In this episode of Rosemont Roundtable, Chris Banholzer joins colleagues Chas Burkhart and Brad Mook to examine the fragile state of long-only, active boutique managers. They explore causes behind widespread AUM declines and firm closures, discuss leadership and ownership challenges, and share insights on building more resilient, sustainable boutiques.
In this episode of Rosemont Roundtable, Chas sits down with Nikki Kraus, CEO of Strategic Investment Group, a leading $31B pure-play OCIO for endowments, foundations, and other institutions. With over three decades of experience advising investment committees, Nikki shares her perspective on the evolution of the OCIO model, the sustaining principles that drive Strategic’s success, the company’s client centricity, its culture and organizational approach, and its ownership architecture.
In this episode of Rosemont Roundtable, Brad Mook and Chas Burkhart speak with Amanda Tepper and Ravi Venkataraman, leaders of Chestnut Advisory Group and their new market research division, The Chestnut Solutions Institute.
The discussion lifts the hood on the OCIO/investment solutions industry, exploring how the space is defined, competitive challenges and growth opportunities, firm approaches, keys to sustainability, M&A trends, the wealth management segment's growing popularity, and more. All four participants bring long investment experience and varied backgrounds to this insightful conversation, offering valuable perspectives for anyone involved in or following the evolution of investment solutions.
In this year-end episode of the Rosemont Roundtable podcast, Rosemont leaders Chas Burkhart and Brad Mook tackle a topic essential to the success of all firms in the investment industry ecosystem. With decades of experience, Chas and Brad offer broad-based thinking and practical approaches to managing internal ownership changes while safeguarding a firm's long-term health.
Key points in their discussion:
Internal equity transition isn’t just about operational logistics—it represents a firm's commitment to continuity, leadership and its culture. This episode shows how firms can handle these transitions to create multi-generational legacy through smart planning and clear direction.
All episodes of the Rosemont Roundtable podcast are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more. Receive the episodes as soon as they premiere by subscribing today.
In the latest episode of the Rosemont Roundtable podcast, we sit down with two special guests for a conversation about a transaction between two Rosemont Investments – Wilbanks Smith and Thomas (WST) and Clearstead – in which WST was acquired by Clearstead and rebranded as Clearstead Advisory Solutions. Today, Clearstead has $44 billion assets under advisement*, including a significant chunk of assets under management.
Co-Chairman of Clearstead, Carl Tippit, CFA, and Executive Managing Director of Clearstead (formerly of WST) Wayne Wilbanks CFA, explored the intricacies of WST’s acquisition into Clearstead. Host Chas Burkhart, CEO of Rosemont, set the stage by detailing the long-standing relationships and critical strategic decisions that led to WST’s acquisition by Clearstead.
Now, six months post-merger, Wilbanks and Tippit share their personal reflections, recounting the journey from separate entities to a unified, forward-thinking team. The discussion calls attention to the importance of cultural fit, strategic alignment and a shared vision for long-term growth.
Key talking points from the conversation:
Tune in now for insights on the power of strategic alignment and business growth. All episodes of the Rosemont Roundtable podcast are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.
*Approximate AUM of Clearstead at the time of recording.
This month on the Rosemont Roundtable podcast (formerly Global Investment Leaders), we are re-releasing an interview with Rosemont CEO Chas Burkhart and Chris Mackay, Managing Director, Client Service & Marketing at 1607 Capital Partners, a $4 billion* Richmond-based boutique asset management firm offering equity and fixed income closed-end fund portfolios.
In October 2022, Chris Mackay joined the podcast to share insights into 1607's investment strategy, the evolution of its process and its approach to client service. Since this episode originally aired, we've seen closed-end fund discounts widen to near-historic levels, presenting an unusual investment opportunity and making this conversation particularly relevant.
Throughout their conversation, Burkhart and Mackay discuss:
Tune in now for insights on closed-end funds and opportunities in the current investment market.
All episodes of the Rosemont Roundtable podcast are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.
*Approximate AUM of 1607 Capital Partners at time of recording.
In our newest installment of Rosemont Roundtable, Brad Mook sits down with Chris Banholzer, who joined Rosemont six months ago as our director of investments, to discuss his experience and perspectives on the investment and wealth management industries.
Chris comes from a diverse background of work in family offices, investment banking and private equity, adding depth and a fresh viewpoint to Rosemont's intentionally small team. His addition was a carefully considered step to enhance Rosemont's operating capabilities and industry knowledge.
During their conversation, Brad and Chris explore many topics, including:
This conversation offers valuable insights into Rosemont's approach and the current state of the investment management industry. If you want to learn more or have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.
All episodes of the Rosemont podcast—including Rosemont Roundtable and Global Investment Leaders—are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more. Subscribe today to receive new episodes as soon as they premiere.
In the latest episode of Rosemont Roundtable, Chas Burkhart sat down with Andrew Crowley, president of Markel Ventures at Markel Group, to discuss both firms' unique commitment to making permanent capital investments in the investment and wealth management industries.
Although it started as an insurance company in 1930, Markel Group has grown to include a broader array of business interests, transforming it into a Fortune 500 company. This growth is anchored in shared values and long-term investment philosophies, which form the bedrock of the partnership.
Chas and Andrew discuss a variety of topics, including:
Overall, the conversation underscores both firms' foundational commitment to being "built-to-last, not built-to-sell." It's a thought-provoking conversation you won't want to miss.
If you have any questions or want to learn more, please don't hesitate to contact us.
All episodes of the Rosemont podcast—including Rosemont Roundtable and Global Investment Leaders—are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. Receive the episodes as soon as they premiere by subscribing today.
In the latest episode of Rosemont Roundtable: Exploring the Business of Investment Management, Brad Mook sat down with Jim DeWolfe, managing member and president of Northside Capital Management, for a compelling conversation on Northside’s unique investment philosophy, its approach to ultra-high-net-worth client management and the strategic partnership with Rosemont.
With Northside's expertise in managing over $5 billion in assets and its commitment to maintaining long-term independence and stability, Jim shares insights on Northside's foundation, its customized investment strategies and how the firm stands out in the wealth management landscape. The episode also looks at Northside’s investing methodology, including the significance of a personalized approach in portfolio management and being opportunistic based on market conditions.
Specifically, Brad and Jim talked about:
The conversation provides insight into Northside’s differentiated business and the new affiliation with Rosemont. If you have any questions or want to learn more, please don't hesitate to contact us.
All episodes of the Rosemont podcast—including Rosemont Roundtable and Global Investment Leaders—are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. Receive the episodes as soon as they premiere by subscribing today.
In the latest episode of the Rosemont Roundtable: Exploring the Business of Investment Management (formerly known as Global Investment Leaders), Chas Burkhart sat down with Barclay Douglas, an investment industry veteran with over 15 years at the helm of Criterium Advisors, a firm offering traditional consulting services, but focused on Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO) search.
During their conversation, Barclay shares his wisdom into various aspects of the investment management industry, and specifically his wide-ranging observations on the OCIO space.
Specifically, they discuss:
Overall, the conversation provides insights into the complexities and dynamics of the OCIO industry, emphasizing the importance of client relationships, investment integrity and sustainable business practices.
In the latest episode of the Rosemont Roundtable: Exploring the Business of Investment Management (formerly known as Global Investment Leaders), Brad Mook sat down with Wes Gallup, managing director and chief operating officer of Cary Street Partners, an independent wealth management firm based in Richmond, Virginia, with more than $8 billion in assets under management.* Their conversation centers around the evolution of Cary Street and offers insights into industry trends, growth strategy and technology's role in modern wealth management firms.
Specifically, Brad and Wes discuss:
Overall, the conversation underscores the importance of client-centricity, organic growth and thoughtful implementation of technology to achieve long-term success in the evolving industry landscape.
All episodes of the Rosemont podcast—including Rosemont Roundtable and Global Investment Leaders—are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and more. Receive the episodes as soon as they premiere by subscribing today.
*As of March 25, 2024, Cary Street Partners manages approximately $8 billion in assets.
In this episode of the Global Investment Leaders podcast, Chas Burkhart, CEO of Rosemont, sat down for a conversation with Jan van Eck, CEO of VanEck, a roughly $90 billion* multi-asset firm headquartered in New York. Founded in 1955 by Jan's father, John van Eck, VanEck has gradually diversified, with the ETF business becoming dominant since its inception in 2006. Their conversation covers Jan's leadership evolution, the importance of culture and building strong teams, the strategic focus on the ETF business and the importance of being able to pivot in the rapidly changing financial services space.
Specifically, Chas and Jan discuss:
Overall, this episode highlights a business-minded leader who understands the importance of firm culture, building a strong team and taking strategic risks.
All episodes of the Global Investment Leaders podcast are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and more. Receive the episodes as soon as they premiere by subscribing today.
*As of February 7, 2024, VanEck manages approximately $90 billion in assets.
In this episode of the Global Investment Leaders podcast, Rosemont’s Brad Mook sits down with Todd Briddell, chief executive officer and chief investment officer of CenterSquare Investment Management. CenterSquare is an employee-owned global real estate investment firm founded in 1987, managing over $14 billion in equity capital. The firm operates domestically and globally and offers a range of solutions for institutional investors.
During the conversation, Briddell sheds light on CenterSquare's evolution and how they navigated functional and ownership succession through a sale of the firm, a management buyout and rebranding.
Specifically, Briddell and Mook discuss:
Overall, the conversation offers valuable insights into CenterSquare's unique trajectory and broader lessons for small and mid-size firms seeking sustainable growth and strategic positioning in today's evolving landscape.
All Global Investment Leaders podcast episodes are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and more. Access episodes as soon as they release by subscribing today.
In this special year-end episode of the Global Investment Leaders podcast, Rosemont CEO Chas Burkhart and Rosemont Managing Director Brad Mook sit down to reflect on the industry trends and developments they observed this year. 2023 marks five years with Markel as the firm's permanent capital provider, and Rosemont has evolved from a legacy PE fund structure to a permanent capital approach. Brad and Chas discuss the benefits of long-term sustainability in contrast to the traditional exit-focused models.
Specifically, they discuss:
Burkhart and Mook also share exciting firm updates, including the addition of new team member Chris Banholzer, as well as a pending investment.
All episodes of the Global Investment Leaders podcast are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and more. Receive the episodes as soon as they premiere by subscribing today.
In the latest episode of the Global Investment Leaders podcast, Chas Burkhart, CEO of Rosemont, sits down for a conversation with Kane Brenan, CEO of TIFF Investment Management. TIFF offers outsourced CIO (OCIO) and private equity investment solutions primarily to endowments, foundations, and other charitable organizations, and manages or advises on $8 billion in assets*. The conversation between Chas and Kane revolves around TIFF's structure, investment philosophy and the challenges and opportunities in the industry.
Throughout this episode, Kane and Chas discuss:
All episodes of the Global Investment Leaders podcast are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and more. Receive the episodes as soon as they premiere by subscribing today.
*As of June 30, 2023, TIFF managed approximately $8 billion, including committed capital, on behalf of its members.
In the latest episode of the Global Investment Leaders podcast, Brad Mook, managing director of investments at Rosemont, sits down with Phillip Cook, managing partner and chief investment officer of SouthernSun Asset Management. SouthernSun is an employee-owned boutique equity manager based in Memphis, Tennessee, with just over $1 billion in concentrated U.S. small and mid-cap strategies. The firm was founded in 1989 by Phillip's father, Michael Cook, and has maintained the same philosophy and process since the very beginning.
During the discussion, Phillip openly shares insights and anecdotes from his career at SouthernSun, recalling both the missteps and successes he faced along the way. He also speaks on the decades of strategy and planning that culminated in SouthernSun becoming entirely employee-owned and successfully transitioning leadership of the firm across generations - both notable achievements.
Throughout this episode, Brad and Phillip discuss:
All episodes of the Global Investment Leaders podcast are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and more. Receive the episodes as soon as they premiere by subscribing today.
In the latest episode of the Global Investment Leaders podcast, Chas Burkhart, CEO of Rosemont, engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Earl “Trip” Samson III, co-managing partner of Landmark Management, LLC, a NYC-based, multi-family office with approximately $5 billion in assets under management. The conversation revolves around Landmark's transition to next-generation leadership and the strategic partnership between Landmark and Rosemont, which was announced in June 2023.
Throughout this episode, Trip and Chas discuss:
Overall, this episode provides a glimpse into what a deliberate, thoughtful approach to succession planning looks like, as well as the importance of creating a solid foundation to ensure the best possible outcome for clients.
All episodes of the Global Investment Leaders podcast are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and more. Receive the episodes as soon as they premiere by subscribing today.
In a recent podcast by Rosemont Investment Group, the hosts discussed two key topics: succession planning and business sustainability in the investment industry.
The podcast began with the observation that it has been a busy half-year for Rosemont, particularly with the closing of its recent investment in Landmark. As a result, Chas and Brad took a moment to reflect on their progress midway through the year.
One of the prominent themes discussed in the podcast was the growing attention being paid to succession. While succession planning has always been a part of Rosemont's focus, they noted an increase in conversations about this topic over the past year.
During the podcast, Brad and Chas emphasize the following key points:
In conclusion, the hosts expressed their belief that the investment industry will witness a surge in corporate activity and M&A (mergers and acquisitions) as businesses seek to address succession challenges and enhance sustainability in an increasingly competitive landscape.
All episodes of the Global Investment Leaders podcast are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,
Google Podcasts and more. Receive the episodes as soon as they premiere by subscribing today.
In this episode of the Global Investment Leaders podcast, Rosemont CEO Chas Burkhart is joined by Barbara McKenna, president of Longfellow Investment Management in Boston, MA. Longfellow is a $17+ billion firm* primarily focused on short-term and fixed-income strategies, with an equity-oriented approach. McKenna's leadership over the past 18 years has brought significant growth to the firm, expanded its core competencies and offerings, broadened employee ownership - all while maintaining an exceptionally-low client turnover rate. In the episode, McKenna details Longfellow’s investment-centric culture, driven by client success and supported by a broad employee ownership structure.
In terms of the macroeconomic landscape, Longfellow emphasizes bottom-line security selection, considers macro events' influence rather than predicting them and identifies risks associated with them.
“I truly believe that, as an active manager, the greatest success comes when we are a viewed as a partner and a solution provider, and that of course, includes seeking to deliver consistent above average, risk-adjusted, relative or absolute returns, but it really means focusing on listening to the needs of clients, having the ability to customize solutions,” McKenna said.
Specifically, McKenna and Burkhart discuss:
The episode concludes with McKenna’s take on the current economic environment, Fed hikes, rates and market volatility. Overall, the episode offers valuable insights into the factors that have fueled Longfellow's success and its unwavering dedication to serving clients with integrity and expertise.
All episodes of the Global Investment Leaders podcast are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and more. Receive the episodes as soon as they premiere by subscribing today.
* Approximate AUM of Longfellow Investment Management at the time of recording.
In this episode of How They Did It, a sub series of Rosemont’s Global Investment Leaders podcast, host Brad Mook is joined by Lindsay Chamberlain, Managing Director at Axiom Investors. During their conversation, Chamberlain, who has been a part of Axiom for 10 out of the firm’s 25 years, discusses Axiom's business and investment philosophies, which have enabled the firm to expand its client partnerships and thoughtfully scale its business.
Chamberlain and Mook discuss:
Chamberlain also touches on Axiom's client communication strategy and the importance of maintaining a performance-led culture without compromising on the firm's values. The episode concludes with Chamberlain sharing key lessons learned from her 10-year tenure at Axiom.
All episodes of the Global Investment Leaders podcast are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and more. Receive the episodes as soon as they premiere by subscribing today.