Take 15
“Digital banking hasn’t actually arrived yet,” David M. Brear of 11:FS told Lauren Foster. But it's coming. He discussed how he anticipates digital banking and fintech to disrupt the finance industry.
Financial Times columnist Lucy Kellaway writes about office life, pushing back against some deep-rooted habits and misconceptions among workers and job applicants alike. She discussed her viewpoints on the financial workplace in a Take 15 interview with Lauren Foster, exploring such subjects as happiness, creativity, and the widespread use of misleading euphemisms.
Africa is a unique opportunity because it is a “blank slate,” according to Bob Geldof. “Corkers,” his description of firms poised to take off once they get capital, are just waiting for new investment.
Jonathan Moog, CFA, and the Lizard Investors team concentrate on the international small- to mid-cap space because they believe there are inefficiencies in that market.
"When someone has a razor-sharp memory, we perceive them to be more intelligent,” says memory expert Chester Santos. “And we always want to do business with, we’re always going to refer, those professionals we perceive to be the most intelligent." That's why it's worth sharpening our memory skills, says Santos. And he has some pointers to help hone them.
There are three elements to emotional intelligence, according to Daniel Goleman: mindfulness, empathy, and relationship skills. Developing these attributes is critical to becoming a better investment adviser.
Carolyn McClanahan believes that financial planners need to help clients figure out their long-term goals rather than focusing on investments alone. She finds that many financial planners avoid discussing health with their clients despite its significant implications.
There are three intangibles that all good portfolio managers have, says Jacques Lussier, CFA, but factor-based benchmarks are still the best way to distinguish the effective managers from the lucky ones.
Interest rates are nearing a lower bound, David Schawel, CFA, tells Will Ortel during a recent Take 15 interview. “Most likely we’re not going to be in a 30-year bull market for interest rates falling again,” he said. So what does this mean for fixed-income investors?
"Thinking about opportunity cost is necessary to thinking well about money, but it’s just not humanly possible,” states Dan Ariely.