This is a special episode recorded live with Rupal Bhansali of Ariel Investments. It is a great short discussion about the current environment with passive investing, lessons from her work at George Soros, behavioral finance, potential opportunities, concentrated vs diversified and much more.
The interview was conducted in person by our Raul Panganiban at the recent Ariel Investments conference in New York. The event was second annual private New York City media roundtable with Rupal Bhansali, portfolio manager the Ariel International Fund (rated 5 Stars by Morningstar) and Ariel Global Fund (rated 4 Stars by Morningstar).
Last year, Rupal had a great deal to talk about in the wake of the Brexit vote and increased market volatility. This year was no different!
[klarman]
For several years now, fundamental research, the cornerstone of active investing, has been facing growing threats on multiple fronts. First, it was challenged by the move towards passive investing. Then it was upstaged by Quant – computer-based, algorithmic investing. As if dodging these two bullets weren’t enough, “smart beta” came along to mount yet another deadly assault. Will this prove to be the last straw that breaks the camel’s back? Is active investing fatally wounded and to be pronounced dead or can it make a comeback? How can active managers generate alpha for their investors? Rupal had some fresh, thought-provoking and very non-consensus insights to share (along with new stock ideas).
Once again, Ariel hosted this invitation-only event in a private room and we would like to thank them for inviting ValueWalk.
Also see Pitch The Perfect Investment – ValueTalks Special Podcast
You can listen to this interview on...
Enjoy!
Rupal's full bio (its extensive and impressive) via Ariel Investments below the podcast embed.
Rupal Bhansali is chief investment officer and portfolio manager of Ariel’s international and global equity strategies. In this capacity, she oversees Ariel’s New York based global equities research team and manages multi-billion dollar portfolios for both institutional and retail clients. Rupal joined Ariel in 2011 after spending 10 years with MacKay Shields, where she was senior managing director, portfolio manager and head of international equities. Prior to that, she spent 5 years at Oppenheimer Capital, where she managed international and global equity portfolios and was promoted to co-head of international equities. Additionally, she has held various roles at other financial services firms since she began her career in 1989, including Soros Fund Management. In 2009, Forbes International Investment Report named her a “Global Guru,” and in 2015, Barron’s recognized her as a “Global Contrarian.” Rupal is a frequent guest on premier shows such as Bloomberg, CNBC and Fox Business News. She is also a frequent speaker at prestigious industry conferences including the CFA Institute, Morningstar and Schwab. Fluent in several Indian languages including Hindi, Rupal earned a Bachelor of Commerce in accounting and finance, as well as a Master of Commerce in international finance and banking from the University of Mumbai. She later earned an MBA in finance from the University of Rochester, where she was a Rotary Foundation Scholar.