Capital Allocators

Mike Trigg and Sanjay Ayer are Portfolio Managers at WCM Investment Management, a $120 billion investor in growth stocks, where Mike also serves as Co-CEO. I've had the opportunity to chronicle the growth of WCM over the years in conversations with Paul Black, Mike, Sanjay, and other members of the team. Paul first joined the show in 2018 when WCM managed $25 billion, and Mike last appeared four years ago with Paul, describing a piece they had just written entitled How to Build a $100 billion Money Manager. That podcast marked a near-term peak in assets for the firm and subsequently offered a great case study in humility, adaptation, and evolution. In this conversation, we unpack how WCM navigated its most difficult stretch of performance in a long time – what they learned from it, and how they came out stronger on the other side. Mike and Sanjay discuss changes to their investment process, like putting the trajectory back in moat trajectory and searching for the cult in culture, retooling the research funnel, integrating AI as a research partner, and expanding into private markets. As always with WCM, a common thread throughout our discussion is doubling down on the firm's core values to think different, get better, and serve others. From our sponsor, Morningstar Embrace the global language of investment data Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership   Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com⁠)

Paul Black and Mike Trigg from WCM Investment Management are both past guests on the show who have taken an investment philosophy focused on culture and moat trajectory to turn a once struggling boutique into a $100 billion powerhouse. Paul came on the show a few years ago when WCM had quietly grown to $25 billion in assets, and Mike joined a year ago to dive into their research process. Their colleague Mike Tian shared another perspective earlier this year when he described applying WCM's moat trajectory discipline to investing in China. In this continued exploration of WCM, we start with the truly unique facts about the firm's rebirth a decade ago and turn to key features of its success, including embracing change, the importance of culture - alongside some characteristics of toxic cultures, hiring practices, telling the truth, integrating new team members, managing turnover, and transitioning leadership to the next generation. Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership   Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com⁠)

Paul Black is Co-CEO and portfolio manager at WCM Investment Management, a $26 billion manager of global equities that he joined when it was a $200 million boutique in 1989.  With so much of the institutional world, including my own training, focused on value investing, I was pleasantly surprised to learn about a large, high performing growth stock manager located in a non-descript building in Laguna Beach, California. Our conversation starts with Paul's trial-by-fire entry into the business and turns to growth stock investing, including defining a great growth company, searching for widening moats, assessing a culture tied to competitive advantage, creating a positive culture, learning from mistakes, identifying tailwinds, and protecting the downside. Paul embodies the principals he preaches and offers some tasty food for thought. Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership     Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com⁠)

Morgan Housel is a bestselling author, partner at Collaborative Fund, and Board member of Markel. Morgan's work focuses on the intersection of human behavior and financial decision making. His first book, The Psychology of Money, has sold 10 million copies since releasing five years ago and is already one of the best-selling investment books of all time. His second, Same as Ever, explores human behaviors that never change, and is rapidly approaching 1 million copies sold. Our conversation discusses Morgan's latest work, The Art of Spending Money: Simple Choices for a Richer Life. I wanted to get him back on the show to share his thoughts on a subject that affects us all. But I wasn't expecting to have my mind turning on how Morgan's insights about envy, aspiration, and contentment also apply to the assessment of money managers and corporate executives. His recently released book is another tour de force, and I suspect, once again, will soon hit the best seller list. From our sponsor, Morningstar Embrace the global language of investment data Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership   Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com⁠)

Morgan Housel is a partner at Collaborative Fund, blogger about behavior and money, and author of The Psychology of Money. The book has sold 4.5 million copies since its release three and a half years ago and already ranks in the top five best-selling books about finance. Morgan recently published his second book, Same As Ever: A Guide to What Never Changes. Our conversation starts with what happened since his last appearance on the show just before the release of The Psychology of Money. We then turn to his latest magnum opus and discuss some of its themes and stories across storytelling, expectations, compounding, risk, incentives, and people. Morgan's wisdom, humility, and passion for his work come out in spades. He also happens to be a wonderful person and dear friend. Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership   Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com⁠)

Morgan Housel is a partner at Collaborative Fund and one of my favorite writers about investing. Morgan recently released his first book, The Psychology of Money, and I'll go on record and predict it will be a best-seller in short order. Our conversation starts with Morgan's non-traditional education, his path to writing, and his process for writing each week. We then turn to the book and discuss some anecdotes about luck and risk, greed, compounding, patience, and tail events. We close with two of Morgan's personal stories – one about his own investing and the other, which seems inconceivable as you listen, about his lifelong challenge with stuttering.   Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership   Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com⁠)

John Graham is the President and CEO of Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board, or CPPIB, which oversees $730 billion Canadian ($530 billion USD) making it the 7th largest pension fund in the world. Geoffrey Rubin, Chief Investment Strategist at CPPIB, was a past guest on the show describing the Canadian model and that conversation replayed a few weeks ago as part of our CIO Greatest Hits Summer Series. Our conversation picks up from my conversation with Geoffrey, discussing the evolution of the Canadian model, buzz about Total Portfolio Approach, onset of global competition, and its impact. We discuss John's leadership approach to leverage the benefits of CPPIB's size alongside the challenges of doing so across the internal team, external partnerships, global offices, and governance structure. From our sponsor, Morningstar Embrace the global language of investment data Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership   Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com⁠)

The movement of private wealth allocations to alternatives is one of the biggest questions impacting the future of private markets. Our Private Wealth miniseries shared perspectives from allocators and managers on the space. Since then, an Executive Order opened the door for 401(k) plans to adopt alternatives. I wrote, in a recent Musings for our Premium members, that private market allocations in retirement plans may be a big deal down the road, but there's no need to worry about a flood of capital hitting the private markets any time soon. To understand why, I asked Eric Mogelof to come back on the podcast and explain how capital flows in the retirement markets.  Eric is the head of Global Client Solutions at KKR and joined me on the Private Wealth miniseries. In this hot take, Eric breaks down the retirement market across defined benefit, defined contribution, and IRA plans, the importance of target date funds to 401(k)s, and the decision making process required for these various structures to adopt alternatives. From our sponsor, Morningstar Embrace the global language of investment data Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership   Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com⁠)

My guest on today's show is Matt Spielman, Founder and CEO of Inflection Point Partners, an executive coaching firm that works with leaders primarily in investment organizations. Matt first joined me on the show four years ago, where we discussed his path into executive coaching, inflection points in his career, and his GPS system that aligns an individual's goals and helps execute. Our conversation this time builds on that foundation with what Matt has learned since. We explore the challenges of leadership at the top, the personality dynamics that shape investment organizations, and the essential role of feedback, empathy, and appreciation in managing people. We discuss the evolution of Inflection Point from one-on-one coaching to firmwide leadership systems, and the role artificial intelligence may play in scaling his work going forward. From our sponsor, Morningstar Embrace the global language of investment data Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership   Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com⁠)

Matt Spielman is the Founder and CEO of Inflection Point Partners an executive coaching practice he launched after a twenty-year career in the financial and corporate world. Matt partners with high-performing executives and their teams in asset management, media, professional sports, and other industries, and last year was named one of the leading coaches in asset management by Institutional Investor. Our conversation covers Matt's background and path to executive coaching, inflection points in his own career, and his coaching philosophy. We then turn to frameworks for setting goals, executing on them, aligning interests across an organization, and dealing with inevitable setbacks. We close with Matt's thoughts on turnover in an asset management firms and advice for senior leaders. I should note that Matt was a classmate of mine from business school and is also my executive coach. Learn More Subscribe: Apple | Spotify | Google Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe Monthly Mailing List Read the Transcript

Mason Morfit and Rob Hale are the co-CEOs of ValueAct Capital, which manages $11 billion in public equities focused on the US and Japan. Since its founding in 2000, ValueAct has charted a distinctive path in activist investing, eschewing confrontation and publicity in favor of quiet, meaningful partnerships with management teams. But they agreed to join me to reflect as they celebrate the firm's 25th anniversary this year. Mason helped launch the firm and has driven many of its successful investments, including the turnaround of Microsoft in 2013. Rob joined fifteen years ago and leads the firm's investing in Japan. He joined the Board of Olympus in 2019 and helped usher in a new era of engagement between global investors and Japanese companies. Our conversation covers their paths to ValueAct, the firm's history and evolution, and the challenges that great companies face. We cover their philosophy of working with management teams, investment process, governance, long-term value creation, lessons from mistakes, application of their approach to Japan, and the adoption of their principles internally at ValueAct. From our sponsor, Morningstar Embrace the global language of investment data Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership   Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com⁠)

Jack Kokko is co-founder and CEO of AlphaSense, the market intelligence platform often described as “Google for finance.” The company's 6,000 customers canvass 90% of the top asset management firms, all the world's leading investment banks, and over half of the Fortune 500 companies. Our conversation covers Jack's early frustration as an investment banking analyst that sparked the idea for AlphaSense, the evolution of the business from a simple semantic search tool to an AI-powered research platform, the promise and perils of LLMs in high-stakes decision-making, and Jack's vision of an always-on intelligence machine that will transform how business gets done. Jack offers a fascinating glimpse at the intersection of technology, data, and investment decision-making. Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership   Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com⁠)

Herb Wagner is the Managing Partner of Finepoint Capital, a $4 billion opportunistic value hedge fund he founded eleven years ago after spending fourteen years at Baupost and two at Appaloosa under legendary investors Seth Klarman and David Tepper, respectively.   Our conversation starts with Herb's hard work as a youth in small-town Ohio, his fortuitous early entry into distressed investing and hedge funds, and mentors who shaped his investing career. We then dive into the DNA that carried Herb forward to Finepoint, including the evolution of value investing, sourcing miles wide, conducting research and diligence miles deep, constructing portfolios, and current opportunities in Japan and reinsurance.   Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership   Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com⁠)  

Adrian Meli is the co-CIO of Eagle Capital Management, a 36-year-old firm that manages $34 billion using a style-agnostic, long-only strategy. Adrian joined Eagle in 2008 from the hedge fund world and has helped build a team almost entirely comprised of analysts with similar DNA. Our conversation covers Adrian's early passion for finding value, path to investing, and transition from the hedge fund world to long-only at Eagle.  We discuss Adrian's rationale for moving towards long-only, building a team of similar-minded analysts, finding a right to win, seeing around corners to identify outliers and research non-consensus ideas, and constructing a portfolio. Along the way, we discuss overcoming the challenges of active management, the growing inefficiencies in the public markets, and exciting current and potentially future opportunities. From our sponsor, Morningstar Embrace the global language of investment data Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com⁠)

Once in a while, I take a turn on the other side of the microphone and share it on our feed when I've said something different from what I have in the past.   I recently appeared on Michael Sidgmore's Alt Goes Mainstream podcast, which focuses on the intersection of private markets and wealth management. Michael was the first guest on our Private Wealth mini-series and asked me to share my lessons from that mini-series on AGM when it concluded.    Our conversation covers David Swensen's lasting legacy, perspectives on private market interest from the wealth channel, parallels of private equity and the hedge fund industry, behavioral biases in manager selection, and the power of content in asset management.    Please enjoy my turn on the other side of the microphone, with Michael Sidgmore on the AGM podcast.  Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership   Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (⁠⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com⁠⁠)

This week's final Summer Series is a mega two-fer, Raphael Arndt from Australia Future Fund and Geoffrey Rubin from CPPIB. We packaged these two leading sovereign wealth funds together to compare their application of the Total Portfolio Approach – with Australia focused on partnerships with external managers and CPPIB on a hybrid of internal and external management. Both have been thought leaders on modern portfolio management and have experienced great success with their innovative approaches. Please enjoy my conversations with Raphael Arndt from 2018 and Geoffrey Rubin from 2022. Geoffrey Rubin EP. 280 – November 14, 2022 Raphael Arndt EP. 70 – September 23, 2018 Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership

This week's final Summer Series is a mega two-fer, Raphael Arndt from Australia Future Fund and Geoffrey Rubin from CPPIB. We packaged these two leading sovereign wealth funds together to compare their application of the Total Portfolio Approach – with Australia focused on partnerships with external managers and CPPIB on a hybrid of internal and external management. Both have been thought leaders on modern portfolio management and have experienced great success with their innovative approaches. Please enjoy my conversations with Raphael Arndt from 2018 and Geoffrey Rubin from 2022. Geoffrey Rubin EP. 280 – November 14, 2022 Raphael Arndt EP. 70 – September 23, 2018 Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership

This week's Summer Series is a multi-family office twofer, with Stan Miranda, co-founder and Chairman Emeritus of Partners Capital and Jenny Heller from Brandywine. Both firms started as multi-family offices that have evolved in different ways. Partners Capital has grown and scaled as a leading OCIO, while Brandywine has remained a boutique with a fixed set of family clients. Please enjoy my conversations with Stan Miranda from 2023 and Jenny Heller from episode 7 back in 2017 and a follow-up in 2021. Jenny Heller EP. 7 – May 17, 2017 Jenny Heller EP. 211 – August 29, 2021 Stan Miranda EP. 334 – August 21, 2023 Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership

This week's Summer Series is a multi-family office twofer, with Stan Miranda, co-founder and Chairman Emeritus of Partners Capital and Jenny Heller from Brandywine. Both firms started as multi-family offices that have evolved in different ways. Partners Capital has grown and scaled as a leading OCIO, while Brandywine has remained a boutique with a fixed set of family clients. Please enjoy my conversations with Stan Miranda from 2023 and Jenny Heller from episode 7 back in 2017 and a follow-up in 2021. Jenny Heller EP. 7 – May 17, 2017 Jenny Heller EP. 211 – August 29, 2021 Stan Miranda EP. 334 – August 21, 2023 Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership

This week's Summer Series is a multi-family office twofer, with Stan Miranda, co-founder and Chairman Emeritus of Partners Capital and Jenny Heller from Brandywine. Both firms started as multi-family offices that have evolved in different ways. Partners Capital has grown and scaled as a leading OCIO, while Brandywine has remained a boutique with a fixed set of family clients. Please enjoy my conversations with Stan Miranda from 2023 and Jenny Heller from episode 7 back in 2017 and a follow-up in 2021. Jenny Heller EP. 7 – May 17, 2017 Jenny Heller EP. 211 – August 29, 2021 Stan Miranda EP. 334 – August 21, 2023 Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership

This week's Summer Series is an asset class twofer covering hedge funds and private equity. The first is a hedge fund panel comprised of Dan Fagan from GIC of Singapore, Craig Bergstrom from Corbin Capital Partners, and Adam Blitz from Evanston Capital. The second is with Mario Giannini, Executive Co-Chairman of Hamilton Lane. Both offer deep dives into what it takes successfully invest as an asset class specialist. Please enjoy my panel with Dan, Craig, and Adam from 2023 and with Mario Giannini from 2022. Hedge Fund Master Class EP. 318 – May 29, 2023 Mario Giannini EP. 262 – July 18, 2022 Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com⁠)  

This week's Summer Series is an asset class twofer covering hedge funds and private equity. The first is a hedge fund panel comprised of Dan Fagan from GIC of Singapore, Craig Bergstrom from Corbin Capital Partners, and Adam Blitz from Evanston Capital. The second is with Mario Giannini, Executive Co-Chairman of Hamilton Lane. Both offer deep dives into what it takes successfully invest as an asset class specialist. Please enjoy my panel with Dan, Craig, and Adam from 2023 and with Mario Giannini from 2022. Hedge Fund Master Class EP. 318 – May 29, 2023 Mario Giannini EP. 262 – July 18, 2022 Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (⁠https://thepodcastconsultant.com⁠)  

This week's Summer Series is with Ash Williams, the former CIO of the Florida State Board of Administration, where he oversaw one of the largest state pension funds in the US. Ash was an innovator in the space, modernizing the compensation scheme, asset allocation, and governance in a public pension fund – a notoriously tricky political seat. Original Release Date: July 7, 2019 Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership

This week's Summer Series is Nicolai Tangen, the leader of the largest sovereign wealth fund, Norges Bank Investment Management. Nicolai joined Norway's $1.5 trillion pool five years ago after a stellar career in the hedge fund world. He has done a remarkable job as a universal owner of assets, dramatically increasing transparency with his constituents, including on his terrific podcast – In Good Company. Original Release Date: December 4, 2023 Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership

This week's Summer Series is another twofer, Dawn Fitzpatrick from Soros and Steve Rattner from Willett Advisors, Michael Bloomberg's family office. We packaged these two leading single-family offices together to hear their different approaches to a similar investment challenge, with Soros leaning heavily on internal teams and Willett primarily on external. Please enjoy my conversations with Dawn Fitzpatrick and Steve Rattner, both from 2019. Original Air Dates: Dawn Fitzpatrick EP. 111 – November 3, 2019 Steve Rattner EP. 153 – November 17, 2019 Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership

This week's Summer Series is another twofer, Dawn Fitzpatrick from Soros and Steve Rattner from Willett Advisors, Michael Bloomberg's family office. We packaged these two leading single-family offices together to hear their different approaches to a similar investment challenge, with Soros leaning heavily on internal teams and Willett primarily on external. Please enjoy my conversations with Dawn Fitzpatrick and Steve Rattner, both from 2019. Original Air Dates: Dawn Fitzpatrick EP. 111 – November 3, 2019 Steve Rattner EP. 153 – November 17, 2019 Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership

The movies from my teenage years foreshadowed the topsy-turvy world of today's private equity industry. Back then, we heard of strange things afoot at the Circle K (Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure) and dogs and cats living together (Ghostbusters). Today, a lack of distributions and secondary sales from longstanding leaders strange things in the industry and the convergence of public and private assets might feel like dogs and cats living together.   I've been thinking about how this will play out over time and in particular, where future commitments from LPs will land. Read Ted's blog here. Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com)

Our Summer Series kickoff is a twofer, Andy Golden, now retired after thirty years at Princeton University Investment Management Company, and Scott Wilson from Washington University-St. Louis. We packaged these two leading endowments to compare their investment styles.    Scott comes from a direct investing background and has adopted a position-focused approach to diligence and co-investing, leading to a very different portfolio construction. It's perhaps the leading example of a new approach in the endowment world.   Original air date: October 4, 2020   Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership  

Our Summer Series kickoff is a twofer, Andy Golden, now retired after thirty years at Princeton University Investment Management Company, and Scott Wilson from Washington University-St. Louis. We packaged these two leading endowments to compare their investment styles. Andy started his career at Yale with me and became one of the leaders of the endowment model for decades. His discussion of Princo's decision-making process is among the most referenced descriptions of any podcast with a CIO. Original air date: June 26, 2017 Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership

Ron Kantowitz is the Head of Private Debt for Invesco's Global Senior Loan platform, where he leads a team that manages $50 billion focused on middle-market, senior secured, direct lending. Our conversation traces Ron's path to lending and three decades of experience alongside the evolution of the lending markets. We discuss his direct lending strategy, investment process, and perspectives on competition, the role of banks, and opportunities ahead for private credit investors. NA4597908 Capital Allocators and Invesco are not in any way affiliated. This information is intended for Institutional Investors that are US residents. Click here to view the full Disclaimer. Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership  

Today's show features one of the biggest industry legends you may never have heard before. My guest is Tim Sullivan, who recently retired from overseeing Yale University's private market portfolios for 39 years. He joined the Yale Investments Office upon graduation from Yale College in 1986, just one year after David Swensen took the helm. He worked alongside David to build and manage the most successful institutional private equity and venture capital programs in history. Tim lived through the 1987 crash, the early years allocating to privates when no one else did, the dot.com boom and bust, the institutional adoption of alternatives after David published his book in 2000, the GFC, the ZIRP aftermath that created a bigger boom until the hiccup in 2021. We weave in and out of that history, as Tim shares lessons from how Yale managed its portfolios along the way. Tim carries a quiet conviction and sharp analytical mind developed from the front line of the greatest success in institutional investing for decades, and he weighs in on the increasing challenges of repeating that past success going forward.   Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership

Eighteen years ago, I made a bet with Warren Buffett that pitted hedge funds against the S&P 500. The bet took on a life of its own, and I benefited from it far differently than I imagined at its inception.  Almost two decades later, I have an idea for another bet with similar intrigue. Read WTT: A New Twist on an Old Bet with Buffett

Michael Ovitz is the legendary co-founder of Creative Artists Agency, where he transformed Hollywood's talent business and built the most powerful force in entertainment. In his time at CAA, Michael shaped the trajectories of artists, filmmakers, and companies, including actors Tom Cruise, Kevin Costner, Bill Murray, Sylvester Stallone, and Barbra Streisand, filmmaker Steven Spielberg, author Michael Crichton, talk show host David Letterman, the Coca Cola Company, and many, many more. Michael transitioned from entertainment to investing thirty years ago, advising Marc Andreesen and Ben Horowitz on the creation of a16z, and most recently, partnering with Ali Hamed as Chairman of Treville Capital Group. Ali has twice been a past guest on the show, and those conversations are replayed in the feed. Our conversation begins with Michael's formative influences from his upbringing, early lessons that shaped his relentless drive, and origins of CAA. We cover his fascination with creativity, CAA's culture of empowerment, honesty, and momentum, and frameworks for building businesses, assessing talent, focusing on relationships, and learning from new industries. We then turn to Michael's recent work with Ali at Treville. We discuss the beginning of their partnership, the process of scaling, the building of momentum, and the systems that foster accountability, relentless follow-up, and refreshing of relationships. Michael closes with candid reflections on his mistakes and life lessons that continue to shape his remarkable path. Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership

Ali Hamed is the Founder of CoVenture a $2 billion investor across the capital stack of technology start-ups reinventing the economy of the future. Ali first appeared on the show three years ago when CoVenture's assets were around $100 million. That conversation is replayed in the feed. Our second conversation starts with an update on CoVenture's growth and dives into Crossbeam Venture Partners, CoVenture's venture business. We discuss Crossbeam's sweet spot, sourcing, due diligence, deal dynamics, ownership, and decision-making for follow-on rounds. We then turn to examples in fintech and platforms, and close with how CoVenture's taste for novel assets fits into the venture ecosystem. Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership

Ali Hamed is the co-founder of CoVenture and Managing Partner of the CoVenture VC Fund.  CoVenture is an innovative company that identifies and invests in novel assets formed by the intersection of technology and finance. The firm manages an early stage venture capital fund, direct lending fund, and crypto asset index fund, with each taking a creative twist on its market.   Our conversation starts with Ali's entrepreneurial path to the creation of CoVenture, and covers examples of previously unpriced investment opportunities, including produce receivables, employee payroll loans, AirBnB accounts, and loans against employee stock options. We walk through the world of crypto assets and the state of the venture capital industry. Ali's fresh lens on the world offers a fascinating perspective on every aspect of early stage investing.   If I didn't say it in advance, you'll be astounded to hear that Ali is only 26 years old.  He's one to watch for the long-term.   Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership

Today's episode brings together four of my oldest friends in the allocator business for the third time for an unscripted conversation on markets, portfolios, and life. My guests are Brett Barth of BBR Partners, Meredith Jenkins of Trinity Wall Street, Jon Harris of AIM, and Casey Whalen of Lazard Wealth.  Over two decades, our dinner crew has shared investment ideas and perspectives through cycles, and this conversation continues the tradition two years after their last appearance on the show. We kick off with a lighthearted round of Final Jeopardy before diving into the current state of private markets and portfolio liquidity, tax considerations for different investor types, public equities, niche ideas, the role of AI in the investment process, and leadership and team building. Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership

Hugh MacArthur is the Chairman of Bain & Company's Global Private Equity Practice, which he helped found more than thirty years ago. Hugh's consulting team works on around 5,000 investment opportunities every year and comprises the largest practice area at Bain. He also hosts the “Dry Powder” podcast, my favorite in the private equity space.   Our conversation covers Bain's work in private equity across due diligence, sourcing, value added support, and strategy for both GP and LP organizations. We then discuss findings from Bain's latest Global Private Equity Report, including data on the slowdown in deal activity, liquidity bottleneck, private wealth inflows, carveouts, AI, and competitive positioning. We close with Hugh's perspective on the winners and losers of the next era, and the strategies GPs and LPs need to pursue to come out on the right side of a changing industry.   Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership

Bob Oros is the outgoing Chairman and CEO of Hightower Advisors, a leading RIA platform with over $165 billion in assets under management. Bob has spent three decades in the wealth management industry, including stints at Charles Schwab, LPL, and Fidelity before joining Hightower in 2019. During the last six years, he oversaw fifty acquisitions of RIAs that he integrated under Hightower's Well-th Rebalanced culture. Our conversation shares a perspective on how RIAs function and allocate capital at scale. We cover the evolution of private wealth from product sales to holistic planning, the founding and transformation of Hightower, and Bob's approach to building a scalable, advisor-focused platform. We discuss Hightower's acquisition strategy and process, advisor retention, and private equity ownership, and then turn to its investment approach that blends centralized oversight with advisor flexibility. We close with Bob's decision to step down as CEO in an exciting time for the business and some leadership lessons he's picked up along the way. Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership

Josh Koplewicz is the Managing Partner of Thayer Street Partners, a boutique private equity firm he founded in 2012 that provides flexible growth capital to lower middle market companies in financial and business services. Our conversation traces Josh's journey from his early fascination with business and real estate to building Thayer Street into an institutional platform. We discuss the lessons he learned at Goldman Sachs and his transition from scrappy dealmaker to fund manager. We cover Thayer Street's thematic sourcing, deal structuring, and portfolio construction, the evolving landscape for non-bank growth capital, challenges of scaling a boutique firm, and Josh's vision for Thayer Street's future. Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership

David Breach is the President and Chief Operating Officer of Vista Equity Partners, a leading specialist in enterprise software investing with over $100 billion in assets. David joined Vista a decade ago when it managed $13 billion and has been instrumental in helping manage its rapid growth. Robert Smith, Vista's founder, was a past guest on the show, and that conversation is replayed in the feed.   Our conversation centers on Vista's strategic expansion into the private wealth channel. David shares the firm's rationale for moving beyond its institutional roots, the lessons learned from other industry leaders, and the operational buildout required to serve private wealth investors. We discuss Vista's approach to product design and the pitch to offer differentiated exposure. David also addresses the challenges of balancing the needs of institutional and private wealth investors and maintaining discipline as more capital flows into alternatives.   Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership

Robert F. Smith is the Founder, Chairman and CEO, Vista Equity Partners. Vista is a private investment firm that focuses entirely on enterprise software companies and manages $75 billion in assets across private equity, permanent capital, credit and public vehicles. Taken together, Vista's current portfolio companies are about 70 in number and house 70,000 employees, 700,000 customers across 175 countries, and 200 million global users. Its combined revenue would make the portfolio one of the largest enterprise software companies in the world.   Our conversation covers Robert's background, the special characteristics of enterprise software, screening potential targets, adding value through industry expertise, assessing management teams, employing operational and financial leverage, and exiting investments. We then turn to managing Vista and the competitive landscape, and close with reflections on Robert's past mistakes and impact through philanthropy.   Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership

Kipp deVeer is the Co-President of Ares Management, a leading global public alternative investment firm that manages $500 billion across credit, private equity, real assets, and infrastructure. Kipp came on the show last year to share the Ares story, and that conversation is replayed in the feed.   Our conversation covers Ares' credit-centric approach to serving the wealth channel. We discuss Ares' dedicated focus and expansion in private wealth alongside a strategic acquisition five years ago, the resources and strategies Ares has developed since, the firm's approach to scaling distribution, servicing financial advisors, navigating procyclical capital flows in credit, and maintaining underwriting discipline amidst rapid growth. We discuss the challenges of building brand recognition in the channel and opportunities ahead in wealth for real assets and infrastructure investments, and in Europe and Asia.   Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership

Kipp deVeer is a Director and Partner of Ares Management, the $30 billon market cap public company (ARES) that manages $360 billion in assets, including $250 billion in credit. Kipp joined Ares twenty years ago and serves as the Head of Ares Credit Group, CEO of the public BDC Ares Capital Corporation (ARCC), and a member of the Executive Management Committee. Our conversation covers Kipp's path to Ares, the business and credit markets twenty years ago, and the exponential growth of Ares since. We turn to the firm's research process across origination and sourcing, underwriting, investment targets, and portfolio construction. We then discuss Kipp's perspective on the credit environment, opportunities, and risks and close with a look at the future of Ares. 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

Jon Madorsky is Managing Partner and Co-Portfolio manager of the secondaries strategy at RCP Advisors, one of the largest managers focused exclusively on North American lower middle market buyouts. Jon joined the firm 21 years ago and has participated in the growth of the secondaries business from its earliest stages. His partner, Alex Abell, joined me on the show last year and that conversation is replayed in the feed.   Our conversation covers the history and maturation of the secondaries market from a red-headed stepchild to a modern portfolio tool. We discuss the use cases, transaction types, and capital sources in secondaries, RCP's investment strategy, levers of value creation, portfolio construction, and exit strategy. Jon also shares his perspective on secondary market pricing, growth, risks, and the future of the industry. If you'd like to learn more, reach out to Jon directly at jon@rcpadvisors.com.  Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership

Alex Abell is a Managing Partner at RCP Advisors, which at $14 billion of committed capital, is one of the largest firms focused exclusively on lower-middle market buyouts. Alex has spent twenty-three years in the business, starting on the LP side, building Atlas Diligence – a research and advisory platform focused on advanced analytics, and then merging Atlas with RCP a decade ago. Today, he helps manage RCP's research efforts, its customized solutions, and advisory services. Our conversation covers Alex's path and lessons learned investing in lower middle market buyout funds across assessing managers with data, benchmarking, blending quantitative and qualitative factors, and applying insights to primary and secondary investing. Alex and I just scratch the surface on what's possible with analytics in the private markets. If you'd like to learn more, reach out to Alex directly at alex@rcpadvisors.com Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership

Kristin Kallergis Rowland is the Global Head of Alternative Investments for J.P. Morgan Wealth Management, where she oversees $180 billion of alternative investments within the $500 billion managed in J.P. Morgan's $3 trillion private bank. The Private Bank's investment approach resembles that of many institutions, with centralized research, manager selection, and portfolio construction that its financial advisors use in client portfolios. KK has spent her entire career in private wealth at J.P. Morgan, spanning investment functions and global geographies.   Our conversation describes J.P. Morgan's centralized approach to alternative investing for its clients. We cover KK's journey through J.P. Morgan and the evolution of alternatives within the firm. We discuss the allocation strategies for private equity, private credit, real assets, venture capital, and hedge funds, insights from J.P. Morgan's Family Office Report, and the importance of portfolio construction tailored to diverse client needs. KK also shares her thoughts on the democratization of access to private markets, innovations in evergreen fund structures, and the challenges of scaling investment solutions across a global client base.   Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership

In offering a rare take on the current market, I come back to one of my investment truths: the hardest day to invest is always today. Allocators can register for our next cohort of Capital Allocators University here, July 7th in New York City. Read Ted's blog here.

Eric Mogelof is the head of Global Client Solutions at KKR, one of the world's leading alternative asset firms with roots in private equity dating back to 1976. KKR currently manages $640 billion in assets, across approximately $250 billion in credit, $200 billion in private equity, and $160 billion in real assets. The firm's objective in private wealth is to deliver the same strategies, performance, and quality of experience to individuals as it does institutions.   Our conversation shares how a longstanding brand in private equity has adapted to serve the wealth channel in the last five years. We trace Eric's path to KKR after a long run leading private wealth at PIMCO, the growing demand for alternatives among individual investors, innovation behind evergreen structures and interval funds, and importance of brand, customized products, and advisor education.   Eric shares how KKR is investing in marketing, digital engagement, and on-the-ground sales to reach advisors globally, and the firm's partnership with Capital Group to expand access for non-accredited investors. We also cover the competitive landscape and the opportunities and challenges of making alternatives more accessible to a broader range of investors.   Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership

James Clarke is the Global Head of Institutional Capital at Blue Owl, a leading public alternative asset manager with $270 billion in assets under management. James joined Doug Ostrover and Mark Lipschultz shortly after the firm's launch and has been instrumental in its explosive growth over the last eight years. Doug was a past guest on the show, and that conversation is replayed in the feed. Our conversation covers James' path to asset management, lessons he learned over a decade at PIMCO, equally powerful lessons from his subsequent, if less successful, stops, and the application of those lessons at Blue Owl. We discuss product knowledge, relationship development, balancing capital raising needs with long-term partnerships, the evolution of the institutional and wealth channels, the importance of transparency, and the benefits and challenges of scale. Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership

Doug Ostrover is the Co-Founder and CEO of Blue Owl Capital, a public company borne out of a merger combining Owl Rock Capital and Dyal Capital. Doug is also the CEO and Co-CIO of Owl Rock Capital Partners, a direct lender to middle-market companies that he co-founded in 2016 and today manages $30 billion in permanent capital assets. The combined Blue Owl manages approximately $53 billion in assets, over 90% of which is in permanent capital vehicles. Previously, Doug was one of the founders, and the O, in GSO Capital Partners, which today is Blackstone's alternative credit platform. He has been involved in leveraged finance working with private equity sponsors for thirty years.   Our conversation covers Doug's beginnings in leverage financed, the founding of GSO, and keys to his early success. We then turn to the importance of culture, sourcing investment opportunities, the underwriting process, and working with both GPs and LPs. We close with Doug's perspective on the recent formation of Blue Owl and what the future holds for direct lending.   Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership

John Mathews is the Head of Private Wealth Management in the Americas for UBS. UBS is the world's largest global wealth manager with $6 trillion in assets, of which $2 trillion are in the Americas. Private Wealth Management is comprised of roughly 230 teams and 661 financial advisors. Our conversation explores how the largest wirehouse empowers its financial advisors to act as entrepreneurs to bring tailored investment solutions to their clients. We cover the scale and scope of the UBS private wealth platform, the need for personalization, specialization, and customization, the bank's centralized investment strategy and decentralized implementation, its curated alternatives platform, and the evolving landscape for financial advisors. Here's the Head of Content job posting.  Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with Premium Membership