Dear Friends and Colleagues,In a captivating podcast episode, Stefan sits down with Andreas Loetscher, Managing Director of ABBL, a boutique consultancy specializing in reputation protection. Andreas shares intriguing insights from his extensive career in financial auditing and crisis management, including his time at major firms like Ernst & Young and Deutsche Bank. He recounts his firsthand experiences with significant crises such as the Siemens corruption scandal, the Kweku Adoboli case at UBS, and his involvement in the notorious Wirecard audit during one of Germany’s largest frauds.Listeners are promised a deep dive into the intricacies of financial audits, crisis management, and maintaining corporate integrity in the face of adversity. Stay curious and keep investing smartly,Stefan WagnerHost of the Nalu FM Finance Podcast

Dear Friends and Colleagues,In this in-depth podcast episode, Bruce Traan, Global Head of Indices at dxFeed, unpacks the intricacies of index management, emphasising the importance of creating tailored indices to meet specific investment strategies. He underscores the critical nature of data quality and the need for transparency in the processes involved.Bruce also touches on utilising AI and machine learning in developing indices and the significance of clearly communicating the methodologies used. This episode provides insights into the evolving landscape of financial markets and the influence of technological progress on these markets.Bruce Traan is an accomplished business leader with over 21 years of global experience in capital markets and the index industry. He specialises in strategic partnerships, global business development, and index product strategy. Before joining dxFeed in September 2023, Bruce founded Benchmarket, the first peer-to-peer exchange for index licensing. Before that, he served as Chief Index Officer at Coin Metrics and held senior leadership roles at Cboe Global Markets, overseeing the geographic expansion of benchmark products and services. Bruce holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science with a minor in finance from Northeastern Illinois University and an M.B.A. from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Please go to www.myindex.solutions to receive the e-book "Index Technology Providers" which compares the offerings of multiple index providers, including dxFeed. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Stay curious and keep investing smartly,Stefan WagnerHost of the Nalu FM Finance Podcast

tDear Friends and Colleagues,I'm excited to share this podcast episode featuring Chris Corcino, the CEO behind AlphaNotes, with you. In this interview, Chris discusses the company's inception and its response to the evolving financial landscape post-2008 crisis, focusing on technology and private market shifts. Alpha Notes, a securitisation platform for private market fund managers, specialises in private equity, structured credit, and trade finance. Chris highlights their milestones, technology integration with vestr for scalability, and future trends like ESG and tokenisation. Stay curious and keep investing smartly,Stefan Wagner, Host of the Nalu FM Finance Podcast

Dear Friends and Colleagues,I hope you a great start to 2024!The latest Nalu FM Finance Podcast episode features Rico Blaser, CEO of vestr A.G., offering unique insights into investing, speculating, and betting. Rico challenges conventional wisdom with finesse, providing a thought-provoking perspective that will leave you contemplating your outlook.Rico is the CEO of vestr A.G., a fintech company creating SaaS solutions for actively managed products. Before co-founding vestr, he spent over a decade in large financial institutions and on Wall Street. Rico has a quantitative background in computer science, mathematics, and machine learning.In this interview, we discuss:The birth of vestr A.G. as Rico takes us on his journey from competitive swimming to the financial industry, highlighting his passion for quantitative trading strategies and exotic derivatives.The world of AMCs (Actively Managed Certificates) and discover how vestr A.G. is revolutionizing their handling, overcoming hurdles AMC issuers face. Rico's operational insights offer a fresh perspective on active investment management.Effective risk management strategies for actively managed certificates, including tips on diversification, hedging, and collateral schemes to safeguard investments.Stay curious and keep investing smartly,Stefan Wagner, Host of the Nalu FM Finance Podcast

Dear Friends and Colleagues,In this informative interview with Daniel Knoblach, we discussed how to develop, setup and implement custom indices.Traditional and custom indexes follow distinct methodologies for investment and rebalancing. However, the personalized nature of Custom Indexes sets them apart by tailoring methodologies to individual investor preferences. Despite this, many investments are still linked to a few dominant indices. Designing a custom index offers various benefits, such as alignment with values, financial goals, and risk tolerance.Daniel is the founder and CEO of Super Global, an AIFM and securitization expert with offices in Germany and Luxembourg, offering tailor-made AIF and AMC across all asset classes. Previously, as a Board Member, he was responsible for setting up structure and securitization solutions for a Family Office and the Fair Alpha Group in Luxembourg, with a total issuance volume of more than EUR 3 billion. Before that, he worked for a Liechtenstein-based asset manager focused on proprietary fund solutions for institutional investors.For more information, interviews, and comparisons of features across many index technology providers please go to www.myindex.solutions

Dear Friends and Colleagues,In this insightful interview with Jacob Ayres-Thomson and Hassan Salamony, we discussed how Artificial Intelligence can leverage vast amounts of public data to empower investors. Jacob is the Founder and CEO of 3AI, a machine learning company dedicated to unlocking alpha in large data sets. Previously, he represented PwC as their asset & risk modelling expert, advising the UK Treasury during the Financial Crisis and consulting clients across insurance, investment banking, hedge fund and asset management. Before that, he worked in equity trading for Barclays Capital and Goldman Sachs. Jacob holds an MSc (Dist) in Machine Learning from UCL AI Center and a BSc (1st) in Statistics from University College London.Hassan is the COO and co-founder of 3AI. Prior to joining 3AI, Hassan served as MD at Goldman Sachs in London, where he led the global markets FICC sales team for institutional clients across the UK and Ireland. Before this, he was a director at Barclays, leading the bank's coverage team across Europe. He holds a Distinction in Algorithmic Trading from Oxford and a BSc (Hons) in Management Science from LSE. In this interview, we discuss:How can AI make sense of large data sets?How does 3AI make data explainable?How the 3AI solution can predict surprises in the financial markets?  Where is Artificial Intelligence developing?and much more

Dear Friends and Colleagues,In this interview with Pathmajan Rasan, we discussed how the SmartRiskAlpha technology helps investors and investment managers to consistently achieve better performances.In this interview, we discuss:How to time exposure to Risk Premia.A way to combine quantitative models and discretionary management.  Examples on how to reduce volatility and draw downs while maintaining positive returns.His experience incorporating ESG data into the investment process. and much more

Dear Friends and Colleagues,In this interview with Volodymyr Gubskyi, we discussed how to best approach the design of Structured Products and how tools can help in this process.Volodymyr Gubskyi, Co-Founder and CEO of IVM Markets, has 17 years of derivatives solutions and structured product experience. He was head of strategic solutions and derivatives at Deutsche Bank and, prior to that, Royal Bank of Scotland, and Merrill Lynch. Vlad graduated from the London School of Economics.In this interview, we discuss:The advantages of structured productsHow to find the best version of a structured product payout  How to describe structured products in a clear and straightforward languageand much more

Dear Friends and Colleagues,In this interview with Béatrice Guez, we discuss how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can help financial professionals build resilient portfolio allocations and understand key market drivers in any market situation.Béatrice Guez, CEO of Ai For Alpha, has more than 20 years of experience in financial markets. She worked in the structuring departments of various investment banks (JP Morgan, Deutsche Bank, Société Générale). She decided to leave the world of large groups to actively participate in the evolution of asset management with new technologies, in particular artificial intelligence. Béatrice graduated from the French engineering school Ecole Polytechnique and holds a master from the London School of Economics.In this interview, we discuss:How to identify the main  factors of an investment?How can AI add value in finance.Reinforced learningand much more

Dear Friends and Colleagues,In this interview with Richard Waddington, we discussed how to enhance investment returns through data-driven decision-making.In 2013 Richard founded Sherpa Funds Technology, a Singapore based technology-enabled consultancy to fund managers, focusing on enhancing returns through data-driven decision making. At Sherpa, Richard developed mathematical and organizational techniques that are now used in several well known multibillion Asset Manager clients spanning Asia, Europe, and the U.S.Prior to Sherpa Funds, Richard ran the Global Derivatives EM Trading for Barclays Capital, in London and Singapore. This role involved managing change across the firm, particularly in Risk, I.T. and Control functions. Richard was responsible for risk and the team of traders in London, New York, and Singapore covering FX Options, Interest Rate Options and Credit Hybrid products.Richard has a B.A. (Hons) & M.A. from Cambridge University, U.K., where he read Physics and Engineering and enjoys endurance sports, skiing, and good food!In this interview, we discuss:Optimal risk sizing in portfolio managementData driven decision-makingAttributes to define the exposure of an investment portfolio while taking into account its limitationsand much more

Dear Friends and Colleagues,In this interview with Joe Elmlinger, we discussed how to use option strategies in your investment portfolio.In this interview, we discuss:How can option based investment strategies add value?How to use option based strategies in your investment process?How to maintain your desired risk profile?What can kill the performance?and much more

Dear Friends and Colleagues,In this interview with Benjamin Soh, we discussed how to use Distributed Leger Technology (DLT) for financial securities.In this interview, we discuss:Open-architecture bonds through DLT infrastructureWhat are the benefits of a tokenized bond ?How was the AML and KYC process?How were the Green Bond / ESG requirements incorporated?What will be the role of an exchange in the DiFi world?and much more

Dear Friends and Colleagues,In this interview with Joost Burgerhout and Harry Benchimol, we discussed how the Marex FP cross-asset structured product team innovates.In this interview, we discuss:What kind of Structured Products are possible on Crypto?Risk Management of Crypto products?Bitcoin Cash & Carry trade.Partnership with Coinbase.Trends in the Structured Product Market.and much more

Dear Friends and Colleagues,In this educational and entertaining interview with Joe Vittoria, we discussed how regulatory surveillance works and how it can be used efficiently.In this interview, we discuss:How does efficient surveillance work?How to make sense of all the data points?What to look for?How can Artificial Intelligence help?and much more

Dear Friends and Colleagues,In my interview with Adrian Marcu, we discussed investing in Decentralized Finance (DeFi) and how to evaluate such opportunities. Decentralized finance offers financial instruments without relying on intermediaries such as brokerages, exchanges, or banks by using smart contracts on a blockchain.In this interview, we discuss:What is DeFi, and why does it matter?How can one profit from investing in DeFi?What are the different sources of alpha when investing?How do you measure risk for such investments?and much more

Dear Friends and Colleagues,In this interview with Victor Hugo Gomez, we discussed how indexing, historically seen as boring, has become a dynamic and innovative investment solution.In this interview, we discuss:Trends in the indexing industryChallenges when designing an indexThe difference between an Index and Basket calculationEU Benchmark RegulationApplications for direct indexingPlease enjoy,Stefan

Dear Friends and Colleagues,In this interview with George Cotsikis, I asked all of the questions I always wanted to ask about Crypto and related topics such as blockchain, and mining. In this interview we discuss:Why should you care about Crypto currencies?What are the advantages of Crypto currencies over money created by central banks?What are the risks investing into Crypto currencies?How to determine if a Crypto currency is a good investment?Please enjoy,Stefan

Dear Friends and Colleagues,Many things changed in 2021, so I am excited to bring you this information-packed interview with Edward Senior from Fortem Capital about the latest developments in the Structured Products market.In this interview, we discuss:Trends in the Structured Products space in the last 18 monthsInnovation around payoffs and underlyingsUse of structured products payoffs in fundsWrappers from UCITS fund, over Actively Managed Certificates to Tokenized solutionsPlease enjoy,Stefan

Dear Friends and Colleagues,I had an insightful discussion with Daniel Jaeger and Paolo Brizio Torchio at Banca Credinvest about Actively Managed Certificates (AMCs).In this interview, we discuss:Global Opportunities for Actively Managed CertificatesApplications and commercial edge of AMCsLegal and regulatory aspects of AMCsDevelopments outside SwitzerlandWhat questions should an External Asset Manager ask when choosing an AMC issuer?       Please enjoy!

Interview with Luca Bianchi, Partner at leading Swiss law firm Kellerhals Carrard.In this interview, we discuss:What is an Actively Managed Certificate, legally speaking?What is the regulatory framework in which AMCs sit when they are issued or distributed in Switzerland?What themes and trends do you see in your business?...and much more       Please enjoy!