Survival of the fittest: How to tackle multi-asset in a challenged market
With corporate America in a new phase of confidence driven by a business focused administration, domestic stocks are hitting all highs while bond prices are undergoing a suppression in returns. Asset-liability focused investors are thus on the lookout for new minimal risk, return seeking strategies while not over-exposing themselves to alternative risk.
Into this picture, multi-asset strategies have emerged as a magic pill, with institutional asset owners embracing a cross-section of assets and investment either in-house, through outsourced investment managed, or pooled fund approach.
The third annual Multi-Asset Strategies Investing, North America report brings together a multi background line-up of 9 asset owners and market commentators to debate, outline and review sector trends impacting the multi-asset investment market.
Explore these issues in the report:
- Building dynamic multi-asset strategies
- The role of multi-asset funds in the simplification of investment portfolios
- Factor investing’s introduction
- Weighing the decision to in versus outsource investment management
- The application of multi-asset funds in Defined Contribution portfolios

Contents
SECTION 1
NEW WAYS OF TACKLING MULTI-ASSET
1.1 INTERVIEW: The strengths of multi-asset in protecting against market corrections
Interviewer:
David Grana, Head of Production, Clear Path Analysis
Interviewee:
Brian Meath, Chief Investment Officer, Multi-Asset Solutions, Russell Investments
1.2 INTERVIEW: Fitting multi-asset into a modern portfolio?
Interviewer:
David Grana, Head of Production, Clear Path Analysis
Interviewee:
Mark Andersen, Senior Vice President and Manager, Callan Trust Advisory Group
1.3 INTERVIEW: Why the “things in-between” matter: The power of a multi-asset approach in increasing asset diversification for the sake of risk and return
Interviewer:
David Grana, Head of Production,Clear Path Analysis
Interviewee:
Ron Balkema, Portfolio Manager, Multi-Asset Solutions, Russell Investments
1.4 INTERVIEW: The OCIO/internal CIO relationship during the fundraising process
Interviewer:
David Grana, Head of Production, Clear Path Analysis
Interviewee:
Tom Heck, Chief Investment Officer, Ball State University
1.5 ROUNDTABLE: Managing a multi-asset portfolio today
Moderator:
David Grana, Head of Production, Clear Path Analysis
Panelists:
Brent Rossum, Director, Front Office Product Management, North America,SimCorp
Venkat Balakrishan, Director, Senior Fund Manager, ICMA-RC
Dec Mullarkey, Managing Director, Investment Strategy, Sun Life Investment Management
1.6 WHITE PAPER: Tools to support multi-asset growth
Marlena Fitts, Global Front Office Product Strategist, SimCorp
SECTION 2
THE MACROECONOMICS OF MULTI-ASSET INVESTING
2.1 INTERVIEW: Are crowded trades in developed markets pushing multi-asset investors into emerging markets?
Interviewer:
David Grana, Head of Production, Clear Path Analysis
Interviewee:
Don Lindsey, Chief Investment Officer, American Institutes for Research
2.2 INTERVIEW: Can multi-asset strategies get your portfolio over the hurdles that investors face in today’s market climate?
Interviewer:
David Grana, Head of Production, Clear Path Analysis
Interviewee:
Ajit Singh, Chief Investment Officer, Houston Firefighters’ Relief and Retirement Fund
SECTION 3
CHALLENGES IN THE DEFINED CONTRIBUTION SPACE
3.1 WHITE PAPER: Why alternatives in multi-asset DC plans are not all they are cracked up to be
Charles Van Vleet, Chief Investment Officer, Textron