Libsyn Directory

Nicolai Tangen - Decision-Making and Intuition in Investing

Release Date: 11/24/2023

Ricky Sandler - Investing Through Perception Shifts and Market Cycles

Value Investing with Legends

Ricky Sandler, founder, CEO, and CIO of Eminence Capital, joins hosts Michael Mauboussin and Tano Santos to explore a dynamic career spanning over three decades in long-short investing. Starting with stories from his upbringing and early career, Ricky unpacks the foundations of his investment philosophy centered around "change in perception" — a framework shaped by evolving market structures and investor behavior. He shares insights from navigating the 1998 crisis, outlines the value of rigorous risk management, and explains how quality businesses combined with contrarian thinking create...

Robert Robotti - From Pink Sheets to Portfolio Management: Bob Robotti’s Value Investing Journey

Value Investing with Legends

Robert Robotti, President and CIO of Robotti & Company Advisors, joins host Michael Mauboussin to explore a lifetime shaped by value investing. With deep roots in accounting and formative experiences auditing firms like Tweedy, Browne, Bob shares how those early exposures led him to a career buying underfollowed, undervalued companies. In this episode, Bob discusses how his contrarian approach has thrived amid market inefficiencies, especially in cyclical industries and under-the-radar public firms. He breaks down key investments, including Builders FirstSource and Tidewater, and explains...

Richard Brekka - From Venture to Secondaries: Richard Brekka on Illiquid Market Advantages

Value Investing with Legends

In this episode, host Tano Santos sits down with Richard Brekka, founder and managing partner of Second Alpha, to examine the lesser-known world of secondary investing in private technology companies. With decades of experience—from venture capital to secondary transactions—Richard shares his journey through private equity at Chase and CIBC, his role in building and reviving companies like Gomez Inc., and how that led him to identify a unique investment niche. He explains the mechanics of sourcing deals in illiquid markets, using data and AI to surface hidden gems, and the psychology of...

Amit Wadhwaney - From Montreal to Moerus: Amit Wadhwaney’s Deep Value Discipline

Value Investing with Legends

Amit Wadhwaney, founding partner and portfolio manager at Moerus Capital Management, joins hosts Tano Santos and Michael Mauboussin to trace his unorthodox journey from Bombay to Concordia to founding a value investing firm focused on the balance sheet. Along the way, he discusses his early exposure to Marty Whitman, lessons from Third Avenue’s international expansion, and what led him to start Moerus. Amit outlines the core of his investment approach—asset-based valuation, downside protection, and long-term holding periods—and explains why macro factors are typically...

Bill Ackman - Evolving Investment Playbook, From MBIA to Moats

Value Investing with Legends

Bill Ackman, founder and CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management, joins hosts Michael Mauboussin and Tano Santos to trace the arc of his investing journey—from his early days in real estate finance to founding Gotham Partners and eventually building Pershing Square into a $30 billion firm. Bill discusses formative moments that shaped his thinking, including his controversial early short of MBIA, the painful lessons of the Valeant episode, and the transformation brought about by adopting a permanent capital structure. He also unpacks his investment philosophy, the importance of durability...

Kristin Gilbertson - Risk, Resilience, and Returns

Value Investing with Legends

In this episode, hosts Tano Santos and Michael Mauboussin speak with Kristin Gilbertson, CIO of Access Industries and former CIO of the University of Pennsylvania Endowment. Kristin shares her early interest in economic development and her unique journey through the World Bank, Stanford Management Company, and into managing a major university endowment. She outlines how risk awareness and preparation helped her successfully lead through the 2008 financial crisis and gives detailed insights into asset allocation, manager selection, and the nuances of family office investing. Kristin also...

Seth Klarman - Contrarian Investing, Discipline, and Building Baupost

Value Investing with Legends

In this episode, host Michael Mauboussin sits down with Seth Klarman, CEO and portfolio manager of The Baupost Group. One of the most influential practitioners of value investing, Seth shares his formative stories — from arbitraging coins as a kid to launching Baupost in 1982 — and reflects on his decades-long investment philosophy. They explore timeless principles of market inefficiencies, the importance of temperament, specialization versus generalization, the role of patient capital, and the challenges and opportunities ahead for investors in today’s world. Seth also opens up about...

Kent Daniel — From Physics to Finance: Exploring Market Inefficiencies

Value Investing with Legends

In this episode of Value Investing with Legends, Tano Santos and Michael Mauboussin sit down with Kent Daniel, Professor of Finance at Columbia Business School, to discuss his journey from physics at Caltech to leading research in behavioral finance and quantitative investing. Kent shares insights from his academic work and his years at Goldman Sachs, including his critiques of the Fama-French model, the role of intangible information in asset prices, and the implications of short selling constraints. The conversation spans decades of market evolution, empirical challenges, and the behavioral...

Cliff Asness — Quant Origins, Value Crashes, and Market Inefficiencies

Value Investing with Legends

In this episode, Cliff Asness joins Tano Santos and Michael Mauboussin for a conversation that spans the evolution of quantitative investing, lessons from market crises, and the enduring tension between risk and behavioral explanations in finance. From his formative years at the University of Chicago under Gene Fama to building AQR into a quant powerhouse, Cliff reflects candidly on theory, performance, and how markets may have become less efficient in recent years. Key Topics: Tano and Michael return from sabbatical and reflect on recent academic and classroom experiences (0:00)...

Phil Ruvinsky - Sustainable Competitive Advantages in Technology

Value Investing with Legends

In this episode, Michael Mauboussin, adjunct professor at Columbia Business School, hosts Phil Ruvinsky, Managing Director and Head of the Fundamental U.S. Growth Team at BlackRock. With extensive experience in the investment industry, Phil shares his journey from law to finance, discusses his investment philosophy, and explains the importance of sustainable competitive advantages. The conversation explores the evaluation of management, the impact of AI on the competitive landscape, and the nuances of portfolio construction. Phil also highlights the role of macroeconomic factors and regulatory...

More Episodes

In the intricate dance of market movements and economic trends, it takes a discerning eye to discern patterns and make strategic decisions. Enter Nicolai Tangen, the astute CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management, who joins hosts Michael Mauboussin and Tano Santos on Value Investing with Legends. A connoisseur of art history and asset management, Nicolai offers a rare blend of expertise, drawing parallels between the seemingly disparate worlds of art and investment. His approach, marked by a blend of rigorous analysis and intuitive pattern recognition, reveals the underpinnings of a global economy shrouded in paranoia and driven by innovation. In this episode, Nicolai unfolds his journey from being an art student to leading one of the most prominent investment funds, highlighting how understanding historical context informs risk appetite. He brings to the forefront the role of AI in transforming investment strategies and the delicate balance of managing a substantial portfolio while maintaining a contrarian stance. Tune in to learn about the psychological aspects of risk assessment, the implications of AI on future investment strategies, the value of contrarian thinking in an ever-changing market, and so much more!

Key Topics:

Nicolai's journey from Russian military studies to financial expertise at Wharton (2:45)
Nicolai's foundational career experiences with John Armitage at Egerton Capital (4:04)
The refreshing and insightful sabbatical Nicolai took to study art history (6:42)
AKO Capital's strategy: selecting high-quality stocks for robust growth and solid returns (9:17)
Investing success through deep reading, contemplative analysis, and rare decisive action (10:34)
The critical role of pattern recognition in navigating financial uncertainties (13:51)
Post-mortem analysis as a vital component of investment strategy refinement (15:41)
The importance of contrarian perspectives in investment strategy and team development (19:09)
Delving into CEOs' insights on market trends and the underestimated influence of corporate culture (23:04)
Adapting from selecting individual assets to managing broad asset classes with team collaboration (26:48)
Proactive engagement in corporate governance through ESG-focused voting practices (30:33)
The inescapable responsibility of managing a globally influential investment fund (33:08)
Balancing the promising prospects of AI with the imperative of managing social risks (35:36)
Defining fund success beyond returns: robust processes and a motivated, fulfilled team (38:07)
What keeps Nicolai up at night and excited about the future (40:40)
Nicolai’s book recommendations (43:24)
And much more!

Mentioned in this Episode:

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