Hilton Supra Interviews Michael Robbins, Finance AI Expert

Hilton Supra, a veteran in financial industry with more than 30 years of experience in finance, investment, banking, and asset management, interviews Michael Robbins, a specialist in quantitative asset management and finance artificial Intelligence, and the author of 'Quantitative Asset Management: Factor Investing and Machine Learning for Institutional Investing'. The two experts discuss the evolution in investment and trading with the increased application of technological tools like AI and advanced analytics. The interview is live now on citiesabc & openbusinesscouncil YouTube channel.

Quantitative asset management involves data-driven strategies that employ mathematical and statistical models to make informed investment decisions. It leverages historical data, complex algorithms, and mathematical models to uncover patterns and trends within financial markets. The primary objective is to achieve consistent returns while minimizing risks, a goal that has attracted numerous investors and institutions to this approach.

A Columbia University professor, Michael Robbins, imparts his expertise in quantitative investing, focusing on areas like Global Macroeconomic Tactical Asset Allocation (GTAA) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Investing. He is proficient in quantitative methodologies, and devises investment models for money management firms, enabling widespread stock investments that yield positive returns. His contributions extend to governance, strategy, and investment counsel.

Speaking about the role of data and consequent quantitative analysis, Michael says:

“Data is the core of any industry, and it is more important than ever, because now we have tools that can look at huge amounts of data. The improvement in computing power, combined with democratization of these tools has opened things up to experimentation and innovation, in comparison to simply trying to make things work.

In a few years, the tools will be so good that data inefficiency will be arbitraged away.”

Hilton and Michael also discussed the practical challenges of applying the quantitative models and how AI can tackle those challenges. Michael explains that Finance AI represents the next step in the evolution of quantitative asset management. It combines the quantitative approach's rigor and discipline with the power of AI to process and analyse vast datasets in real time. The capabilities of AI, including machine learning and deep learning, provide a competitive advantage by identifying nuanced patterns and trends that may not be apparent through traditional quantitative analysis.

“With AI, there are so many ways to improve process optimization. People are thinking of all sorts of AI methods of process optimization which aren't limited to simple methods that were designed for primitive computers”, he said.

About Michael Robbins

Michael Robbins is a professor at Columbia University and serves as the Chief Investment Officer at Larson Financial, overseeing assets exceeding $15 billion. He's also the author of "QUANTITATIVE ASSET MANAGEMENT: Factor Investing and Machine Learning for Institutional Investing," published by McGraw Hill on June 6, 2023.

Michael, a Columbia University professor, imparts his expertise in quantitative investing, focusing on areas like Global Macroeconomic Tactical Asset Allocation (GTAA) and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Investing. He actively participates on the Board of Directors for Blythestone Corporation and Urban Edge Capital hedge fund (UEC). Proficient in quantitative methodologies, Robbins devises investment models for money management firms, enabling widespread stock investments that yield positive returns. His contributions extend to governance, strategy, and investment counsel.

To know more about Michael Robbins, visit https://www.openbusinesscouncil.org/wiki/michael-robbins

About Hilton Supra

Hilton Supra is a business and financial industry veteran and thought leader. Hilton has more than 30 years of Finance, Investment, Banking, and Asset Management experience in international markets namely London, Europe, Africa, and Asia. This while having a passion for growing businesses, fashion, and new technologies, especially fintech and blockchain where he has been deeply involved since these technologies' inception. Now, Hilton is co-leading the fashion directory fashionabc as well as technology startup Ztudium, a builder of 4IR platforms (using blockchain, AI and IoT data analytics).

From Quantitative Asset Management, Capital Markets, Trading software, Hedge Funds, and Private Equity, Hilton has worked for Morgan Grenfell, Deutsche Bank, AXA Investment Management, EIM Fund of Hedge Funds (responsible for $2.4bn of $13bn), and Cheyne Capital.

Hilton is a graduate in Engineering from Oxford Brookes University and a Master's in Finance at London Business School. Hilton has always been on the leading edge of innovation and technology in banking, derivative trading, quantitative asset management, hedge funds, and since 2015 the application of FinTech, AI, and blockchain to enterprise solutions.

Hilton Supra is a partner and board member at ztudium, and the co-founder and one of the leading personalities driving techabc, openbusinesscouncil.org and fashionabc.org platforms.

Learn more about Hilton Supra on https://openbusinesscouncil.org/wiki/hilton-supra