Canada Alpha-Generation Symposium 2025 - Agenda
April 22, 2025
Conference
Shangri-La Toronto
Toronto
Register
Tuesday, April 22, 2025
8:45AM - 9:15AM
Registration
9:15AM - 9:20AM
Opening Remarks
9:20AM – 10:00AM
Global Macro Outlook
Speakers
Robert Lynch
,
Portfolio Manager
,
Pharo
Robert Lynch, Portfolio Manager, manages a discretionary pool of capital and also managers Pharo’s Portfolio Manager Program, an in-house talent development program for newer portfolio managers. Prior to joining Pharo’s New York office, Rob spent over sixteen years at Credit Suisse, where he began his career as an EM local rates and FX trader and ultimately held the title of Managing Director and Head of Emerging Markets Trading. Rob played an integral role in supervising traders across LATAM and CEEMEA local markets, in addition to credit derivatives and sovereign and corporate external debt. Rob holds a B.A. in Economics with a minor in International Studies from Wake Forest University.
Bruno Serra
,
Portfolio Manager
,
Itau Asset Management
Bruno Serra Fernandes joined the Itaú Asset Management team in 2023 as the lead Portfolio Manager of the “Itaú Janeiro” fund. He holds a Masters’ Degree in Economics from the University of São Paulo (USP) and began his career as a Trader at Bank Boston, which was incorporated by Itaú in 2006. From 2014 until late 2018, he led the fixed income trading desk for Itaú BBA’s treasury desk. In 2019, Bruno assumed the role of deputy governor for monetary policy at the Brazilian Central Bank, a position he held for four years. After completing his term in 2023, Bruno returned to Itaú as a Portfolio Manager for Itaú Asset Management.
10:00AM – 10:45AM
Multi-Strategy Panel: New Frontiers
Speakers
Matthew Leffers
,
Managing Director
,
HBK
Matthew Leffers has been associated with HBK since 2004 and is a Managing Director. Matthew serves as President of the firm, with responsibility for all of the firm’s operations, and as Chair of the Risk Management Committee. Before being named President in January 2025, Matthew oversaw the firm’s risk management function and served as Chief Risk Officer from 2019 to 2024. From 2004 to 2018, he served first as an analyst and then as a manager on HBK’s risk management team. Prior to joining HBK, Matthew was an investment banking analyst at Lehman Brothers. Matthew is a CFA charterholder and received both a B.B.A. degree in Finance and a B.A. degree in Economics from Southern Methodist University in 2003, where he graduated summa cum laude and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and a President’s Scholar.
10:45AM – 11:00AM
Coffee Break
11:00AM - 11:45AM
The Rise and Implementation of Managed Accounts
Speakers
Kevin Blank
,
Analyst, Private Markets and Funds Alpha Division
,
State of Wisconsin Investment Board
Kevin is an analyst for the Private Markets and Funds Alpha Division at the State of Wisconsin Investment Board (SWIB), which oversees approximately $156 billion in assets. Kevin’s responsibilities include manager due diligence, portfolio construction, and oversight of hedge funds and long-only external manager relationships. Kevin received a bachelor’s degree from Marquette University and is currently enrolled as an MBA student at Northwestern University.
Dr. Ranjan Bhaduri
,
Founder & CEO
,
Bodhi Research Group
Dr. Ranjan Bhaduri is the Founder & CEO of Bodhi Research Group, an advisory and consulting firm dedicated to research and education in the investments industry. Dr. Bhaduri has 25 years of experience in manager research, portfolio construction, due diligence, structuring, and implementing managed account solutions. At Morgan Stanley, Dr. Bhaduri performed due diligence and played a crucial role in developing customized portfolios of alternative investments. He also served in an advisory capacity at the East-West Center, an American think tank focused on U.S.-Asia-Pacific relations.
Christoph Dietrich
,
Director, External Managers Group
,
Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan
Christoph Dietrich is a Director in OTPP’s External Managers Group, focusing on liquid absolute return investments. His main areas of expertise are quantitative equity and futures, commodities and derivatives relative value. Prior to joining OTPP he spent eight years on the sell-side with a primary focus on structuring commodity quantitative strategies and volatility relative value strategies at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Christoph earned a master’s degree in Finance from Sciences Po Paris.
11:45AM - 12:45PM
Luncheon and Keynote
Speakers
Keynote: To Be Announced
12:45PM - 1:30PM
Alpha Generation Beyond Portfolio Management
Speakers
Speakers To Be Announced
1:30PM - 2:15PM
Opportunities for Global Equities
Speakers
Kishen Mehta
,
Chief Investment Officer
,
Averill and Madison
Kishen Mehta has approximately 18 years of experience in the healthcare industry, including over 15 years dedicated to hedge fund research and 3 years of company advisory experience. Mr. Mehta is the Chief Investment Officer of Averill and Madison. Prior to joining the Firm, Mr. Mehta served as a Strategic Advisor to Biohaven Pharmaceuticals where he advised the firm on various business development, corporate strategy, and capital structure decisions. From 2016 to 2018, Mr. Mehta served as a Portfolio Manager at Surveyor Capital, a division of Citadel, where he managed a beta and factor neutral, healthcare-focused long/short equity portfolio. From 2012 to 2016, he was an Analyst at Adage Capital, where he played an integral role in scaling a public/private portfolio of therapeutics. From 2010-2012, Mr. Mehta was an Analyst at Apothecary Capital, a division of BBT Capital where he worked on a public/private therapeutics portfolio. From 2007-2010, Mr. Mehta worked as a Mergers & Acquisitions Analyst at Evercore Partners, focusing on pharmaceuticals. Mr. Mehta graduated with a BS degree in Finance & Accounting from NYU Stern School of Business in 2007.
Joshua White
,
Co-Founder, CIO
,
Regents Gate Capital
Josh Co-Founded Regents Gate Capital in 2023, following twenty years of financial markets experience where he invested globally, leading multiple teams and managing multibillion-dollar portfolios.
Most recently Josh spent four years as a Portfolio Manager in the London office of Balyasny Asset Management (“BAM”). There he managed a multibillion-dollar equity market neutral portfolio focused on European and US Industrials and Technology sectors.
Prior to joining BAM, Josh spent over 11 years at Citadel in Global Equities as a Portfolio Manager in the San Francisco office investing globally across US, Europe and Asia focusing on Industrial and Technology sectors. Josh began his career in New York as an Investment Banking Analyst at Lehman Brothers. He graduated with a BA in Economics from Vanderbilt University studying pre-medical with a neuroscience focus while playing Division 1 soccer.
Lan Xue
,
Co-Founder
,
Trivest
Ms. Lan Xue has over 30 years of investment research experience covering China markets. Before setting up Trivest, Ms. Xue was the Head of China Research at Citigroup and Merrill Lynch where she built the two top ranked China research teams. Ms. Xue was a pioneer in China’s equity research field where as an individual analyst, she was consistently ranked as one of the top China analysts for over a decade by global institutional Investors.
Ms. Xue serves as a Trustee on the Brandeis University Board and also sits on the Brandeis International Business School Board. Ms. Xue received her BA in Economics (Magna Cum Laude) and MA in International Economics & Finance from Brandeis University. Ms. Xue was a Wien Scholar and received Carol Ann Steinfeld Memorial Prize in Economics upon graduation.
Moderated by
Stephen Harvey
,
Chief Investment Officer
,
Sagard Wealth
Stephen Harvey is the Chief Investment Officer of Sagard Wealth and manages the investment management functions at the firm. Stephen has over 20 years investing experience with roles in Toronto, London and New York. Most recently Stephen was the Chief Investment Officer of Titan Advisors, where he managed the investment committee and investment team. Prior to that he was a Partner at Saguenay Strathmore Capital, where he focused on risk management and portfolio construction. He started his career at the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan within their risk management group.
Stephen earned an honours degree in economics at York University and has been a Chartered Financial Analyst charterholder since 2003. He resides in the suburbs of Toronto with his wife Cori and helps coach their twin boys in baseball. Stephen switches allegiance between his native England and his adopted home of Canada, depending upon what sport it is on.
2:15PM - 2:30PM
Coffee Break
2:30PM - 3:15PM
Outlook for Private Markets
Speakers
Mike Tully
,
Investment Partner
,
D1 Capital Partners
Mike is an Investment Partner at D1, focusing on private opportunities across sectors. Mike helps spearhead the firm’s deal origination efforts, collaborates closely with the sector-focused investment partners and analysts in underwriting investment opportunities, and is responsible for building relationships within the private equity ecosystem and with our limited partners. Prior to joining D1 in 2019, Mike was a Principal at Shumway Capital, a family office in Greenwich, Connecticut, where he made direct investments in public and private companies across sectors. Before joining Shumway Capital in 2015, Mike spent two years at Valiant Capital Partners in San Francisco and began his career at Morgan Stanley in the investment banking group. Mike graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2011 with a B.A. in Economics.
3:15PM - 4:00PM
Opportunities Across the Credit Spectrum
Speakers
Seth Gold
,
Portfolio Manager
,
Fidelity Investments
Seth Gold is a portfolio manager in the Arbitrage and Hedging Solutions group at Fidelity Investments. Arbitrage and Hedging Solutions is an investment team within Fidelity’s Asset Management Solutions division, an investment organization that provides industry-leading multi-asset solutions and liquid alternatives investment capabilities to the retail and institutional marketplace. In this role, Mr. Gold serves as portfolio manager for the Convertible Arbitrage Fund. Mr. Gold has over fifteen years of experience in convertible bonds, both on the sell-side and buy-side in research, investment banking, trading, and portfolio management. Most recently Seth was a portfolio manager at Westwood Holdings Group, where he was trading and managing a convertible arbitrage strategy. He has been in the industry since 2007. Mr. Gold earned his bachelor of arts degree in economics and business from Kalamazoo College and his master of business degree from Columbia Business School.
Mark Refermat, Ph.D.
,
Managing Director, Machine Learning Portfolio Strategy
,
Voleon Capital Management LP
Mark Refermat serves as Managing Director of Machine Learning Portfolio Strategy for Voleon. His focus is on increasing clients’ understanding of Voleon’s investment strategies, and machine learning techniques applied to finance. Dr. Refermat works closely with the research team in developing strategy analytics and is a member of the risk committee. Previously, he held a variety of research and client portfolio management roles over a ten-year career at Man AHL and GAM Systematic.
Prior to Voleon, Dr. Refermat was a Director at GAM Systematic, where he educated clients on quantitative strategies. Prior to GAM, he spent eight years at Man AHL, where, initially, he built quantitative multi-asset strategies. Later, he was made a Principal with responsibility for educating clients on a range of quantitative techniques. Prior to Man AHL, Dr. Refermat worked in fixed income trading at Dresdner Kleinwort in London.
Dr. Refermat completed his Ph.D at EHDEC with a focus on cross asset class liquidity and quantitative investment strategies.
He earned his MBA from Cass Business School in London and he holds a BA in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. He is based in Berkeley, CA.
4:00PM - 4:45PM
Quant Perspectives 2025
Speakers
Bryan Kelly, Ph.D.
,
Principal
,
AQR Capital Management
Bryan Kelly is a Principal at AQR Capital Management, where he is the Head of Machine Learning, a portfolio manager and a senior member of the Integrated Research group.
In his role, Bryan leads our efforts in developing and implementing Machine Learning methods and models in our portfolios. Bryan is also the Frederick Frank ’54 and Mary C. Tanner Professor of Finance at the Yale School of Management and a Research Fellow at the National Bureau of Economic Research. Earlier in his career, Bryan was a tenured Professor of Finance at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Bryan’s research has been published in the Journal of Finance, the American Economic Review, the Quarterly Journal of Economics, the Journal of Financial Economics, and the Review of Financial Studies, among others. He has won numerous awards for his work including the Harry M. Markowitz Award for best paper in the Journal of Investment Management in 2021, the Bernstein Fabozzi/Jacobs Levy award for best paper in the Journal of Portfolio Management in 2020, the Fama-DFA Prize for best paper in the Journal of Financial Economics in 2020 and 2017, and the DFA Distinguished Paper Prize in the Journal of Finance in 2023. Bryan earned an A.B. in economics from the University of Chicago, an M.A. in economics from the University of California, San Diego and a Ph.D. in finance from New York University.
Joey Zhou
,
Director of Alpha Research
,
Trexquant
Joey serves as Director of Alpha Research at Trexquant Investment where he has worked since 2012. Prior to this, he earned a PhD in Neuroscience from Harvard University where his research was funded by both a Hertz Fellowship as well as a National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellowship. Joey graduated summa cum laude from Duke University with Bachelors’ degrees in Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Philosophy.
