Brad Conger has a rare view into the evolving dynamics of institutional portfolios—and how allocators can adapt. As Chief Investment Officer of Hirtle Callaghan, a $20B OCIO, Brad is responsible for investment decisions across public and private markets, and he's developed a highly nuanced view of what's working, what's broken, and where alpha really comes from.

In this episode, we cover the structural decline of the small-cap index, how private markets have siphoned off the highest-quality growth companies, and why illiquidity can actually be a feature—not a bug. Brad also shares how he builds conviction in contrarian positions, what makes a great spinout manager, and why bigger private equity funds may still outperform.

If you're building or managing portfolios across public and private markets, this episode is full of actionable insights.

Guest Bio:

Brad Conger is the Deputy Chief Investment Officer at Hirtle Callaghan, one of the largest outsourced CIO firms in the U.S., overseeing over $20 billion in assets. He is responsible for investment strategy across asset classes and geographies, leading the firm’s efforts in portfolio construction, manager selection, and tactical asset allocation. Brad previously worked at Goldman Sachs and holds degrees from Harvard and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Sponsor:

Juniper Square is dedicated to transforming the private markets investing experience. The company provides a full range of modern, connected fund technologies and services for over 2,100 private markets GPs across fundraising, reporting, fund administration, treasury, compliance, and business intelligence. Today, over $1 trillion of assets and 600,000+ LP accounts are managed through Juniper Square software and fund administration services. Learn more at www.junipersquare.com/vc.

Stay Connected: X / Twitter:

David Weisburd: @dweisburd

David Weisburd: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dweisburd/

Brad Conger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brad-conger-2990884/

Links:

Hirtle, Callaghan & Co.: https://www.hirtlecallaghan.com/who-we-are/

Questions or topics you want us to discuss on How I Invest? Email us at [email protected].

(0:00) Episode preview

(0:45) Changes in the small cap index and implications for private equity

(3:07) Quality and balance of public small cap companies in the new economic environment

(7:15) The virtue of illiquidity in investments and issues with LP consultants

(9:20) Asset allocation and finding quality in the small cap space

(16:32) Thesis on investing in Europe and executing contrarian bets

(20:26) Building conviction and the benefits of discretionary investment management

(22:54) Role of corporate governance and client-manager relationships

(25:45) Leeway for general partners and the European investment landscape

(28:00) Navigating tariffs, strategic communication, and risk management

(34:43) Bullish perspective on big private equity funds and talent retention challenges

(41:06) Effective generational planning and diversifying a private equity portfolio

(44:24) Preference for spinouts, their advantages, and fund scalability

(52:09) Personal vs. client investment strategies and received wisdom in asset allocation

(57:26) Evolutionary psychology and herd behavior in finance

(58:33) Closing remarks