Remember the debt passive funds owe active managers

by | August 9, 2016

Originally published at Financial Times | August 9, 2016

In the current low-return environment savers can be forgiven for asking, why should an ever-larger fraction of their meagre gains be paid to active asset managers?

After all, the alternative — passive investing — is beguiling. Passive funds offer many advantages, including a menu of low-cost opportunities to spread risk across markets, greater transparency versus the less visible picks of active managers and, for advisers, the benefit of not having to explain at some point why returns have been subpar. Unsurprisingly, nearly a quarter of a trillion dollars has left the active management sector in the past year, with much of it finding a home in ETFs.

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Filed Under: Economics

About the Author

Larry Hatheway has over 25 years’ experience as an economist and multi-asset investment professional. He is co-founder, with Alexander Friedman, of Jackson Hole Economics, a non-profit offering commentary and analysis on the global economy, matters of public policy, and capital markets. Larry is also the founder of HarborAdvisors, LLC, an investment advisory firm catering to family offices and institutional clients worldwide.

Previously, Larry worked at GAM Investments from 2015-2019 as Group Chief Economist and Global Head of Investment Solutions, where he was responsible for a team of 50 investment professionals managing over $10bn in assets. While at GAM, Larry authored numerous articles on the world economy, policy-making, and multi-asset investment strategy.

From 1992 until 2015 Larry worked at UBS Investment Bank as Chief Economist (2005-2015), Head of Global Asset Allocation (2001-2012), Global Head of Fixed Income and Currency Strategy (1998-2001), Chief Economist, Asia (1995-1998) and Senior International Economist (1992-1995). Larry is widely recognized for his appearances on Bloomberg TV, CNBC, the BBC, CNN, and other media outlets. He frequently publishes articles and opinion pieces for Bloomberg, Barron’s, and Project Syndicate, among others.

Larry holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Texas, an MA in International Studies from the Johns Hopkins University, and a BA in History and German from Whitman College. Larry is married with four grown children and resides with his wife in Redding, CT, alongside their dog, chickens, bees, and a few ‘loaner’ sheep and goats.

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