Best Octus Podcasts (2025)

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EP 16 | Tricolor Collapse, QVC’s TikTok Gamble & Kawhi Fallout 57:42

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5h ago57:42

57:42

Jason Sanjana and Kevin Eckhardt open in Dallas with the collapse of Tricolor Auto Group (02:58). Once a major subprime auto lender and used car chain catering to Hispanic communities across the Southwest, Tricolor filed Chapter 7 overnight, shuttering 65 dealerships. Allegations of double-pledged collateral, warehouse loan defaults, and immigratio…

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EP 5 | The Builder’s Mindset: Jack Keck on Product, People & Process 1:06:45

28d ago1:06:45

1:06:45

What happens when a small-town kid with a pink mohawk trades the Marines for Goldman Sachs? Jack Keck, Head of Application Development at Octus, proves that unconventional paths often lead to breakthrough leadership. From sleeping under his desk during the Marcus launch to building the Apple Card infrastructure, Keck's journey challenges everything…

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Lisa Dallmer, COO – Dimensional Fund Advisors (EP.60) 45:21

3d ago45:21

45:21

Running and scaling a global fund group has its challenges. So when I was asking who I should talk to, Lisa's name came to the forefront. Her lens on the industry from the sell side to the buy side is quite unique. Lisa's recognized not only for driving operational excellence and revenue growth, but also for her ability to guide teams through trans…

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EP 07 | Aggregate Restructuring, Prax Collapse, and Autumn Check-In 19:57

11d ago19:57

19:57

Phoebe Appenteng and Katie McMahon open with the landmark Aggregate case (02:18), where a German court ruling has cast doubt on London’s position as Europe’s restructuring capital. What began as a standard Part 26A restructuring plan has turned into a jurisdictional battle that could reshape cross-border insolvency. A Berlin-based developer’s billi…

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EP 15 | Kawhi Leonard in Bankruptcy Court, Spirit on the Brink, and Disqualified Counsel Provisions 1:12:52

13d ago1:12:52

1:12:52

Jason Sanjana and Kevin Eckhardt open in Los Angeles with the biggest sports bankruptcy crossover in years (02:58). NBA star Kawhi Leonard faces scrutiny over a $28 million endorsement deal with now bankrupt tree planting company Aspiration Partners (CTN Holdings). What began as a standard corporate restructuring has turned into a potential salary …

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Ryan Ripp, COO – Flat Rock Global (EP.59) 40:14

15d ago40:14

40:14

Ryan Ripp is the co-president and COO at Flat Rock Global, an alternative credit manager specializing in the junior tranches of CLOs. If you read anything about the industry, the headlines are often about how alternatives are making their way to the wealth channel. The thing I always turn to is how is this going to work operationally. There are so …

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EP 06: Klöckner liquidity crunch and Selecta’s Dutch court battle 28:45

17d ago28:45

28:45

This week Phoebe Appenteng is joined by a fresh voice, Katie McMahon, as co-host. They open with Klöckner Pentaplast at (01:21), where a refinancing has slipped into a liquidity crisis. The German packaging group is facing €79.4 million in overdue invoices and €1.7 billion in 2026 maturities. With leverage at 8.7x and operations in decline, the deb…

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EP 14 | Uncle Nearest Fallout, Stoli Valuations, K-Pop Demons and Dad Core 48:55

29d ago48:55

48:55

Jason Sanjana and Kevin Eckhardt open in Tennessee with Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey's court-ordered receivership. What began as a celebrated brand story has turned into missing collateral, questionable accounting, and a Martha's Vineyard real estate controversy. Fawn Weaver faces accusations of overstating barrel inventory by $21 million, transfe…

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Ryan Teal, Head of ODD – Albourne (EP.58) 50:05

29d ago50:05

50:05

Ryan Teal is a Partner and Head of Operational Due Diligence at Albourne, a global investment consulting firm. Ryan and I talk about the role of AI within the ODD lens. Whether you’re an ODD practitioner or a manager trying to understand current trends you will want to take a listen. Ryan shares their approach on using AI as well as some recent sur…

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EP 13 | Dolphins in Court, Vegas on the Edge, and the Mailman 56:17

1M ago56:17

56:17

Jason Sanjana and Kevin Eckhardt open in Florida with the bankruptcy of the Miami Seaquarium, owned by Mexico-based The Dolphin Company. What began as a typical debt-fueled acquisition has spiraled into one of the most contentious Chapter 11 cases of the year. Former CEO Eduardo Albor is accused of obstructing the current management, withholding co…

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EP 12 | Brightline Trains, Credit Scores & Coldplay Confusion 45:58

1M ago45:58

45:58

This week, Jason Sanjana and Kevin Eckhardt dive into the financial and legal mess behind Brightline, the private high-speed rail system that’s taken on billions in debt while becoming the deadliest passenger train in America. They explore Fortress’s role, Florida’s rail history, and why local governments are now being asked to help foot the bill (…

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EP 11 | Del Monte in the Can, Consumer Spending’s Tapped & The IP Is Out of Ideas 50:29

1M ago50:29

50:29

This week on The Octus Download, Jason and Kevin start with the bankruptcy of the week Del Monte (01:06) a 138-year-old brand now reduced to DIP fights Honorable Judge Michael B. Kaplan, and a TikTok-fueled wave of canned-fruit nostalgia. They unpack the LME-to-Chapter 11 pipeline and how the case became a referendum on DIP fees, minority lender fi…

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EP 10 | Social Security, Chicken Sandwiches & $10B Lakers Math 46:49

1M ago46:49

46:49

Jason Sanjana and Kevin Eckhart kick off with the three words haunting every American retirement plan: Social Security shortfall. They unpack the insolvency date, demographic headwinds, trillion-dollar investment fantasies, and why Twitter’s sovereign wealth fund bros need to chill (01:30). Then it’s a check-in on bankruptcy’s greatest hits Purdue,…

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EP 09 | Wildfires, Yale’s $6B Exit & the Emotional Therapy of Stick 56:39

1M ago56:39

56:39

Hedge funds are clashing with California regulators over wildfire subrogation claims and the fallout could reshape how distressed assets interact with public recovery funds. Jason and Kevin unpack the PG&E playbook, state-level backlash, and who’s really getting paid (01:30). Then Yale’s $6B endowment unwind takes center stage, as the Ivy League ti…

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EP 08 | Klarna Bought the Groceries, Saks Lost the Plot, TikTok Called a Recession 44:20

1M ago44:20

44:20

This week’s economy? Klarna-fried. Retail? Collapsing in real time. Streaming? Somehow deep. Let’s go. (00:57) Buy Now, Cry Later The Klarna-core economy is here. Jason and Kevin unpack how buy-now-pay-later went from sneakers to cereal—and what that says about consumer debt, regulators, and late-stage capitalism. (07:56) Debt Securitization & Swed…

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EP 07 | Bourbon Is Aging Poorly, Bayer’s In Trouble, and The Pope Might Be a Sox Fan 1:02:17

1M ago1:02:17

1:02:17

(01:11) Bayer is back in the headlines, and not for aspirin. Jason and Kevin dive into the $11 billion Roundup litigation mess, Monsanto’s haunting legacy, and the legal gymnastics happening in courts (and potentially Chapter 15). (12:13) Then it’s bourbon time. Patrick Mohan joins to talk about the collapse of Kentucky Owl, bourbon’s overinflated …

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EP 06 | Vegas Has an Identity Crisis and Cruise Ships Won’t Die 57:53

1M ago57:53

57:53

Las Vegas is booming on paper but something feels off. Meanwhile, cruise demand keeps soaring, and Red Dye No. 3 has entered the chat. At (00:25), Jason and Kevin break down why the Vegas Strip feels more like a branding experiment than a destination. By (10:23), they unpack how nostalgia, real estate shifts, and declining food service are reshapin…

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Ashley Sweren, COO/CCO – Standard Crypto (EP.57) 37:35

1M ago37:35

37:35

Ashley Sweren is the COO and CCO at Standard Crypto, a venture capital firm focused on crypto, Web3, blockchain, and DeFi. With institutional investing, we are all keenly focused on finding uncorrelated assets. But here’s the catch: when you go beyond the fundamentals, things get interesting with diligence, operations and finding best in class serv…

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EP 04 | How John Erban Creates Culture Where People Thrive 44:10

2M ago44:10

44:10

John Erban, our Chief People Officer, knows that culture is more than just a buzzword. His path to leadership, shaped by creativity, resilience, and personal challenges, has given him a unique perspective on how to build an environment where people truly thrive. In this episode of People in Focus, John shares: How his empathetic leadership was forg…

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David Brenner, COO – TIFF (EP.56) 43:35

2M ago43:35

43:35

David Brenner is the COO of TIFF Investment Management, an OCIO for nonprofit organizations. Stepping into the COO role of an established manager takes a unique set of skills so I turned to David for his insight. We discuss the common challenges of assessing culture, talent, and legacy; and the importance of timing of when to listen and when to tak…

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EP 03 | Exploring Leadership, Justice, and Journalism with Jennifer Merritt 1:02:30

2M ago1:02:30

1:02:30

What does it take to go from rural Florida to the global stage of media and business leadership? Jennifer Merritt, Octus’ Global Editorial Strategy Lead, has lived it all. This episode of Inside Octus: People in Focus explores her remarkable trajectory, where grit and determination shaped every chapter of her life. Join us as Jennifer discusses: He…

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Heather Kennedy Miner, COO – Advent International (EP.55) 55:47

3M ago55:47

55:47

Heather Kennedy Miner is the COO at Advent International, one of the largest private equity firms in the US. I enjoyed sitting down with Heather to talk about her career path beginning with investment banking and then her 20 years at Goldman Sachs evolving into a variety of positions giving her a unique combination of technical and soft skills well…

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EP 05: AI Takeover Credit Shakeup and the Foundever Fallout 39:46

3M ago39:46

39:46

AI isn’t knocking politely—it’s blowing the doors off European credit. Chris Haffenden and Phoebe Appenteng go deep into how generative AI is hammering the business process outsourcing sector, with Foundever and Transcom debt trading at distressed levels, and bondholders scrambling for clarity. Klarna's call center pivot? Already reversed. But the …

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Kent Collier, CEO – Octus (EP.54) 42:37

3M ago42:37

42:37

Kent Collier is the CEO of Octus, the leading voice in data and intelligence for the credit markets. It was exciting to sit down with Kent to hear about his role as an investor and how he saw an opportunity in the market to create something bigger with the way Wall Street accessed critical information. Kent shares his experience on how they expande…

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EP 04: Restructurings, Tariffs, and the Rise of Rizz 33:05

3M ago33:05

33:05

In Episode 5 of Credit Lens: Europe & Beyond, hosts Chris Haffenden and Phoebe Appenteng dig into the latest wave of telecom restructurings, global tariff tensions, and the financial fallout hitting oil producers like Tullow. They break down Altice International’s debt position and ask whether Patrick Drahi is about to run the same playbook again. …

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EP 03: Designer Debt, Petrofac’s Power Play, and the Fish Doorbell of Amsterdam 19:24

3M ago19:24

19:24

In Episode 4 of Credit Lens: Europe & Beyond, hosts Chris Haffenden and Phoebe Appenteng break down how fashion, restructuring law, and unexpected animal tech are all making waves in European credit. They open with the rise and fall of high-yield fashion. From Golden Goose’s tight issuance to Isabel Marant’s sinking notes, they examine which brands…

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EP 02: LMEs in Europe, Casino’s Post-Restructuring Struggles, and the Sofa Heard Round the Village 21:15

3M ago21:15

21:15

In Episode 3 of Credit Lens: Europe & Beyond, hosts Phoebe Appenteng and Chris Haffenden tackle the big credit themes shaping European markets right now. They start with Cerba and the rising fear of LMEs in Europe, questioning whether Altice-style tactics are becoming the new normal. Then it’s on to French retail, where Casino’s failed turnaround h…

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Reena Jashnani-Slusarz, COO & GC – Juniper Hill Capital Management (EP.53) 42:53

4M ago42:53

42:53

Reena Jashnani-Slusarz is the chief operating officer and General Counsel at Juniper Hill, a multifamily office based in Menlo Park, California. I had fun sitting down with Reena to talk about her non-linear career arc to find herself in a GC and COO role. This was a wide-ranging conversation touching upon some of the legal and operational complexi…

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EP 02 | Inside Kent Collier 55:13

4M ago55:13

55:13

Jenny Bain sits down with Kent Collier not the CEO, not the founder, but the person. In his most personal conversation yet, Kent opens up about the weight of building Octus, the legacy of his parents, what he’s still learning as a father, and why he hasn’t taken an out-of-office in over a decade. He shares what drives him, what haunts him, and why …

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EP 01: Defaults, DPI, and Defense Budgets: Europe’s Credit Crossroads 29:46

4M ago29:46

29:46

In the premiere of Credit Lens: Europe & Beyond, hosts Phoebe Appenteng and Chris Haffenden zoom out from single-name headlines to explore the bigger themes shaping European credit. They unpack Petrofac’s restructuring chaos, decode the rise of DPI as private equity’s pressure point, and explain why IPO chatter might be more about signaling than ac…

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Letti de Little, CCO – Grain Management (EP.52) 45:01

4M ago45:01

45:01

Letti de Little is the Chief Compliance Officer for Grain Management, a private equity firm that invests in telecom, infrastructure, and wireless spectrum assets. Today’s LP is focused on finding uncorrelated assets more than ever. But doing so often requires an understanding of the operational nuances which are different from buying traditional, t…

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John Fitzpatrick, Sr. Managing Director & CTO AAMT – Blackstone (EP.51) 40:47

4M ago40:47

40:47

John Fitzpatrick is a Senior Managing Director and Chief Technology Officer of Alternative Asset Management Technology at Blackstone. These are exciting times in technology with a lot of moving parts so I was excited to sit down with John to get his perspective on where we are today and where we’re going. John shares his thoughts on the big picture…

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Melissa Dickerson, MD Operations & CFO – Genstar Capital (EP.50) 43:47

5M ago43:47

43:47

Melissa Dickerson is the Managing Director of Operations and CFO at Genstar Capital, a private equity firm based in San Francisco and founded in 1988. In today’s competitive market, a common road map to revenue diversification is product expansion or adding a new office overseas. This conversation is a case study on having one strategy and one offi…

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EP 05 | Coachella on Installments, Tariff Tumult, and My Friends and Neighbors 47:16

5M ago47:16

47:16

This week on The Octus Download, Jason Sanjana and Kevin Eckhardt tackle the financial storm building around tariffs and why they’re breaking more than just trade. At (00:57), they dig into how tariffs are freezing capital markets, stalling M&A activity, and forcing companies to shelve sale processes. By (06:00), Jason lays out why the current mome…

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Scott Farden, COO – Nonantum Capital (EP.49) 48:05

5M ago48:05

48:05

Scott Farden is the COO of Nonantum Capital Partners, a Boston-based private equity firm that spun out of Charlesbank Capital Partners in 2018. Launching a first-time private equity fund has a myriad of challenges from leaving your old firm, raising capital, finding talent and activating operations, so I turned to Scott to share his experience. We …

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EP 04 | Tariffs, LMEs, Hooters & White Lotus Walk Into a Market 52:23

6M ago52:23

52:23

In Episode 4 of The Octus Download, hosts Jason Sanjana and Kevin Eckhardt tackle a volatile week in credit markets, corporate scandals, and cultural reflections. They begin with a breakdown of the unexpected ruling in the Johnson & Johnson talc case, before analyzing the financial restructuring behind Hooters’ bankruptcy and the executive pay scan…

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EP03 | How to Kill a Company and Keep the Brand Alive 52:23

6M ago52:23

52:23

Joanne Fabrics went bankrupt. Forever 21 collapsed again. Walgreens just sold for billions. But the brands? Still alive and kicking. At [01:15], Jason and Kevin break down why profitable companies fail and how private equity pulls it off [03:50]. By [05:45], they explain how today’s retail brands survive without stores—or employees. At [12:00], the…

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Kathleen Servidea, GC & CCO – Gallatin Point Capital (EP.48) 46:53

6M ago46:53

46:53

We can’t ignore the fact that AI is playing an increasing role in our day-to-day lives. But the question is how do we do it properly? So I turned to Kathleen to get her insights on bringing AI in house. We cover a range of topics like how to develop an AI policy, how do we identify and assess the growing list of AI service providers. Once selected,…

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EP02 | How the Rich Play by Different Rules—LME Loopholes, Purdue’s Endgame & White Lotus Realities 50:24

7M ago50:24

50:24

This episode dives into the latest Liability Management Exercise (LME) loopholes shaking up debt markets (2:14), and why the Fifth Circuit’s ruling in Serta is just the beginning of a wild restructuring playbook (5:41). We then break down the endgame for Purdue Pharma and Johnson & Johnson’s talc saga (15:07)—are these settlements real resolutions,…

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EP 01 Welcome to Inside Octus Where People Shape the Story 23:15

7M ago23:15

23:15

Welcome to the inaugural episode of Inside Octus: People in Focus, where we dive deep into the stories, journeys, and experiences of the people who make Octus what it is today. Hosted by Jenny Bain, this series is all about transparency, culture, and growth both within the company and beyond. In this first episode, Jenny sits down with Tanya Hubbar…

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Rob McGrail, GC and CCO – DUMAC (EP.47) 32:12

7M ago32:12

32:12

Rob McGrail is General Counsel and CCO for DUMAC, the management company for Duke University As one of the world’s leading endowment managers, Rob shares his career evolution from being the first lawyer at DUMAC, how to create strong team dynamics when closing deals and how the operational investment process has evolved over time. We cover best pra…

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EP01 | Trumps $3T Shock, Bankrupt Brands & The Luka Dončić “Fraud” Theory—What It All Means 39:07

7M ago39:07

39:07

Welcome to the debut episode of The Octus Download, where we break down the biggest credit market stories, cut through the financial noise, and keep things refreshingly real. In this episode, we dive straight into the Trump administration’s shocking $3 trillion federal funding freeze (5:00) and its chaotic impact on Medicaid, state budgets, and the…

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Emi Larson, COO – UCLA Investment Company (EP.46) 43:48

8M ago43:48

43:48

Emi Larson is the COO of UCLA‘s endowment. Emi shares what it’s like going from an ops role at an emerging market manager to a hedge fund of funds and how it led to a COO role of a well-known university. We cover how to make that leap from Director of Operations to the COO seat and the key skills needed for that position. We tackle how non-profits …

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Eric Wortman, COO & CCO – Stable (EP.45) 34:31

9M ago34:31

34:31

Eric Wortman is the COO and CCO of Stable, a GP stakes firm with over $4.5B in assets. If you are an emerging manager or thinking about spinning out, this is the episode for you. As people will tell you, building your own firm and team is vastly different than managing a portfolio. We cover the fuzzy topic of what it means to be “institutional”, ho…

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Mike Peltier, COO – VCIMCO (EP.44) 30:32

9M ago30:32

30:32

Mike Peltier is the COO of VCU Investment Management Company, supporting Virginia Commonwealth University and its related entities in Richmond, Virginia. Virginia Commonwealth University is pioneering what it means to be a public research university while remaining focused on innovation, diversity, and access in the Commonwealth and beyond. Mike sh…

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Ron Landen, CAO & GC – HighVista Strategies (EP.43) 37:09

10M ago37:09

37:09

Ron Lanen is a Partner, Chief Administrative Officer, and General Counsel at HighVista Strategies, an alternative asset manager with approximately $11 billion in assets. Given the uptick in M&A activity, I was interested in getting Ron’s input following their acquisition of abrdn’s US private markets business. Ron’s background makes him uniquely po…

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Troy Pospisil, CEO – Ontra (EP.42) 43:49

10M ago43:49

43:49

This Sponsored Insight features Troy Pospisil, CEO of Ontra, a legaltech firm created for the private markets industry. It was great sitting down with Troy to talk about the evolution of how legal and compliance workflows are going digital. We cover his career from management consulting to the investment team at H.I.G. Capital where he saw a glarin…

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Richey Reneberg, Co-Head of Investor Relations – Taconic Capital (EP.41) 30:10

11M ago30:10

30:10

Richey Reneberg is the Global Co-Head of Investor Relations and Marketing at Taconic Capital, a global event driven alternatives manager founded in 1999 by former Goldman Sachs Partners, Frank Brosens and Ken Brody. Richey’s career path into the industry is atypical so I was excited to share his story. Prior to joining Taconic in 2000, Richey spent…

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Neal Pawar, COO – Enfusion (EP.40) 54:01

11M ago54:01

54:01

This Sponsored Insight features Neal Pawar, the COO of Enfusion, a SaaS platform that combines front, middle and back office in a unified trading system. We cover Neal’s time at some of the world’s top hedge funds and how it informed his decision to build technology for the industry. We talk about the tradeoffs of working for both big and small fir…

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Kevin Moran, COO – AlTi Tiedemann Global (EP.39) 38:48

12M ago38:48

38:48

Kevin Moran is the COO of AlTi Tiedemann Global, a publicly traded multi-family office and alternatives firm with over $72B in assets. Kevin shares his insights on how AlTi has grown over time creating a UHNW service offering to meet the growing and evolving needs of its clients. He shares his thoughts on M&A as a function of organic growth, unique…