Can prior career opportunities help you discover your true potential in institutional investing even if they’re not related to the finance sector? Maybe it reveals that ideal ‘a-ha’ moment that sets your future course. 

In our latest episode of the Improving Alpha podcast, we welcome Devana Cohen, Chief Investment Officer of the United Jewish Appeal Federation, (UJA) to discuss her three-pronged mission approach, which manages $2 billion in assets. Listen in as Devana shares her journey from modeling electrons flowing through silicon as a semiconductor R&D analyst to careers in finance at The Ford Foundation, California Endowment, and then landing at the UJA.

Host Michael Oliver Weinberg and Devana Cohen cover the following key takeaways and more: 

Connect with Michael Oliver Weinberg: 

Connect with Devana Cohen:

About Our Guest:

Devana Cohen is the Chief Investment Officer for the UJA-Federation of New York’s Endowment and Retirement Plans. Before joining UJA-Federation of New York in 2013, Ms. Cohen spent five years managing public market investments at the Ford Foundation and The California Endowment.  Ms. Cohen was an Asset-Liability Manager at Toyota Motor Sales, where she also served as a member of the investment team that managed the pension plan assets. Before starting a career in investments, she was a Design Engineer developing semiconductor devices for International Rectifier.  Ms. Cohen graduated from the University of California at Berkeley with dual BS degrees in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering and earned an MBA from the UCLA Anderson School of Management, specializing in Finance and Entrepreneurial Studies. Ms. Cohen is a CFA charterholder.

The information covered and posted represents the views and opinions of the guest and does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of Vidrio Financial, and/or our host, Michael Oliver Weinberg. The Content has been made available for informational and educational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional investing advice. Always seek the advice of your financial advisor or other qualified financial service provider with any questions you may have regarding your investment planning.

The release date may not correspond to the recording date.

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Being able to source accurate data across alternative markets is a complex process. Stocks, bonds, and futures offer continuous price updates and greater intelligence for investors. The landscape is evolving, with a growing number of cutting-edge investment researchers enhancing decision-making on policy issues that will help shape private markets investments for the future.

In our latest episode of the Improving Alpha podcast, host Michael Oliver Weinberg welcomes Greg Brown, professor of finance at the University of North Carolina Kenan-Flagler Business School and founder of the Institute for Private Capital. Dive into their insightful dialogue as they explore groundbreaking research on the risk-adjusted returns of private funds, dissect GP portfolio deal structures and commitments, unravel the correlation of returns, and debate the potential of real assets as effective inflation hedges.

Further highlights from this discussion include:

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About Our Guest:

Greg Brown’s research centers on alternative investments, including hedge funds and private equity funds. He also is a leading expert on financial risk and the use of derivative contracts as risk management tools.

He is the founder and research director of the Institute for Private Capital, faculty director of the Hodges Scholars Program and a member of the Private Equity Research Consortium (PERC) advisory board. Dr. Brown served as the executive director of the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise from 2015-2023.

His research has been published in leading academic and practitioner finance journals, including The Journal of Finance, The Journal of Financial Economics, The Review of Financial Studies, The Journal of Derivatives, The Journal of Portfolio Management and The Financial Analyst Journal. He serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Alternative Investments.

Dr. Brown serves on the board of directors of the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) Association.

He previously served as director of research for Amundi Smith Breeden, a global asset management firm specializing in fixed income investments. He has served as a consultant on financial risk and portfolio management for money management firms, the U.S. government, non-profits and Fortune 500 companies.

The information covered and posted represents the views and opinions of the guest and does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of Vidrio Financial, and/or our host, Michael Oliver Weinberg. The Content has been made available for informational and educational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional investing advice. Always seek the advice of your financial advisor or other qualified financial service provider with any questions you may have regarding your investment planning.

The release date may not correspond to the recording date.

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Institutional investors are not only concerned with searching for alpha opportunities in this market but how technology can aid in that search over time. In an age of digital transformation, how can investors become more competitive in their allocation decisions, and are they effectively adapting to geopolitical concerns, risk, inflation, and more?

For this next entry into the Improving Alpha podcast series, host Michael Oliver Weinberg is joined by Robert Wolcott, Co-Founder & Chairman TWIN Global, Adjunct Professor of Innovation at the Booth School of Business, University of Chicago, and author of “Proximity”, who brings a fresh perspective on technology innovation and its profound implications on investment strategies.

Robert highlights the following concepts in this episode:

Robert’s latest book, Proximity, a way to reshape the way businesses and industries innovate, adapt, and thrive in an ever change world is out now. Learn more about the book here.

Resources:

Connect with Robert Wolcott:

Connect with Michael Oliver Weinberg: 

About Our Guest:

Robert C. Wolcott is Adjunct Professor of Innovation at the Booth School of Business, University of Chicago, and Adjunct Professor of Executive Education at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. From 2010 – 2019, he served as Clinical Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Kellogg. Wolcott won Teacher of the Year from Kellogg’s EMBA program in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2017.

He’s co-founder and chair of The World Innovation Network (TWIN), a global community of nearly 4,000 innovation and growth leaders from over 30 countries and across sectors (business, government, the arts, academia, defense). TWIN gathers 400 delegates for TWIN Global each year in Chicago to explore the future, in addition to smaller gatherings and online sessions. The objective is to build trusted relationships across sectors.

He is a regular contributor for Forbes on the impact of technology on business, society and humanity. His book, Grow From Within: Mastering Corporate Entrepreneurship and Innovation (McGraw-Hill, 2010) has been published in Chinese and Japanese.

The information covered and posted represents the views and opinions of the guest and does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of Vidrio Financial, and/or our host, Michael Oliver Weinberg. The Content has been made available for informational and educational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional investing advice. Always seek the advice of your financial advisor or other qualified financial service provider with any questions you may have regarding your investment planning.

The release date may not correspond to the recording date.

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In just a few days the second Trump administration will be sworn in to the office of the presidency. There has already been a lot of debate around security regulations and what that might mean for institutional investors. Could we see Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies go higher, how will carbon emissions be regulated and reported to investors, and how will active, index, and quantitative investors be impacted by this new administration.

In our first 2025 episode of the Improving Alpha podcast, host Michael Oliver Weinberg sits down with John C. Coffee, Jr., Adolf A. Berle Professor of Law, Columbia Law School to explore these issues while presenting case examples covering Elon Musk’s compensation battles, SouthWest Airlines, and more.

John further highlights his insights on: 

Connect with Michael Oliver Weinberg: 

Connect with John Coffee:

About Our Guest:

A prolific scholar, sought-after speaker, and frequent news commentator, John C. Coffee Jr. is active in several fields and is a recognized leading authority on securities law, corporate governance, white-collar crime, complex litigation, and class actions.

Coffee has been elected a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and is a life fellow of the European Corporate Governance Institute and the American Bar Foundation. He has also been repeatedly listed by the National Law Journal on its annual list of the 100 most influential lawyers in America.

The information covered and posted represents the views and opinions of the guest and does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of Vidrio Financial, and/or our host, Michael Oliver Weinberg. The Content has been made available for informational and educational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional investing advice. Always seek the advice of your financial advisor or other qualified financial service provider with any questions you may have regarding your investment planning.

The release date may not correspond to the recording date.

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Back in the 16th century, when paper money made its debut in Venice, skeptics doubted it could ever replace the clinking of metal coins. Fast forward to today, and we find ourselves seamlessly blending paper, coins, and cryptocurrency. This cutting-edge currency has skyrocketed to a market capitalization of $2-$3 trillion and continues to surge. Just last month, Bitcoin values were on the brink of reaching the monumental $100K milestone.

In our latest Improving Alpha podcast, host Michael Oliver Weinberg sits down with Koray Caliskan, Co-Director, MS Strategic Design and Management, The New School Parsons to discuss more on crypto, taxation, governance, and social innovation. 

Koray highlights the following: 

Connect with Michael Oliver Weinberg: 

Connect with Koray Caliskan:

About Our Guest:

With 25 years of experience in research and design, Koray is a scientist and designer who works in economies, management, and societies. His latest book is Data Money: Inside Cryptocurrencies and their Communities, Blockchains and Markets (Columbia UP). It is based on his award-winning multi-methods research, which was selected as the Scientific Breakthrough of the Year in Social Sciences and Humanities by the Falling Walls Foundation in 2021. He is also a co-founder of Mamame, a social enterprise that empowers under-represented women’s labor, and a former filmmaker whose work has been shown at the Cannes Film Festival. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Design Strategies and an Associate Editor of the Journal of Cultural Economy.

The information covered and posted represents the views and opinions of the guest and does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of Vidrio Financial, and/or our host, Michael Oliver Weinberg. The Content has been made available for informational and educational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional investing advice. Always seek the advice of your financial advisor or other qualified financial service provider with any questions you may have regarding your investment planning.

The release date may not correspond to the recording date.

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Last year, we were honored to have Chris Ailman as a guest on the Improving Alpha podcast. Fast forward 12 months, and lightning has struck twice for the Improving Alpha team, as we welcome Scott Chan, the current CIO of CalSTRS, to the guest chair. 

As the second-largest pension fund in the United States and the premier teacher’s retirement fund globally, CalSTRS manages over $340 billion in assets. Handling a portfolio of this magnitude requires a sophisticated asset allocation strategy that seamlessly integrates cost-saving initiatives, maximizes returns, and enhances risk management on a grand scale. To date, Scott’s innovative strategies have resulted in an impressive $1.6 billion in cost savings.

Tune in to the newest episode of the Improving Alpha podcast and discover the insights Scott reveals on:

Resources:

Connect with Scott Chan:

Connect with Michael Oliver Weinberg: 

The information covered and posted represents the views and opinions of the guest and does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of Vidrio Financial, and/or our host, Michael Oliver Weinberg. The Content has been made available for informational and educational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional investing advice. Always seek the advice of your financial advisor or other qualified financial service provider with any questions you may have regarding your investment planning.

The release date may not correspond to the recording date.

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If you are a CEO at a large public company, who do you speak with when concerned about strategy, formulation of innovative ideas, or even execution of a plan to scale your business investments? Many believe that unless there’s a large activist event or news story, decision-making is solely your own. Is there a way to bring back active governance and drive engagement from board members and investors?

In this latest installment of the Improving Alpha: Innovation in Investing, ESG, and Technology podcast Michael Oliver Weinberg and Shivaram, Rajgopal, Roy Bernard Kester and T.W. Byrnes Professor of Accounting and Auditing; Chair of the Accounting Division, Columbia University explore the challenges in corporate governance. Shivaram goes into what makes governance so difficult, the impact of corporate boards on the direction of governance, and why governance can be imagined as a slow-burning background fire that isn’t significant enough to spark investor attention.

Additional Shivaram highlights include: 

Resources:

Connect with Shivaram Rajgopal:

Connect with Michael Oliver Weinberg: 

About Our Guest:

Shiva Rajgopal is the Roy Bernard Kester and T.W. Byrnes Professor of Accounting and Auditing at Columbia Business School. He has also been a faculty member at the Duke University, Emory University and the University of Washington. Professor Rajgopal’s research interests span financial reporting, earnings quality, fraud, executive compensation and corporate culture.  His research is frequently cited in the popular press, including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Bloomberg, Fortune, Forbes, Financial Times, Business Week, and the Economist. He teaches fundamental analysis of financial statements for investors, managers and entrepreneurs and a PhD seminar on accounting regulation.

The information covered and posted represents the views and opinions of the guest and does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of Vidrio Financial, and/or our host, Michael Oliver Weinberg. The Content has been made available for informational and educational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional investing advice. Always seek the advice of your financial advisor or other qualified financial service provider with any questions you may have regarding your investment planning.

The release date may not correspond to the recording date.

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Information overload can occur in even the most skilled institutional investor when considering the amount of managers and intelligence competing for their time and attention. How can a leading endowment CIO or portfolio manager navigate the volume of financial statements, capital calls, risk/reward ratios, and more? How can they mentor junior analysts to find the diamonds in the rough to help generate alpha?

In our latest Improving Alpha podcast, host Michael Oliver Weinberg sits down with Catherine Ulozas, Chief Investment Officer, Senior Vice President, Investment, Drexel University. Catherine shares her extensive background from the early years at ING Direct prioritizing safety in fixed-income investments and how that brought her to the CIO role at Drexel University.

 Additional highlights from Catherine’s podcast interview include: 

Resources:

Connect with Michael Oliver Weinberg: 

Connect with Catherine Ulozas:

About Catherine Ulozas:

With over 30 years of investment experience, Catherine Ulozas is a senior executive who has managed pools of capital for endowments, insurance companies, the largest US thrift, and a state pension fund. Catherine is the Chief Investment Officer at Drexel University and has continued to improve the Drexel Endowment’s quality and returns, scoring in the top 10% in the Wilshire Consulting Foundations and Endowment Universe for the last 5 years. 

The information covered and posted represents the views and opinions of the guest and does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of Vidrio Financial, and/or our host, Michael Oliver Weinberg. The Content has been made available for informational and educational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional investing advice. Always seek the advice of your financial advisor or other qualified financial service provider with any questions you may have regarding your investment planning.

The release date may not correspond to the recording date.

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Today there’s tremendous focus around the practice of good medicine, the advancement of healthcare innovations, and positive patient outcomes. One company that embodies these characteristics and provides services to the healthcare industry is The Doctor’s Company. The Doctors Company began in 1976 during a crisis period in medical malpractice claims that were skyrocketing. Formed out of historic legislation for the time, and starting with only 450 members this organization has grown to over 90,000 members.

As the nation’s largest physician-owned medical malpractice insurance company it takes a steady hand and solid grasp of the balancing that needs to occur in both the underwriting and asset allocation areas of the business. 

Join Michael Oliver Weinberg, host, Improving Alpha Podcast, as he sits down with TC Wilson, Chief Investment Officer, The Doctors Company. Learn more about TC’s journey and the balancing of investments and underwriting to help generate alpha. 

TC highlights the following: 

Resources:

Connect with TC Wilson:

Connect with Michael Oliver Weinberg: 

About Our Guest:

Chief Investment Officer and Senior Vice President TC Wilson joined The Doctors Company as its first Chief Investment Officer in 2017. Mr. Wilson is responsible for the development, management, and oversight of the company’s strategic investment program. He also ensures that overall investment and growth objectives are met in support of the company’s underwriting profile and operating results. He contributes to The Doctors Company’s strategic growth plan as it relates to investment review and assessment of new partnerships and opportunities. On a day-to-day basis, Mr. Wilson oversees the company’s investment portfolio with the goal of preserving and growing surplus. He also serves as Chairman of The Doctors Company’s 401(k) Committee. Prior to joining The Doctors Company, Mr. Wilson served as Head of Institutional Consulting for The Optimal Service Group (OSG), an investment consultant that specializes in investment advice to the medical malpractice industry. At OSG, he was the lead investment consultant to The Doctors Company from 2000 through 2017. Mr. Wilson has nearly 30 years of investment and consulting experience, including his initial five-year stint with one of the nation’s leading benefits consulting firms in Richmond, Virginia.

The information covered and posted represents the views and opinions of the guest and does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of Vidrio Financial, and/or our host, Michael Oliver Weinberg. The Content has been made available for informational and educational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional investing advice. Always seek the advice of your financial advisor or other qualified financial service provider with any questions you may have regarding your investment planning.

The release date may not correspond to the recording date.

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Allocators face a barrage of ideas and debates around the use of artificial intelligence and large language models, better known as LLMs. How can huge amounts of investor data be transformed and enriched to solve challenges in asset allocations and improve an investment team’s strategy? Better yet, have we accumulated enough ‘scar tissue’ in artificial intelligence to understand what AI gets wrong and is easily corrected, versus what is instantaneously correct and becomes actionable intelligence?

In our latest episode of the Improving Alpha podcast, host Michael Oliver Weinberg sits down with Chris H. Wiggins, Chief Data Scientist, The New York Times and Associate Professor of Applied Mathematics, Columbia University, to dive deeper into the fundamentals of data science, dashboarding, and KPIs.

Further highlights from Michael’s discussion with Chris include: 

Resources:

Connect with Chris Wiggins:

Connect with Michael Oliver Weinberg: 

About Our Guest:

Chris Wiggins is an associate professor of applied mathematics at Columbia University and the Chief Data Scientist at the New York Times. At Columbia he is a founding member of the Department of Systems Biology, the executive committee of the Data Science Institute (http://datascience.columbia.edu/), and the Institute’s education and entrepreneurship committees. He is also an affiliate of Columbia’s Department of Statistics and a founding member of Columbia’s Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics (C2B2). He is a co-founder and co-organizer of hackNY (http://hackNY.org), a nonprofit that since 2010 has organized once-a-semester student hackathons and the hackNY Fellows Program, a structured summer internship at NYC startups. Prior to joining the faculty at Columbia he was a Courant Instructor at NYU (1998-2001) and earned his PhD at Princeton University (1993-1998) in theoretical physics. In 2014 he was elected Fellow of the American Physical Society and is a recipient of Columbia’s Avanessians Diversity Award.

The information covered and posted represents the views and opinions of the guest and does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of Vidrio Financial, and/or our host, Michael Oliver Weinberg. The Content has been made available for informational and educational purposes only. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional investing advice. Always seek the advice of your financial advisor or other qualified financial service provider with any questions you may have regarding your investment planning.

The release date may not correspond to the recording date.

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