*Please read the disclaimer below* Personalization is no longer the exception when it comes to investors’ financial goals—it’s imperative. Investment flexibility is critical to addressing an investor’s unique needs, but the drive for personalization can often lead to a plethora of products and solutions. It’s equally critical for asset managers to understand how to balance a tailored investment experience without overwhelming investors with too many choices. In this episode of Frontier of...

Vanguard may be a household name, but it stays true to its humble beginnings and longstanding mission: To take a stand for all investors, to treat them fairly, and to give them the best chance for investment success. In this episode, Ben Creary, National Sales Manager for Vanguard Investments Canada Inc. joins us on Frontier of Finance to give us an inside look at this globally known investment company, its four principles for investment success, and why the re-balanced portfolio is alive and...

Dividends often get a reputation as something to consider during retirement, but they can be helpful in a portfolio from day 1. Boncana Maiga, Managing Director, Portfolio Manager at Manulife Investment Management, joins the Frontier of Finance podcast to talk about all things dividends, from the basics to how to build a strong income strategy.

Over her career, Ingrid Macintosh has had a front-row seat in watching how the industry acknowledges and addresses women investors. The VP Wealth, Head of Sales Enablement, Marketing and Digital Strategy at TD, says we’ve come a long way, but despite out-learning, up-earning, and out-living men, women are consistently retiring less wealthy than men. In this episode, Macintosh shares eye-opening stats on the reality women investors face and tangible changes the industry should make to better...

Saving for retirement can be more personalized than you think. For many years, company-sponsored retirement plans were limited to a pre-selected list of mutual funds and annuity contracts. But now, thousands of employers have enhanced their retirement plans to offer greater flexibility and choice: the Self-Directed Brokerage Account. In this episode, we’re joined by Janet Lee, Executive Vice President, National Sales Manager, at The Pacific Financial Group to chat about the opportunity you...

A business development company, aka BDC, provides financing to small-and-midsized private companies. Investing in a BDC means you have a unique opportunity to participate in funding your local economy with the chance of an attractive return. Of course, there are some nuances. In this episode, we speak with Michael Petro, Portfolio Manager of Putnam BDC Income ETF, to share his wisdom from 15+ years of investing in BDCs.

Wealth management marketing has changed a lot over the years. No one knows this better than April Rudin, Founder and CEO of The Rudin Group. A pioneer of wealth management marketing, Rudin started her career in one of the most tumultuous times in the financial world: 2008. Since then, she’s helped design top marketing campaigns for some of the world's leading wealth management firms, fintechs, and family offices. In this episode, she shares the wisdom she’s learned over her 15-year career and...

You might have heard the saying, “Time in the market beats timing the market.” But what if there was another market that, until recently, accredited investors didn’t have much access to? Private Markets. Consisting of four major groups: Private Equity, Private Credit, Real Estate, and Infrastructure, Private Markets may be the key to building an Ultra High Net Worth Portfolio. In this episode, we’re joined by Jeffrey Shell, Head of Alternatives, Commercial ESG and Innovation, and Lillian...

In March 2023, Silicon Valley Bank, a respected regional bank heavily involved in the start-up and tech ecosystem, collapsed. Online chatter about the bank’s standing sparked a bank run and resulted in the largest financial crisis since 2008. The situation seemingly had ripple effects on other banks, including Signature Bank and Credit Suisse, and has tampered with the reputations of regional banks altogether. Is the caution warranted? What really happened? How should advisors guide their...

New season, new format, new co-host. Season 3 of the Frontier of Finance podcast starts now. Before we look ahead, we’re looking to the past. That’s right, we’re going back to the beginning. CapIntel CEO and Founder James Rockwood is back in the host seat, and he’s now joined by CapIntel CRO and Co-Founder Rob Crnkovic. To kick off their new dynamic as co-hosts, the pair reminisces on the early days of starting a WealthTech company. Learn about James’ short-lived CPA career, Rob’s journey...

In this episode, James sits down with Jacques Prevost, First VP at CIBC Global Asset Management, who specializes in active corporate bond management, applied to both asset-only and asset liability portfolios. Hear about current events affecting the industry, including how rising interest rates and the threat of a recession are influencing decisions as asset managers bring new products to the market. Jacques also shares his perspective on the traditional fixed income portfolio, explaining why...

Planning for retirement is taking on a whole new meaning as a third ‘act’ in our lives – one which involves reframing retirement planning in income terms. In this episode, James welcomes back Fraser Stark, President of the Longevity Retirement Platform at Purpose Investments, to discuss major trends happening in the retirement space. Fraser shares his perspective on some of the challenges faced by the retirement community today, including overall income insecurity, inflation and the need to...

With so much volatility in today’s market, it’s more important than ever for investors to understand how their investments are working for them. In this episode, James sits down with an ETF expert and veteran guest on our show, Jonathan Needham, the Vice President & Director and Lead of ETF Distribution at TD Asset Management (TDAM). During their discussion, Jonathan speaks to the current market volatility and introduces some new ETFs (exchange-traded funds) that are now available to...

In this episode, James returns from a brief mid-season break to kick off the second half of the season. For the first time ever on Frontier of Finance, he sits down with Ben Reeves, the Chief Investment Officer at Wealthsimple. In the past, Ben has led asset allocation, research and portfolio risk management teams at Bridgewater Associates, and served as a consultant at McKinsey & Company. He's also a registered portfolio manager in Canada, and as CIO of Wealthsimple, he oversees the...

U.S. equity is often viewed as the powerhouse of long-term potential for capital growth, but in recent years, we've seen a fair share of volatility across the market. In this episode of Frontier of Finance, James explores U.S. equities and the strategy behind the asset class. To inform the discussion, he sits down with Brian Belski, Chief Investment Strategist and Managing Director at BMO Capital Markets. With more than 30 years of investment industry experience, Brian has held top strategist...

In this episode, James explores a new strategy that shines a spotlight on the infrastructure behind the massive data boom. He sits down with real estate investment specialist, Matthew Wenman, Director on the Public Securities Group’s Real Estate Securities team at Brookfield Asset Management, and Stewart Reid, Director of Intermediary Distribution in Western Canada at BMO Global Asset Management. During their discussion, Matthew and Stewart outline the causes of the recent data explosion and...

In this episode, James explores the latest developments and fundamental changes happening in the world of investing thanks to cryptocurrency’s growing popularity. He sits down with guests Jennifer Sinopoli, SVP & Head of Distribution for Central Canada at CI Global Asset Management and Paul Cappelli, Portfolio Manager at Galaxy Digital Asset Management. During the episode, Jennifer and Paul share their expert insights on what the digital asset space has to offer and what financial...

In the first episode of season two, James sits down with the Head of Alternative Investments at Mackenzie Investments, Michael Schnitman, to discuss a new product in the company’s alternatives business. Michaels offers insights about what the alternative fund space has to offer that traditional products cannot, and what’s driving the growing demand for alternative funds. Get a closer look at Canada’s first interval fund, its purpose, and what type of client might be best suited for it. Later...

On the final episode of season one of the Frontier of Finance, we’ve brought in a special guest to speak about an area of investing that has seen tremendous growth. As we head into the new year, clients may be thinking about setting goals related to sustainability. In fact, a UK study showed one in six people made new year’s resolutions to reduce their impact on the planet in 2021. The movement around sustainability and net zero continues to make headlines, and it’s being reflected in the...

In this episode of the Frontier of Finance, James welcomes guests from TD Asset Management (TDAM) back to the show to explore a sector that’s been making headlines since the start of the pandemic – technology. Together with our guests, James explores the latest wave of investing in tech innovation and gets the scoop on TDAM’s newest tech ETF, which launched November 30, 2021. He speaks with Vitali Mossounov, Vice President, Portfolio Manager and Global Technology Analyst and returning guest,...

In this episode of the Frontier of Finance, James dives into the world of alternative funds or “alts”. Over the course of 2020, assets in Canadian alt funds grew from $5.8 billion to $12.2 billion, according to the IFC. Also known as “liquid alts”, these funds have become an important part of the modern portfolio. The episode is dedicated to exploring the driving factors behind this rapid growth of this asset class and how Canadians can use alternatives to build wealth. To find these answers,...

With the recession of 2008 and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this generation of investors knows to expect market volatility today. While some volatility is unavoidable, most people aren’t big fans of losing money, and making rash calls on your investments can derail even the most well-intended wealth plans. In this episode of Frontier of Finance, James explores long-term strategies that can help defend against extreme market swings. He sits down with special guest Ian Filderman, Vice...

Diversitification theory is one of the most pervasive investment strategies in the game. With the goal of minimizing the risk of one unfortunate event wiping out your client's entire portfolio, portfolio managers still need to take advantage of growth in other types of asset classes, industries, and geographies. In this episode of Frontier of Finance, James explores a strategy for geographical diversification using global equities. He’ll be sitting down with Michael Hughes, Senior Vice...

As Canada’s population grows older, it’s becoming increasingly crucial for wealth advisors to discuss the options for accumulating retirement income with their clients. In this episode of the Frontier of Finance, James explores the topic of retirement income planning with two experts from Purpose Investment: President of the Longevity Retirement Platform, Fraser Stark and Vice President of Longevity Retirement Solutions, Pat Leo. Fraser has over 20 years of global business leadership...