Q&A with IFM's new Investment Director
IFM Investors has appointed Adam Randall to assist in the management of its new Global Index Equities capability. Randall, a former aerospace engineer with Boeing, discusses what previous careers have brought to his new role.
IFM Investors has appointed Adam Randall to assist in the management of its new Global Index Equities capability. Randall, a former aerospace engineer with Boeing, discusses what previous careers have brought to his new role.
What are you most looking forward to in your new role?
IFM Investors is currently sourcing the systems and developing processes to manage global equities. While part of this broader effort, my focus is on researching and developing a global better beta investment strategy. We effectively have a blank canvas, and are working with clients to design the investment strategies from scratch. This is really exciting, bringing together our teams experience in research and portfolio management, and then building a strategy with desirable characteristics.
How have your previous roles prepared you for this role?
At VFMC I was part of the team that internalised Australian equity management, and then went on to develop and manage several investment strategies. My remit at Realindex was to first build a research capability and then to research and develop new strategies. We worked closely with a client to build a global smart beta strategy. My time at Boeing as an aerospace engineer was very different in the outcome, but my time in aerodynamics and flight dynamics taught me to have good attention to detail. The process of starting with theoretical aeroelastics, building and running simulations, and then flight testing is actually quite similar to what I do now.
What do you think will be your biggest challenge in the first 12 months?
Preparing for the management of global equities is a very big project with a lot of moving parts. Getting large amounts of data from different sources to seamlessly flow through several different systems is not a trivial exercise.
Would you consider yourself an introvert or an extrovert? And why?
I'm somewhere near the middle. Most of the time I am an introvert, happy to put in the earphones and spend my time coding or researching for several hours. But I also enjoy standing in front of a group of people and discussing an issue, whether as a formal presentation or while cooking the BBQ.
What was your very first job?
As well as mowing most of the lawns in my street, when I was 15 I worked throughout the summer for a sheet metal fabricator. We were making steel ducting for industrial chimneys, so my task was to drill thousands of holes and prepare the parts for welding.
Do you have a secret skill/hidden talent?
I was a good cricketer when I was younger, but too many injuries cut that career short. I'm now coaching my son and his team, which is great fun.
