Navigating Our World

In the wake of the U.S. election, Emily Harding, Robin Niblett and James Harding kicked off the NOW conference in Austin by examining the geopolitical risks, alliances and power dynamics that could drive the global order. It was a provocative discussion, reflecting the precarious state of our world. As you'll hear, Emily and Robin offer some unsettling—and quite illuminating—insights.

Marc Andreessen is one of the most influential Silicon Valley founders and investors, so when he talks about the future of tech, we want to pay attention. In this conversation, recorded live at our NOW conference in June 2024, Brown Advisory's Elise Liberto sat down with Marc to explore: why he's a techno-optimist, innovation in the age of AI, the state of venture capital, and lots more.  

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The views expressed are those of the author and Brown Advisory as of the date referenced and are subject to change at any time based on market or other conditions. These views are not intended to be and should not be relied upon as investment advice and are not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance, and you may not get back the amount invested. The information provided in this material is not intended to be and should not be considered to be a recommendation or suggestion to engage in or refrain from a particular course of action or to make or hold a particular investment or pursue a particular investment strategy, including whether or not to buy, sell, or hold any of the securities mentioned. It should not be assumed that investments in such securities have been or will be profitable. To the extent specific securities are mentioned, they have been selected by the author on an objective basis to illustrate views expressed in the commentary and do not represent all of the securities purchased, sold or recommended for advisory clients. The information contained herein has been prepared from sources believed reliable but is not guaranteed by us as to its timeliness or accuracy and is not a complete summary or statement of all available data. This piece is intended solely for our clients and prospective clients, is for informational purposes only and is not individually tailored for or directed to any particular client or prospective client.

As investors, we are keenly interested in what it takes to create and sustain cultures of excellence. In this conversation, recorded live at our NOW conference in San Francisco in June, Brown Advisory's Karina Funk sat down with Kim Budil, Director of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. For Dr. Budil, stewarding a culture designed for transformational technical breakthroughs--such as fusion ignition--is a matter of national security and global stability. 

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The views expressed are those of the author and Brown Advisory as of the date referenced and are subject to change at any time based on market or other conditions. These views are not intended to be and should not be relied upon as investment advice and are not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance, and you may not get back the amount invested. The information provided in this material is not intended to be and should not be considered to be a recommendation or suggestion to engage in or refrain from a particular course of action or to make or hold a particular investment or pursue a particular investment strategy, including whether or not to buy, sell, or hold any of the securities mentioned. It should not be assumed that investments in such securities have been or will be profitable. To the extent specific securities are mentioned, they have been selected by the author on an objective basis to illustrate views expressed in the commentary and do not represent all of the securities purchased, sold or recommended for advisory clients. The information contained herein has been prepared from sources believed reliable but is not guaranteed by us as to its timeliness or accuracy and is not a complete summary or statement of all available data. This piece is intended solely for our clients and prospective clients, is for informational purposes only and is not individually tailored for or directed to any particular client or prospective client.

Sustainable investment considerations are one of multiple informational inputs into the investment process, alongside data on traditional financial factors, and so are not the sole driver of decision making. Sustainable investment analysis may not be performed for every holding in every strategy. Sustainable investment considerations that are material will vary by investment style, sector/industry, market trends and client objectives. Certain strategies seek to identify companies that we believe may be desirable based on our analysis of sustainable investment related risks and opportunities, but investors may differ in their views. As a result, these strategies may invest in companies that do not reflect the beliefs and values of any particular investor. Certain strategies may also invest in companies that would otherwise be excluded from other funds that focus on sustainable investment risks. Security selection will be impacted by the combined focus on sustainable investment research assessments and fundamental research assessments including the return forecasts. These strategies incorporate data from third parties in its research process but do not make investment decisions based on third-party data alone. 

As long-term investors and stewards of our clients’ capital, we seek to uncover and reflect on all kinds of quantitative and qualitative information to optimize our investment decisions. For this special Climate Week episode, Brown Advisory’s Karina Funk sits down with Dr. Ellen Stofan, Under Secretary for Science and Research at the Smithsonian. They discuss the power of information and collaboration—especially in service of big questions around reducing carbon, promoting biodiversity, creating thriving communities, and discovering life beyond our solar system. 

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The views expressed are those of the author and Brown Advisory as of the date referenced and are subject to change at any time based on market or other conditions. These views are not intended to be and should not be relied upon as investment advice and are not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance, and you may not get back the amount invested. The information provided in this material is not intended to be and should not be considered to be a recommendation or suggestion to engage in or refrain from a particular course of action or to make or hold a particular investment or pursue a particular investment strategy, including whether or not to buy, sell, or hold any of the securities mentioned. It should not be assumed that investments in such securities have been or will be profitable. To the extent specific securities are mentioned, they have been selected by the author on an objective basis to illustrate views expressed in the commentary and do not represent all of the securities purchased, sold or recommended for advisory clients. The information contained herein has been prepared from sources believed reliable but is not guaranteed by us as to its timeliness or accuracy and is not a complete summary or statement of all available data. This piece is intended solely for our clients and prospective clients, is for informational purposes only and is not individually tailored for or directed to any particular client or prospective client.

Sustainable investment considerations are one of multiple informational inputs into the investment process, alongside data on traditional financial factors, and so are not the sole driver of decision making. Sustainable investment analysis may not be performed for every holding in every strategy. Sustainable investment considerations that are material will vary by investment style, sector/industry, market trends and client objectives. Certain strategies seek to identify companies that we believe may be desirable based on our analysis of sustainable investment related risks and opportunities, but investors may differ in their views. As a result, these strategies may invest in companies that do not reflect the beliefs and values of any particular investor. Certain strategies may also invest in companies that would otherwise be excluded from other funds that focus on sustainable investment risks. Security selection will be impacted by the combined focus on sustainable investment research assessments and fundamental research assessments including the return forecasts. These strategies incorporate data from third parties in its research process but do not make investment decisions based on third-party data alone. 

Two seismic forces that are shaping our world--deglobalization and digitization--are colliding over a single inflection point: semiconductor chips. Chips are the building blocks of the global economy, an irreplaceable enabler of tens of trillions of dollars of annual economic activity. Geopolitically, the stakes could not be higher. 

In this conversation, recorded at the NOW Conference in June 2024, Ben Bayat speaks with Chris Miller, author of Chip War: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology. They discuss the true marvel that is semiconductor manufacturing, the remarkably complex supply chain and its risks, the CHIPS act, the state of the global semiconductor industry, and the precarious national security implications of our collective reliance on these diminutive components. 

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The views expressed are those of the author and Brown Advisory as of the date referenced and are subject to change at any time based on market or other conditions. These views are not intended to be and should not be relied upon as investment advice and are not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance, and you may not get back the amount invested. The information provided in this material is not intended to be and should not be considered to be a recommendation or suggestion to engage in or refrain from a particular course of action or to make or hold a particular investment or pursue a particular investment strategy, including whether or not to buy, sell, or hold any of the securities mentioned. It should not be assumed that investments in such securities have been or will be profitable. To the extent specific securities are mentioned, they have been selected by the author on an objective basis to illustrate views expressed in the commentary and do not represent all of the securities purchased, sold or recommended for advisory clients. The information contained herein has been prepared from sources believed reliable but is not guaranteed by us as to its timeliness or accuracy and is not a complete summary or statement of all available data. This piece is intended solely for our clients and prospective clients, is for informational purposes only and is not individually tailored for or directed to any particular client or prospective client.

Sustainable investment considerations are one of multiple informational inputs into the investment process, alongside data on traditional financial factors, and so are not the sole driver of decision making. Sustainable investment analysis may not be performed for every holding in every strategy. Sustainable investment considerations that are material will vary by investment style, sector/industry, market trends and client objectives. Certain strategies seek to identify companies that we believe may be desirable based on our analysis of sustainable investment related risks and opportunities, but investors may differ in their views. As a result, these strategies may invest in companies that do not reflect the beliefs and values of any particular investor. Certain strategies may also invest in companies that would otherwise be excluded from other funds that focus on sustainable investment risks. Security selection will be impacted by the combined focus on sustainable investment research assessments and fundamental research assessments including the return forecasts. These strategies incorporate data from third parties in its research process but do not make investment decisions based on third-party data alone. 

Global world order is shifting. The last four decades have seen a marked rise in the economic power of China and a simultaneous weakening in the stability of liberal democracies the world over. The outlook for the 2020s appears rife with uncertainty.

We kicked off our NOW conference in San Francisco with two China experts in conversation about the changing geopolitical landscape and the future of U.S.-China relations--covering topics that included Xi Jinping's vision, the rise of national security over economic interests, multinational business engagement in China, Taiwan, and more. 

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The views expressed are those of the author and Brown Advisory as of the date referenced and are subject to change at any time based on market or other conditions. These views are not intended to be and should not be relied upon as investment advice and are not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance, and you may not get back the amount invested. The information provided in this material is not intended to be and should not be considered to be a recommendation or suggestion to engage in or refrain from a particular course of action or to make or hold a particular investment or pursue a particular investment strategy, including whether or not to buy, sell, or hold any of the securities mentioned. It should not be assumed that investments in such securities have been or will be profitable. To the extent specific securities are mentioned, they have been selected by the author on an objective basis to illustrate views expressed in the commentary and do not represent all of the securities purchased, sold or recommended for advisory clients. The information contained herein has been prepared from sources believed reliable but is not guaranteed by us as to its timeliness or accuracy and is not a complete summary or statement of all available data. This piece is intended solely for our clients and prospective clients, is for informational purposes only and is not individually tailored for or directed to any particular client or prospective client.

Global world order is shifting. The last four decades have seen a marked rise in the economic power of China, and a simultaneous weakening in the stability of liberal democracies the world over. 

As investors, how should we be thinking about the geopolitical outlook—and what might be on the horizon? 

In the lead-up to Brown Advisory's "Navigating Our World" conference in San Francisco, Meredith Shuey Etherington sat down with leading foreign policy expert Sir Robin Niblett for insights into current hot and cold conflicts and long-term geopolitical risks, and how they may shape the context for our investment decisions.

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The views expressed are those of the author and Brown Advisory as of the date referenced and are subject to change at any time based on market or other conditions. These views are not intended to be and should not be relied upon as investment advice and are not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance, and you may not get back the amount invested. The information provided in this material is not intended to be and should not be considered to be a recommendation or suggestion to engage in or refrain from a particular course of action or to make or hold a particular investment or pursue a particular investment strategy, including whether or not to buy, sell, or hold any of the securities mentioned. It should not be assumed that investments in such securities have been or will be profitable. To the extent specific securities are mentioned, they have been selected by the author on an objective basis to illustrate views expressed in the commentary and do not represent all of the securities purchased, sold or recommended for advisory clients. The information contained herein has been prepared from sources believed reliable but is not guaranteed by us as to its timeliness or accuracy and is not a complete summary or statement of all available data. This piece is intended solely for our clients and prospective clients, is for informational purposes only and is not individually tailored for or directed to any particular client or prospective client.

About 10% of the world’s population lacks access to reliable energy. A third of the world lacks access to clean cooking fuels—a major health risk. At some point, renewable energy sources will likely fill these gaps—but until then, Steve Riney, President and CFO of Apache, argues, the focus needs to be on empowering people to connect to the global economy and on providing more of every form of energy.

As always, we want to listen to and learn from varied perspectives as part of the shift to a lower carbon economy. In this episode, Erika Pagel sits down with Steve to talk about why he thinks in terms of energy expansion rather than energy transition. They unpack his experiences and points of view, from his leadership position in an “unapologetic” oil and gas company. Steve and Erika cover changes in the energy industry, conventional vs. unconventional production, energy poverty, sustainability, and “doing the right thing” in a politicized environment.

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The views expressed are those of the author and Brown Advisory as of the date referenced and are subject to change at any time based on market or other conditions. These views are not intended to be and should not be relied upon as investment advice and are not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance, and you may not get back the amount invested. The information provided in this material is not intended to be and should not be considered to be a recommendation or suggestion to engage in or refrain from a particular course of action or to make or hold a particular investment or pursue a particular investment strategy, including whether or not to buy, sell, or hold any of the securities mentioned. It should not be assumed that investments in such securities have been or will be profitable. To the extent specific securities are mentioned, they have been selected by the author on an objective basis to illustrate views expressed in the commentary and do not represent all of the securities purchased, sold or recommended for advisory clients. The information contained herein has been prepared from sources believed reliable but is not guaranteed by us as to its timeliness or accuracy and is not a complete summary or statement of all available data. This piece is intended solely for our clients and prospective clients, is for informational purposes only and is not individually tailored for or directed to any particular client or prospective client.

Sustainable investment considerations are one of multiple informational inputs into the investment process, alongside data on traditional financial factors, and so are not the sole driver of decision making. Sustainable investment analysis may not be performed for every holding in every strategy. Sustainable investment considerations that are material will vary by investment style, sector/industry, market trends and client objectives. Certain strategies seek to identify companies that we believe may be desirable based on our analysis of sustainable investment related risks and opportunities, but investors may differ in their views. As a result, these strategies may invest in companies that do not reflect the beliefs and values of any particular investor. Certain strategies may also invest in companies that would otherwise be excluded from other funds that focus on sustainable investment risks. Security selection will be impacted by the combined focus on sustainable investment research assessments and fundamental research assessments including the return forecasts. These strategies incorporate data from third parties in its research process but do not make investment decisions based on third-party data alone. 

Lithium is the lightest metal, so soft that you can cut it with a knife. Its structure gives it the ability to store large amounts of energy, making it ideal for manufacturing batteries. As the world moves to create a lower-carbon economy, the energy transition may well hinge on lithium.

To learn more about lithium and its role in electrification and the shift to renewable energy sources, Brown Advisory's Erika Pagel sits down with Eric Norris, President of Energy Storage at Albemarle—the largest producer of lithium in the world.

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The views expressed are those of the author and Brown Advisory as of the date referenced and are subject to change at any time based on market or other conditions. These views are not intended to be and should not be relied upon as investment advice and are not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance, and you may not get back the amount invested. The information provided in this material is not intended to be and should not be considered to be a recommendation or suggestion to engage in or refrain from a particular course of action or to make or hold a particular investment or pursue a particular investment strategy, including whether or not to buy, sell, or hold any of the securities mentioned. It should not be assumed that investments in such securities have been or will be profitable. To the extent specific securities are mentioned, they have been selected by the author on an objective basis to illustrate views expressed in the commentary and do not represent all of the securities purchased, sold or recommended for advisory clients. The information contained herein has been prepared from sources believed reliable but is not guaranteed by us as to its timeliness or accuracy and is not a complete summary or statement of all available data. This piece is intended solely for our clients and prospective clients, is for informational purposes only and is not individually tailored for or directed to any particular client or prospective client.

Sustainable investment considerations are one of multiple informational inputs into the investment process, alongside data on traditional financial factors, and so are not the sole driver of decision making. Sustainable investment analysis may not be performed for every holding in every strategy. Sustainable investment considerations that are material will vary by investment style, sector/industry, market trends and client objectives. Certain strategies seek to identify companies that we believe may be desirable based on our analysis of sustainable investment related risks and opportunities, but investors may differ in their views. As a result, these strategies may invest in companies that do not reflect the beliefs and values of any particular investor. Certain strategies may also invest in companies that would otherwise be excluded from other funds that focus on sustainable investment risks. Security selection will be impacted by the combined focus on sustainable investment research assessments and fundamental research assessments including the return forecasts. These strategies incorporate data from third parties in its research process but do not make investment decisions based on third-party data alone. 

Nuclear power has had a controversial history. Today, however, it is often considered an essential energy source for a lower carbon future. In a continuation of our NOW series on the energy transition, Erika Pagel sits down with Joe Dominguez, CEO of Constellation, the leading operator of nuclear power plants in the US. Joe and Erika discuss progress in shifting to a lower carbon economy, where nuclear fits in, promising innovations, and what it will take to get to net zero by 2050. 

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The views expressed are those of the author and Brown Advisory as of the date referenced and are subject to change at any time based on market or other conditions. These views are not intended to be and should not be relied upon as investment advice and are not intended to be a forecast of future events or a guarantee of future results. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance, and you may not get back the amount invested. The information provided in this material is not intended to be and should not be considered to be a recommendation or suggestion to engage in or refrain from a particular course of action or to make or hold a particular investment or pursue a particular investment strategy, including whether or not to buy, sell, or hold any of the securities mentioned. It should not be assumed that investments in such securities have been or will be profitable. To the extent specific securities are mentioned, they have been selected by the author on an objective basis to illustrate views expressed in the commentary and do not represent all of the securities purchased, sold or recommended for advisory clients. The information contained herein has been prepared from sources believed reliable but is not guaranteed by us as to its timeliness or accuracy and is not a complete summary or statement of all available data. This piece is intended solely for our clients and prospective clients, is for informational purposes only and is not individually tailored for or directed to any particular client or prospective client.

Sustainable investment considerations are one of multiple informational inputs into the investment process, alongside data on traditional financial factors, and so are not the sole driver of decision making. Sustainable investment analysis may not be performed for every holding in every strategy. Sustainable investment considerations that are material will vary by investment style, sector/industry, market trends and client objectives. Certain strategies seek to identify companies that we believe may be desirable based on our analysis of sustainable investment related risks and opportunities, but investors may differ in their views. As a result, these strategies may invest in companies that do not reflect the beliefs and values of any particular investor. Certain strategies may also invest in companies that would otherwise be excluded from other funds that focus on sustainable investment risks. Security selection will be impacted by the combined focus on sustainable investment research assessments and fundamental research assessments including the return forecasts. These strategies incorporate data from third parties in its research process but do not make investment decisions based on third-party data alone.