Chief Strategists, Ian MacFarlane and Joseph Abramson
Designed as an overlay to our existing product line up, the Global Asset Allocation Strategy service provides an asset allocation framework with a twist. Clients can expect valuable and unique country and sector recommendations, unrivaled personal access to BCA Strategists, and personalized service for investment portfolio(s) – taking into account client base currency and risk tolerances.
GAA serves to eliminate the noise of financial markets through the provision of filtered content and premium asset allocation strategy.
Competitive Advantage:
- Through a proprietary BCA matrix model, over 10,000 relationships (11 sectors * 7 regions * 150 variables) are combined to produce accurate country and sector analysis.
- When country and sector data line up as to value, liquidity and growth, BCA Managing Strategists will make a recommendation
- GAA service also integrates foreign exchange implications and strategy into recommendations (currency overlay)
- Using proven BCA methodology, resulting data from the GAA models/indicators/matrix is analyzed using intellectual and macro-economic judgment as to relevance
- Primary goal of the GAA service is to identify financial risks and/or generate alpha for client portfolios
- GAA service tiers allow for personal and direct access to the GAA team; meetings or calls to address the creation or review of investment portfolios, sounding board as to economic backdrop and/or country and sector positions, interpretation of matrix output and its subsequent application (i.e.: how to remain neutral a particular sector or country given current economic environment)
Methodology:
BCA GAA Strategists view the world in three time frames: The tactical or short view is driven by technical data; the cyclical or medium term (the primary focus of the service) is driven by liquidity, value and economic momentum; and a secular view maps out longer term themes with emphasis on implications for strategic benchmarks.
Frequency:
In addition to structured access to GAA Strategists, the service includes Quarterly Portfolio Outlooks, monthly updates, and at least 12 Special Reports per year.
Chief Strategist(s):
Ian MacFarlane joined BCA Research in 2006 as Chief Strategist of the European Investment Strategy service. This followed a 25-year career in senior roles as an economist, strategist and fund manager in Johannesburg, Hong Kong, London and New York. He has covered all the major asset classes in both developed and emerging markets, using both qualitative and quantitative investment tools in portfolio construction. Ian has wide-ranging experience initiating research and developing research products, and has also advised governments and policymakers on topics as diverse as pensions and economic statistics. Ian holds a B.Sc. in Economics from Hull University.
Joseph Abramson joined BCA in July 2005. He began with the Emerging Markets Strategy team and in late 2006 moved to the European Investment Strategy service. Joe has over ten years experience in the investment field including three years experience as a Research Analyst for a long-short hedge fund and three years as an Associate Portfolio Manager for a major financial institution. He has extensive experience in combining top-down macro analysis with in-depth fundamental research to obtain strong performance results.
Download a PDF of the Global Asset Allocation Strategy.
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