The Long-Short

This week on The Long-Short, Chris Hughes, Editor-in-Chief of Abu Dhabi Finance Week, joins us to preview a record-setting edition of the event, now drawing more than 40,000 attendees and institutions representing over half of global GDP. With more than 70 sessions on the agenda, including the inaugural AIMA Private Credit Summit, we explore how this year’s theme reflects the tightening links between global financial hubs and the growing impact of technologies like AI.  Tom and Drew also unpack Abu Dhabi’s rising influence on the world stage and what this accelerating momentum means for alternative investment managers.

This week on The Long-Short, we sit down with David Cartwright Forbes, Head of Specialist Markets, Gallagher Reward & Benefits Consulting, to talk about an asset manager’s most overlooked competitive edge: people. From attracting top talent to keeping teams motivated in an era of rapid tech change and generational shifts, David shares why a forward-looking people strategy is no longer a “nice to have” but a must. We explore how smaller firms can stand out with culture and purpose, how investors increasingly influence workforce priorities, and why flexibility and autonomy now sit at the heart of every great talent plan.

This week on The Long-Short, Tom and Drew are joined by Damien Bruckard, Founder of Geopolitical Strategy, for a trip around the world to map out the economic and political fault lines reshaping global markets, from Trump-era trade shifts and the rise of regional trading blocs to recent record-breaking gold prices and the artificial intelligence capex surge. Damien also charts how India and the Gulf are becoming power players, and signposts where the next geopolitical shock could hit investors' portfolios.

In this episode of The Long-Short, Drew Nicol is joined by Elliot Refson, Head of Funds at Jersey Finance to unpack the relationship between managers and their underlying funds, which operate out of different places around the world. Jersey is one fund domicile among several that has become a key hub in the global investment landscape, from its tax-neutral framework and flexible regulation to its reputation for efficiency and stability. They discuss how Brexit reshaped the role of fund domiciles, the rise of private credit and digital assets products. The conversation also looks ahead to what’s next for alternative investments, from greater investor diversification to the growing digitalisation of fund structures, and what this all means for the places these funds call home. 

This week, Tom and Drew dive into one of the most fascinating and fast-evolving areas of alternative investing, insurance-linked securities and catastrophe bonds, where finance meets the forces of nature.  Joined by Tim Yip of ILS Advisers and Steve Smith of Maybole Capital, they explore how investors manage disaster risk, earn uncorrelated returns, and build resilience in a changing climate. Tune in as they unpack what lies ahead for this unique asset class as a new hurricane season approaches.

Japan is back in focus. The Long-Short welcomes Masaki Taniguchi, Founder and COO of Pleiad Investment Advisors, to explore Japan’s evolving asset management landscape — from 1997 deregulation to today’s double asset income policy — and the opportunities and risks shaping its future as a hub for alternatives.

Ten years ago, Point72 launched a bold initiative to reimagine talent development in the hedge fund world. The result? The Point72 Academy—a programme that’s transformed how buy-side firms find, train, and support future investment professionals.In this episode, Jaimi Goodfriend shares the Academy’s origin story, how it balances theory with hands-on learning, and what makes its approach unique in a landscape dominated by MBAs, CFAs, and traditional bank pipelines.

AIMA CEO Jack Inglis joins us fresh from a series of high-level meetings in Washington, D.C. - including one of the first with newly appointed SEC Chair Paul Atkins. Jack shares insights from these critical conversations with US regulators and policymakers, covering key industry priorities such as private credit, digital assets, and regulatory reform.We also look beyond the US, discussing how AIMA is shaping global policy developments in the UK, Europe, and beyond. A must-listen for anyone tracking the future of alternative investments.

Philip Seager, Head of Portfolio Strategy at Capital Fund Management (CFM), joins The Long Short to demystify quantitative multi-strategy hedge funds. From navigating volatile markets to building resilient, data-driven portfolios, this episode explores the science behind systematic investing and its role in diversifying risk, enhancing returns, and future-proofing allocations. A clear, practical look at why quant matters more than ever.