The Allocation Agenda
The Allocation Agenda podcast bridges the gap between innovation and insight, bringing together the brightest minds among visionary allocators and investment managers. Our mission is to build a living repository of cutting-edge knowledge powered by the collective expertise of your peer community. We serve as a platform for connection, collaboration, and growth. Join us as we delve into institutional investors' challenges in achieving risk-appropriate returns and how managers adapt to an increasingly competitive market—leveling the playing field through AI-driven technologies that impact everything from compliance and operations to personalization.
The Middleman's Challenge and Solutions in the Allocator-Investment Management Relationship
In this episode of The Allocation Agenda, we sit down with Matthew Burrows, Director of Investment Relations and Marketing at Frostrow Capital LLP, to explore the role of the intermediary in allocator–manager relationships. With a background in discretionary portfolio management, and now working as the 'middleman' between allocators and fund managers, Burrows offers a unique perspective on how to build trust and alignment between two distinct sides of the investment landscape.
He challenges the short-termism often imposed on fund managers, and argues that real conversations should be enabled, not replaced, by technology. From reconciling mismatched timelines to...
Why Outdated Constraints Continue to Shape Trillions of Dollars in Large-Cap Assets
With over two decades of experience in manager research and investment analysis, Gary Tom offers a detailed examination of the 1940 Investment Company Act’s diversified fund rule. He explains why outdated constraints continue to shape trillions of dollars in large-cap assets, explores the real costs associated with capping top holdings, and shares insights on how managers and asset owners can advocate for a non-diversified approach better suited to today’s market dynamics.
Breaking Data Barriers for Better Investing
Liron Mandelbaum, COO of Dasseti, shares insights from his Bloomberg career and how they shaped transformative strategies at Dasseti. He highlights the “aha moment” in investment management, exposing data collection challenges in private markets. Liron explores data democratization and how Dasseti streamlines data flows, replacing outdated processes with seamless, efficient solutions.
"Our client’s job is to invest wisely, manage risk, and assess risk—not to structure data or figure out how to organize unstructured data. That’s where we come in." - Liron Mandelbaum
This conversation highlights the intricacies of data democratization within investment management...
The Pros and Cons of Internal Versus External Investment Management
In this episode of The Allocation Agenda, Matthew Stiling, Senior Operational Due Diligence Analyst at Investcorp-Tages, discusses the evolving dynamics between internal and external investment managers. They discuss the critical role these managers play for allocators, the importance of trust and transparency in relationships, and how new technologies are streamlining the flow of data between allocators and managers. Matt also highlights the challenges of rising costs, regulatory pressures, and talent retention while emphasizing the need for a balanced approach to internal and external management strategies.
"The key to success in this industry is trust, transparency, and culture...
