Director, Private Markets Research in London

About the Global Investment Research Team

The Global Investment Research (GIR) team is a client‑facing investment research group, within the Equity and Multi‑Asset business vertical of FTSERussell, with team members in the Americas, EMEA and APAC. The team publishes insights on current market dynamics across global regions and asset classes (e.g., equities, equity factors, fixed income, multi‑asset, cross‑asset, wealth, asset allocation, portfolio construction dynamics). Our analysis is based primarily on data from FTSERussell indices, along with other LSEG data sets and some external data sources. Our research enhances our engagement with clients, including asset owners, asset managers, ETF issuers and wealth channels.

Role Purpose and Responsibilities

This role sits within the FTSERussell Global Investment Research (GIR) team, and can be based in New York or London, and is focused on private markets investment research. FTSERussell has recently partnered with Stepstone Group and has developed Private Market Indices. The role holder will be pivotal in expanding GIR's research to provide clients with investable insights across private equity, private credit, infrastructure, and real estate; with scope for the universe to extend.

The candidate should be comfortable developing private markets research using index data (FTSERussell & Stepstone index families, and other possible indices in the future), and from a cross‑asset perspective to highlight asset allocation insights within private markets as well as how private markets fit into wider cross‑asset portfolios from a total portfolio perspective, including public and private markets.

The ideal candidate should understand the impact of macroeconomics on financial markets, and have a background in private markets in asset management, asset owner, investment research (buy‑side or sell‑side) or private markets' multi‑manager research. The role requires a combination of three essential skills:

• Deep understanding of financial markets holistically, the private markets landscape and ability to explain relative merits between them and how they could be integrated into portfolios.
• Strong quantitative skills. Ideally familiarity with Python (or other coding languages), and analytics platforms like LSEG Workspace and Datastream.
• The ability to communicate clearly & succinctly, and present to clients across the value chain and investor ecosystem.

The successful candidate will be responsible for:

• Lead the initiation of Private Markets research for GIR. Should be deeply familiar with various parts of private markets (private equity, private credit, real assets like infrastructure and real estate etc). Doing research and investment writing for delivering high quality, thought‑provoking research content, by way of regular periodical research reports, impactful short story‑telling pieces, topical research insights, white papers and deep thematic research, published through multiple channels. All research efforts are aimed at deepening client engagement, providing critical support for FTSERussell's existing and new equity, multi‑asset, private markets indices, increasing the value proposition and awareness of FTSERussell indices within the institutional and wealth channels.
• Proactively thinking of utilizing new datasets and analytics to expand the repertoire of GIR research into private markets.
• Hosting webinars, senior/strategic client‑facing research engagements and actively participate in industry conferences and events. Strong written and verbal presentation skills are a must, and the gravity to interact with very senior clients including the C‑level.
• Working closely & collaboratively with others in the GIR team and contributing to the research efforts of team members across asset classes, who are based in different global locations.
• Actively engaging and partnering with key internal stakeholders in Product, Index methodology research, Marketing, Sales, and external stakeholders of FTSERussell. Working closely with regional and global teams to support index product strategies to drive ETF client adoption and AUM‑based revenues from both.
• Be comfortable with both the Wealth and Institutional channels.

Requirements

• Post‑Graduate degree in investment management related field or equivalent experience. CAIA or CFA would be a big plus.
• 10+ years experience in private markets investment research and portfolio management, either on buy‑side or sell‑side, in wealth or institutional money management.
• Deep understanding of global financial markets, multi‑asset investing and private markets is an absolute must. Essential to have a holistic understanding of financial markets from a macroeconomics to multi‑asset perspective.
• Excellent knowledge and understanding of investment analytics and quantitat.