Are there ways for academia and alternative investment managers to collaborate more efficiently and drive better investment performance? Synergies do exist in private market investments but how can investors avoid zombie funds, ESG failures of the past, SPACs and more. The Improving Alpha podcast welcomes Simon Mayer, Carnegie Mellon University. Tune in today.
Michael Oliver Weinberg, co-founder, Improving Alpha Podcast Series
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As the complexity in alternative financial markets grows, is the bridge between academia and institutional investing being stretched to a point of collapse? Both researchers and investors deal with similar problems in institutional investing. Solution approaches may differ, but could a value be found in combining points of view, so that investors benefit from greater combined intelligence and portfolio performance gains?
In our latest episode of the Improving Alpha podcast, we welcome Assistant Professor of Finance, Simon Mayer, from Carnegie Mellon University. Alternative investors who are wondering where academic theory and practitioner insights intersect will gain a tremendous view of the synergies that can be achieved today.
Catch the latest as host, Michael Oliver Weinberg, and Simon Mayer cover these synergies and trends across digital assets, ESG investing, continuation vehicles, and SPACs.
Highlights include:
- What new developments are emerging when it comes to private capital markets?
- What is the attraction to stablecoins, and how will it impact the larger financial ecosystem, especially in light of the Genius and Clarity Acts?
- Why do private equity continuation vehicles exist, and just how great is the risk of zombie CVs and/or GPs sitting on both sides of the deal table?
- What is the current state of ESG today, failures, passive investment when allocators wish to go greener, and shareholder activism?
- What can be learned from the previous SPAC boom? Are they still useful, and how should you ride this roller-coaster for future strategic investments?
- What does Simon believe will occur with the tokenization of other alternative assets as the market evolves?
- And more.
Simon Mayer joined Carnegie Mellon University as an Assistant Professor in Finance in summer 2023. Prior to joining CMU, Simon has been faculty at HEC Paris and a research fellow at Chicago Booth. He received his PhD in Financial Economics in 2021 at Erasmus University Rotterdam. His research interests include Corporate Finance, Financial Intermediation, Private Capital Markets, and Financial Technology. Simon has published in leading academic journals, including the Journal of Finance, Review of Financial Studies, and the Journal of Financial Economics. At Tepper, he is teaching courses on Corporate Finance and Financial Markets.
About Our Host: Michael Oliver Weinberg, CFA
For three decades Michael has invested directly at the security level and indirectly as an asset allocator in traditional and alternative asset classes. Most recently he was a Managing Director, Head of Alternative Alpha, on the Investment Committee, and a board member at APG, a Dutch pension provider. Previously he was the Chief Investment Officer at MOV37 and Protege Partners. Michael is also an Adjunct Professor of Economics and Finance at Columbia Business School, where he teaches Institutional Investing, an advanced MBA course that he created.
Michael is a published author, having written for The New York Times, international investment books, and other publications. Michael has been interviewed by the Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, CNBC, Bloomberg and Reuters. He is a frequent panelist, moderator and lecturer for investment banks, institutional and family office organizations, and business schools.
The information covered and posted represents the views and opinions of the guest and does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of Vidrio Financial, and/or our host, Michael Oliver Weinberg. The Content has been made available for informational and educational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional investing advice. Always seek the advice of your financial advisor or other qualified financial service provider with any questions you may have regarding your investment planning.