Improving Alpha: Innovation in Investing, ESG and Technology Podcast Por Michael Oliver Weinberg arte de portada

Improving Alpha: Innovation in Investing, ESG and Technology

Improving Alpha: Innovation in Investing, ESG and Technology

De: Michael Oliver Weinberg
Escúchala gratis

The Improving Alpha: Innovation in Investing, ESG and Technology podcast with host Michael Oliver Weinberg, is built to engage with innovative allocators on forward thinking investment management business strategies and the challenges across alternative investment sectors. Through each of these discussions we will explore achievements, lessons learned and future advice for dealing with today’s financial markets. This podcast series is being powered by Vidrio. Learn more at Vidrio.com.Copyright © 2022 Improving Alpha Economía Finanzas Personales
Episodios
  • Improving Alpha: Gerd Gigerenzer’s Case for Heuristics in Investing

    Improving Alpha: Gerd Gigerenzer’s Case for Heuristics in Investing
    Feb 17 2026
    Albert Einstein is often quoted as stating, “The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant.” As a society today, in this unstable world, you need both to accelerate success while avoiding defensive decision-making. Instead of taking up that defensive position, have the courage to go with more robust yet easier strategies blending data and intuition together. There’s no better guest to help us navigate the field of heuristics and how institutional investors can apply psychology today than Gerd Gigerenzer , Director Emeritus, Max Planck Institute for Human Development. In this latest Improving Alpha discussion, Gerd tells us why he gave up his life as a musician and chased his dreams in the field of academia, eventually writing several books, such as: Gut Feelings: The Intelligence of the Unconscious Risk Savvy: How to Make Good Decisions Simple Heuristics That Make Us Smart How to Stay Smart in a Smart World Calculated Risks: How to Know When Numbers Deceive You Additional discussion points in this podcast include: What is the purpose of the Max Planck Institutes around the world, and how can they impact the lives of those in the financial space?What is a heuristic?Quarterly Reporting: Aswath Damodaran recently expressed his opinions on quarterly reporting. What does Gerd believe when it comes to the value of quarterly reporting for companies today?The concept of volatility and what it means today for those working in finance.Why did Harry Markowitz avoid using his own Nobel-winning prize method in choosing his own investments in retirement, favoring a simple heuristic that is equal to 1/N?What is the Turkey Illusion, and why can this be applied to shocks like the financial crisis of 2008 and the Great Depression?How can AI be leveraged in both an uncertain world and a more narrow/stable situation? Are there different applications?And more. Resources: Simple Heuristics That Make Us Smart by Gerd GigerenzerCalculated Risks by Gerd GigerenzerRisk Savvy by Gerd GigerenzerHow to Stay Smart in a Smart World by Gerd GigerenzerRadical Uncertainty by John Kay and Mervyn King Connect with Gerd Gigerenzer: Max Planck Institute for Human DevelopmentLinkedIn: Gerd Gigerenzer Connect with Michael Oliver Weinberg: LinkedIn: Michael Oliver WeinbergVidrio About Our Guest: Gerd Gigerenzer is Director Emeritus at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development and founder of the Harding Center for Risk Literacy. A former professor at the University of Chicago, he is internationally known for his research on decision-making under uncertainty, heuristics, and statistical literacy. His work challenges conventional ideas of optimization and highlights how simple, well-designed rules can lead to better outcomes in complex, uncertain environments. 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. The release date may not correspond to the recording date. Source
    Más Menos
    52 m
  • Improving Alpha: Andrew Junkin on Strengthening Defensive Layers in Pension Retirement Plans

    Improving Alpha: Andrew Junkin on Strengthening Defensive Layers in Pension Retirement Plans
    Jan 26 2026

    There’s a famous sports adage on how great defenses win championships, but can defensive layers be efficiently applied to pension plans that have close to $128 billion in AUM and provide secure retirement benefits to 850,000 participants?

    In addition to positioning your defense, how can CIOs reduce drawdown risk while navigating investment board politics, innovation goals, and uncovering longer-term sources of strategic alpha? ​In our first episode of 2026 for the Improving Alpha podcast, we uncovered allocation strategies for the Employees’ Retirement System of Hawaii.

    This time, we traveled ~5,000 miles to welcome Andrew Junkin, Chief Investment Officer of the Virginia Retirement System (VRS). Host, Michael Oliver Weinberg, speaks with Andrew about his journey from investment consulting to moving east of the Mississippi, where he took on the CIO role at the State of Rhode Island during COVID, before landing at VRS.

    Key takeaways from Andrew’s discussion include:

    • Why, after 150 nights on the consulting road, did Andrew look for a career change?
    • How does Andrew balance the Code of Virginia rules in avoiding large drawdowns by adding layers of defense to the portfolio?
    • Can good investment decisions be freed up from political perspectives, and how does that shape governance of the $128BN fund?
    • Does cash on hand actually create drag in asset owner portfolios, or does it help liquidity, avoiding the ‘shaking of couch cushions to fund capital calls and more?
    • With equity prices and valuations at all-time highs, and spreads tightening, are there still investment opportunities out there to take advantage of for your beneficiaries?
    • Red flags on asset gathering mode by fund managers, and flipping the right switches on investment partnerships.
    • Why the Chief Investment title shouldn’t be about picking investments, but rather focus on machine building for the future.
    • And more!

    Connect with Andrew Junkin:

    • LinkedIn: Andrew Junkin
    • Website: Virginia Retirement System

    Connect with Michael Oliver Weinberg:

    • Michael Oliver Weinberg
    • Vidrio

    About Our Guest:

    Andrew Junkin serves as the Chief Investment Officer of the Virginia Retirement System where he manages and oversees the investment program for the fund, valued at more than $100 billion. The fund serves approximately 773,000 active members, retirees and beneficiaries. VRS covers teachers, state employees and most employees of the Commonwealth’s counties, cities, towns and political subdivisions.

    Previously, Junkin served as the Chief Investment Officer for the State of Rhode Island’s pension plan, defined contribution and 529 plans, as well as cash and operating funds and debt management program.

    Prior to his public fund experience with Rhode Island, he worked at Wilshire Associates in California and Colorado, where he served in various capacities, including Managing Director and President from 2015 to 2020. During his tenure, Junkin also served as the Lead Consultant for a $400 billion pension plan and was responsible for driving overall strategy, asset allocation, risk management, implementation and sourcing new strategies.

    From 1995 to 2005, Junkin was the President of Asset Services Company in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma where he served as Lead Consultant for family office and foundation clients.

    Junkin holds a Master of Business Administration from the Wharton School and a bachelor’s degree in Business from Oklahoma City University.

    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.

    The release date may not correspond to the recording date.

    Source
    Más Menos
    32 m
  • Improving Alpha: Kristin Varela on the Human Impact of Pension Stewardship

    Improving Alpha: Kristin Varela on the Human Impact of Pension Stewardship
    Jan 6 2026
    When running a pension plan for 150,000 active and retired members across the state of Hawaii, there are several factors that help achieve a 7% return. Governance, portfolio risk awareness, and culture all weigh on the minds of the investment team at the Employees’ Retirement System of the State of Hawaii. In our last official recording of the 2025 Improving Alpha podcast season, we welcome Kristin Varela, Chief Investment Officer, Employees’ Retirement System of the State of Hawaii. Kristin and her team oversee the $25 billion plan, which has a mission of ensuring the financial dignity and multi-generational wealth for plan employees in this generation and for those in the future. In this discussion with our host, Michael Oliver Weinberg, Kristin details her ‘fingerprint’ of principles and practices to prioritize steady and reliable results for the plan. Highlights include: What initially excited Kristin about the CIO position at ERS of the State of Hawaii, and how her operational and cultural background moved her to the top of the candidate pool. Why diversification is at the core of their investment beliefs, and how it enables her team to innovate alternative investment structures while adopting a proactive approach to asset management. Looking at the value of complexity over time and understanding the opportunity costs involved in making capital decisions. What were the steps in doubling down on fund managers that represented our core values and understood our mission versus those that were less innovative and aligned to the ERS mission? How her past experience working with Jonathan Grabel (a past guest of the Improving Alpha Podcast) shaped her view of ESG and how she puts ESG to work, given the culture of Hawaii.Why is food security such an interesting advancement for the pension plan, and what are some of the plays that Kristin and her team are navigating today in this space? How AI is featuring in capital plans, whether it’s on the manager side and implementing systemic strategies or through investment plays like data centers or larger energy transition themes. Disruption across private market investments and how Kristin keeps her plays in things like private credit and real assets at a high level of quality. And more Connect with Kristin Varela: LinkedIn: Kristin Varela Connect with Michael Oliver Weinberg: Michael Oliver WeinbergVidrio About Our Guest: Kristin Varela is the Chief Investment Officer for the Employees Retirement System of the State of Hawaii, a $23b pension plan, serving nearly 150,000 active and retired members across the state of Hawaii. She is responsible for the design and implementation of the Fund’s overall strategic goals, policies, and programs. Kristin holds over 15 years of experience in the institutional investment industry and has served in both public and private sectors throughout her career. Prior to her time in Hawaii, Kristin served as the Deputy Chief Investment Officer and Interim Chief Investment Officer for the Public Employees Retirement Association of New Mexico. In these roles Kristin oversaw the delegated implementation of a $17b pension portfolio, ensuring the long-term solvency of the Plan, and serving over 90,000 active and retired members. Kristin holds broad expertise in modeling, market analysis and manager-specific due diligence across various asset classes of public, private, and alternative markets. She specializes in risk-based asset allocation and portfolio management, real asset investment opportunities, innovative investment solutions, and prudent portfolio implementation through focused operational management. Kristin holds a BBA in Finance from New Mexico Highlands University, and is a recognized industry leader, featured in Market Group’s “2024 Elite 100 CIOs” (2024), as well as a Chief Investment Officer “Industry Innovation Awards” finalist (2021), and a top “Forty-Under-Forty” next generation leader (2017). She is from a multi-generational family of local New Mexicans and is a proud mother to her 15-year-old son. 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. The release date may not correspond to the recording date. Source
    Más Menos
    46 m
Todavía no hay opiniones