent while seeking to drive strong returns and impact. For more information, visit www.gcmgrosvenor.com.