Seeking Blind Spots in Emerging Markets: Interview With TT International’s JC Sambor

Emerging markets have come roaring back in a big way, trouncing U.S. markets in 2025 as evidenced by the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (NYSEARCA:EEM)’s 18% year-to-date gain, versus the S&P 500’s 8% rise through midday on Aug. 1. One firm is taking a different approach to try to tap into the opportunities in EMs right now.

In an interview with Hedge Fund Alpha, JC Sambor, head of Emerging Markets Debt at TT International, shared how he feels the market structure in EMs has changed dramatically in recent years - and what they’ve been doing differently about that.

Background on JC Sambor

Sambor has spent his entire career working on emerging markets, starting on the banking side with Société Générale. Initially, he served as the firm’s Asia economist before moving to the buy side as senior vice president in charge of Asia research at TCW in California. Next, he went to Everest Capital, a large emerging market hedge fund based in Miami, where Sambor became head of Emerging Markets Fixed Income.

Before joining TT International, he spent eight years at BNP Paribas Asset Management, serving as head of Emerging Markets Debt before joining TT a year ago.

“I dedicated my entire life to emerging markets,” Sambor said. “I have no mission to do anything else. That's my passion. Beyond the day-to-day of managing money, I have a private passion for Asia and other emerging markets.”