Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have become very popular among both Wall Street and Main Street investors. Combining aspects of mutual funds and conventional stocks, ETFs are typically viewed as low- cost, low-risk investments. But as we experience more increased volatility and uncertainty, what does the future hold for the ETF ecosystem?  Samara Cohen, managing director and chief investment officer of ETF and Index Investments for BlackRock, shares her thoughts on what the future holds for ETFs and what she believes is the next stage of the ETF evolution.

What is noise?  In the context of decision making, it is unwanted variability in judgment. For investment management professionals, there’s no room for errors in judgment, not when they are counted on to deliver for their clients. In this episode of Guiding Assets, we talk with Olivier Sibony, professor of strategy at HEC Paris and coauthor of Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment. Oliver provides examples and methods for reducing noise and bias, and therefore error in decision making. Employing decision hygiene will give you more confidence in the judgments your firm makes. Be sure to listen and follow Olivier at https://twitter.com/SibOliv and https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliviersibony/.

In what has already been a very turbulent few years for investors, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has rattled investors to the core. The geopolitical uncertainty making headlines has led to heightened market volatility on an economy which was rebounding from the disruptions of a global pandemic. Now, the prospect of a long-term war leaves more questions than answers. Dr. John C. Hulsman, president and co-founder of John C. Hulsman Enterprises, a prominent global political risk consulting firm, explains how we got here, identifies the biggest risks associated with the conflict, and describes the geopolitical implications of this humanitarian crisis on markets today and in the future.

The opinions expressed on this podcast are solely the views of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of CFA Institute.

With the release of the Enhancing Investor Trust: 2022 CFA Institute Investor Trust Study, Gary DeMoss, director at Invesco Consulting, and Adrienne Penta, executive director of the BBH Center for Women & Wealth at Brown Brothers Harriman, discuss the factors that are driving higher trust in financial services. While there is certainly cause for optimism, Gary and Adrienne share what the industry must do to sustain that trust even during periods of volatility. To view the full survey and results, visit https://trust.cfainstitute.org/.

Investment management professionals face a complex and rapidly evolving landscape that can often be challenging to navigate. At the same time, the shift to focusing on innovation and technology presents an incredible opportunity in the form of efficiency, diversity, and stewardship. CEO of CFA Institute, Marg Franklin, CFA, shares four trends for which she believes the investment industry will need to prepare in order to make an impact in the most material and tangible ways for clients and society.

We're excited to launch this spring with a brand new season featuring conversations with some of the most interesting names in the investment management world.

David Littleton and Alex Morris co-founders of F/m Acceleration discuss the Boutique advantage, what is it like to set up your own shop, the considerations for going independent, and the skills and traits necessary for successfully managing an independent firm. ▶️ Subscribe to the Take 15 Podcast YouTube channel

📃 Transcript

📧 Email us for comments, questions, or appearance requests ___________________________________________________________________________ Episode Breakdown: 1:35 The skill sets that people need to have to be successful in going independent and what they should consider before doing so. 4:09 The natural steps that someone would need to go through to start a new boutique firm 8:20 The characteristics that they are looking for to make an investment and to support a new team and firm 11:44 How difficult is the due diligence process? 13:47 Characteristics that make boutiques better or available to create better investment outcomes? 16:41 Crucial ideas and thoughts you would like people to take away ___________________________________________________________________________ Related articles and links: F/m Acceleration ___________________________________________________________________________ Find David Littleton here: LinkedIn

Find Alex Morris here: LinkedIn

Find Bob Stammers, CFA here: LinkedIn Twitter

Find Lauren Foster here: LinkedIn Twitter