How this Small Cap Hedge Fund Took Advantage of Crisis & Controversy to Reach Scale | Stoic Point Capital Management
This episode is brought to you by Fundamental Edge. Learn more about their new AI Academy for buyside professionals: https://www.fundamentedge.com/ai-academy
Raj Shah and Cullen Rose of Stoic Point Capital Management join OPM to explore their winding path to scale and how adapting to the opportunities from the SPAC boom of 2021 brought them new investors and strategies. They also discuss how AI has drastically changed their investing process and their cost structure, the importance of negotiating and changing service providers, and why hedge fund marketing is an active endeavor.
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How AI Tools Are Rapidly Disrupting the Investment Industry | Brett Caughran & David Plon
Learn more about the new AI Academy from Fundamental Edge: https://www.fundamentedge.com/ai-academy
There’s no shortage of speculation about how AI will reshape the workforce, but one area where no speculation is needed is the investment industry. AI is already rapidly disrupting the way investment professionals conduct fundamental equity research and shifting the competitive landscape for fund managers and talent alike. In this interview with Brett Caughran, founder of buyside training academy Fundamental Edge, and David Plon, co-founder and CEO of AI powered investment research platform Portrait Analytics join OPM to discuss the areas of the investment process where AI can already make an impact, the pitfalls and weaknesses of AI in its current state, how this is changing the job description for both portfolio managers and analysts, and the surprising reality that the first movers of AI adoption
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Timestamps
00:00 Intro
01:25 The Rapid Pace of AI Advancements
07:15 How to Start Adding AI to Your Process
15:00 Thesis Monitoring and the Next Frontiers of AI Investment Research
18:45 Current Level of AI Adoption and First Movers in the Hedge Fund World
23:19 Importance of Clearly Defining Your Investment Process Before Adding AI
26:35 The Role of Specialty Investment Tools
29:49 Custom vs Off-The-Shelf Solutions
38:16 Thoughtful AI Prompting is Key
44:01 Biggest AI Pitfalls to Avoid
48:52 How Has AI Shifted the Competitive Landscape?
54:43 AI Investing Bootcamp
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Climbing the Hedge Fund Ladder: From Analyst to Hedge Fund Founder
This episode is brought to you by Fundamental Edge, the leaders in buyside analyst training. Reserve your spot in their new AI Academy today: https://www.fundamentedge.com/ai-academy
In the online community of FinTwit it is extremely common for hedge funders to have anonymous profiles because of strict regulations, but not all these anonymous profiles are made equal. @hfreflection is one of the most insightful anonymous members of the FinTwit community, especially when it comes to the business and industry of hedge funds. In this interview (while maintaining anonymity) HF reveals key aspects of his path to success and shares the insights he picked up on his journey from analyst to eventually launching his own firm after a long stint at a multi-billion dollar long/short equity manager. He touches on the hard decisions people face at different stages, whether you are a young professional trying to break into the industry, a mid-career analyst trying to find the right seat, or a seasoned professional deciding whether staying put or launching your own fund is the right path forward.
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The Golden Age of Fundamental Commodities Trading with Tor Svelland of Svelland Capital (18.5% Annualized Since Inception)
Tor Svelland, CIO and Founder of Svelland Capital, has annualized over 18.5% net of fees since inception in 2017 in their strategy that trades a combination of commodity futures, commodity linked equities, freight derivatives, energy transition linked companies, and electricity producers. Svelland joins Other People’s Money to discuss why he believes new market participants and structural undersupply have made the current environment for commodities trading so exciting. He also discusses how he’s grown his business from personal capital to almost $1 billion in AUM with investors all over the globe.
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Timestamps
00:00 Intro
04:09 Trafigura & Goldman Sachs as Commodities Trading Talent Hubs
06:38 Launching Svelland Capital with Personal Capital
09:03 The First Major Hurdles: 3 Years & $100m in AUM
10:56 ESG and the Commodity Market Backdrop
15:59 Underinvestment & Undersupply in Shipping & Commodities
20:41 Trading Global Supply Chains Shifts
23:44 Trade Expression & Commodities Portfolio Construction
29:06 The Effects of New Commodity Market Participants
36:06 TTF Gas Markets & Price Spike Potential
39:38 Multiple PMs & The Benefits of Taking Risk
42:05 Thinking Internationally & Advice for Young Commodities Traders
45:56 International Investor Interest in Commodities
48:00 Managing AUM Growth & Capacity Constraints
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Deep Engagement: A Banking Approach to Classical Value Investing | Donald Zilkha of Zilkha Investments
Donald Zilkha, founder of Zilkha Investments joins Other People’s Money to discuss how his deep-rooted DNA in banking and deal making has evolved into an investment strategy focused on deep research and engagement with management to affect change without upsetting the apple cart. He discusses how this strategy has evolved from single name SPVs to the commingled strategy he has today, case studies like Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs, and why this classical style resonates with investors.
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Timestamps
00:00 Intro
00:34 The Birth of Modern Banking in the Middle East
10:27 Evolution from Venture, to SPVs, to Drawdown, to Vanilla Equity
19:09 Engagement vs. Activism
27:17 Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs Case Study
33:05 Take Private Opportunities
35:55 Investing in a "Classical" Style
38:43 Talking About Process Instead of Positions
45:02 Value Investing in Tech and Old-Line Businesses
50:05 Team Continuity & Incentives
54:18 Marketing After 10+ Years
Other People's Money is the premier podcast about the business side of the fund management industry. Every week Max Wiethe sits down to learn from some of the best entrepreneurial fund managers about their experience launching and growing a fund management business. OPM is not a show about the next hot stock pick or big trade but an inside look at an opaque and misunderstood industry guided by real professional fund managers who've done it themselves.
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