Capital Allocators 692j11

Alex Abell is a Managing Partner at R 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 R a decade ago. Today, he helps manage R’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 [email protected] Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with  hip

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  hip

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 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  hip

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 ed 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  hip

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  hip

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 is under John’s purview. He oversees 230 teams comprised of 661 financial advisors, each of whom manages over $1 billion in assets. 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. Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with hip

Michael Sidgmore is the Co-Founder of Broadhaven Ventures and the creator of the Alt Goes Mainstream podcast, which explores the intersection of private markets, technology, and wealth management. His career spans early roles at Goldman Sachs and iCapital, experience building businesses in fintech and asset management, and investing across the private market ecosystem. Our conversation offers an in-depth introduction to the intersection of private markets and private wealth. We discuss the origins of Alt Goes Mainstream, the rapid evolution of private markets, the convergence of institutional and wealth channels, and the rise of evergreen structures and new distribution models. We close with Michael’s perspective on how the wave of capital flowing into private markets from private wealth will impact investors, and on the importance of content, brand, and community in shaping the industry’s future. Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with hip

Two weeks ago, James Aitken suggested sharpening your pencil to find specific individual assets that have been beaten down, while Louis-Vincent Gave declared Latin America an attractive place to look. Combining these themes, I reached out to today’s guest, Rodrigo Bitar, Co-founder of 3B1 Partners, to get his perspective on opportunities in the region. Rodrigo was a past guest on the show three years ago, and that conversation is replayed in the feed.   Our conversation this time around covers the investment case for Latin America, 3B1’s experience in Venezuela, lessons learned from operating in high-risk, illiquid markets, the value of bringing capital to the region, the necessity of patience, and a specific individual asset 3B1 is pursuing in Central America.   Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with  hip

Original Release Date: 08/29/2022   On today’s show we’ll discuss a classic empty room – an opportunity ignored by most investors. In this case, we dive into the investment case for Venezuela, a non-starter for pretty much every institution because of the country’s autocratic political regime, sanctions, and headline risk. But alongside those known risks are the potential for significant rewards. Rodrigo Bitar is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner of 3B1 Partners, the leading private equity fund making growth investments in Venezuela. 3B1 invests in high-quality companies with leading positions in basic industries, while looking to capture a change in macroeconomic conditions in the country. Our conversation covers Rodrigo’s upbringing in Chile, professional background, and investment opportunity in Venezuela. We discuss Venezuela’s sanctions, economic contraction, and dollarization of the economy. We then turn to investing in the country, including sourcing, due diligence, and an example of a recent transaction. We close with a discussion of the upside and risks to investing in Venezuela. Learn More  Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn  Subscribe to the mailing list  Access Transcript with  hip  Show Notes (3:18) Rodrigo’s background (6:50) Family dynamics (10:13) Investible assets in Venezuela (12:03) Impact of Russian oil restrictions (13:38) Surviving economic turmoil (17:27) Private vs. public markets in Venezuela (19:31) Identifying companies  (21:51) Due diligence process  (23:49) Assessing valuations (25:28) Risks unique to Venezuela (28:09) Conversations with potential investors (32:05) Closing questions 

No one wants to invest in a small manager. There, I said it. But everyone wants to invest in a great small manager. So how does a small manager try to prove that they’re great? Read Ted’s blog here.

Ben Forman is the Founder and Managing Partner of ParaFi Capital, a $1 billion investment and technology firm that focuses on decentralized finance across digital assets, venture equity, and quantitative strategies. Ben launched ParaFi in 2018 after a decade in traditional finance roles across investment banking, credit investing, and private equity at venerable institutions such as Rothschild, TPG, and KKR. Our conversation covers Ben’s background, pivot to crypto, and launch of ParaFi into a bear market. We then discuss opportunities in the world of DeFi, including borrowing and lending, stablecoins, scaling, insurance, governance, and capital allocation. We close with ParaFi’s research and valuation approach, engagement with DeFi protocols, and seeding crypto managers.   Learn More  Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn  Subscribe to the mailing list  Access Transcript with  hip 

Ben Forman is the Founder and Managing Partner of ParaFi Capital, a $1.5 billion manager of financial applications of blockchain technology and digital assets across long, arbitrage, venture, and GP seeding strategies. Ben last came on the show in 2022 as part of our Crypto for Institutions mini-series, and that conversation is replayed in the feed.   Our conversation dives into the evolution of blockchain over the past few years, including the industry's "Lehman moment" and subsequent recovery. We discuss Bitcoin, memecoins, the rise of stablecoins as blockchain's killer app, tokenized assets, prediction markets, credit, and the intersection of AI and blockchain technologies. Ben also shares insights into ParaFi’s approach to investing and his long-term vision for building a business in this dynamic industry.   Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with  hip

Geopolitical Uncertainty – James Aitken, Louis-Vincent Gave, and Marko Papic (EP.440)

Australian James Aitken is the Founder and Managing Partner of Aitken Advisors, a one-man macroeconomic consultancy based in Wimbledon, England that works with approximately one hundred of the most influential pools of capital in the world. James started his career in 1992 as a foreign exchange trader, moved to London in May 1999, and in March 2002 ed the infamous AIG Financial Products team in London. In August 2006 he ed UBS, where he deployed his knowledge of the inner workings of the financial system to help his institutional investor clients successfully navigate their portfolios through 2007 and 2008. At the urging of his clients, James established his own firm in June 2009. Our conversation covers James' perspective on the Global Financial Crisis from his seat at its epicenter, the Eurozone crisis in 2011, subsequent process-driven opportunities in Greece, views on Central Banks in the US, China, & Europe, some brief observations on India, positioning for the current environment, and what makes a great macro manager.   Learn More  Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn  Subscribe to the mailing list  Access Transcript with  hip 

Marko Papic is the Chief Strategist at Clocktower Group, where he provides research on geopolitics, macroeconomics, and markets. Marko recently published Geopolitical Alpha: An Investment Framework for Predicting the Future, an imminently readable book with colorful examples of political analysis. Marko’s approach is akin to Moneyball for politics, challenging the orthodoxy of how others traditionally make investment decisions. Our conversation covers Marko’s upbringing, the flaws of most political analysis, and his constraints-based framework. We then turn to the obvious political topic at hand – next week’s U.S. Presidential election. We discuss his views of different possible outcomes on the U.S. equity market, rates, tech stocks, China, private equity, ESG, Europe, and emerging markets.   Learn More  Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn  Subscribe to the mailing list  Access Transcript with  hip 

Louis-Vincent Gave is the Founding Partner and CEO of GaveKal, one of the world's leading independent providers of macro research, and GaveKal Capital, a manager of $2.7 billion in assets. Louis launched GaveKal alongside his father in 2000 and has become a go-to source for creative research on global economics and asset allocation, particularly in China. He recently penned CYA as a Guiding Principle, dissecting the consequences of Western government responses to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He ed me to discuss the key takeaways.   Our conversation starts with Louis’ background and founding of GaveKal, and turns to the potential second order impacts of freezing reserves, seizing oligarch assets, end of Swiss neutrality, energy prices, and military spending. We close discussing how the situation may affect China.   Learn More‍ Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn‍ Subscribe to the mailing list‍ Access Transcript with  hip

Howard Marks is a renowned investment thinker and the co-founder and co-chairman of Oaktree Capital Management, a leading global investment firm overseeing $200 billion primarily in credit investments that is majority owned by Brookfield Asset Management. Our conversation covers Howard's journey from his early days in finance to his current insights on the evolving credit landscape. We dive into themes from his latest Memo, Gimme Credit, exploring the pendulum swings in investor sentiment, the rise of private credit, and implications for investors. We also discuss the changing dynamics of private equity, the trend of asset manager M&A, and life as a public company. Throughout our conversation, Howard shares his timeless wisdom on risk management, market cycles, and the enduring principles of successful investing. Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with hip

This WTT – PE Investing in 2030 - takes a look at the playbook for investing in private equity and how the current period of liquidity challenges might impact allocations going forward. Allocators will need to fine-tune their core investment beliefs to answer the many questions this environment has raised. Read Ted’s blog here.

Meghan Reynolds is Partner and Head of Capital Formation & Talent at Altimeter Capital, a leading technology-focused investment firm founded by Brad Gerstner. Meghan ed Brad three years ago, after decade-long stints at Goldman Sachs and TPG. She’s like the private equity version of my friend and partner Rahul Moodgal, bringing a keen understanding of LPs and a relationship-focused approach to her role.   Our conversation covers Meghan’s experience building and maintaining great LP relationships over twenty-five years at both large and smaller firms. She discusses the role of capital formation, approach to serving clients, process of seeking prospects, and parallels between venture capital today and private equity a decade ago. We close with a discussion of what Meghan is hearing from LPs.   Learn More Follow Ted on Twitter at @tseides or LinkedIn Subscribe to the mailing list Access Transcript with  hip