Hedge Fund Huddle

Hosted by LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group)

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Latest episode

Aug 2026

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About the show

Host Jamie McDonald, former portfolio manager at one of the world’s top hedge funds, teams up with LSEG for this new award winning podcast series, to take a deep, open and honest look at what the world of hedge funds is all about. We’ll dive into what it’s actually like to work at a hedge fund, stories of failure and success, what crypto hedge funds are all about, and much, much more. Follow us wherever you listen to podcasts and if you want to get in touch, drop our team a line at FMT@lseg.com

Listen to episodes

25 recent

August 5, 202637 min

Trusted news in the age of AI: How hedge funds find signal in the noise

How do hedge funds decide which news and data sources they can truly trust? In this episode, hosted by Elizabeth Kuhr, director of news content strategy at LSEG we sit down with Vik Bansal, Systematic Portfolio Manager at Centiva Capital, David Tattan, Business Lead of LSEG EMEA Execution Solutions, and Alexandre Hardouin, Head of Equities at LSEG, to explore the growing importance of trusted news, transparent data, and human validation in modern investment workflows. From balancing speed and accuracy to evaluating alternative data sources, AI-generated outputs, and the cost of adding new datasets, our guests unpack what it takes to build confidence in the information driving trading decisions today. Chapters (00:00:01) - Introduction (00:01:57) - Defining a trustworthy source (00:03:45) - Bringing news sources into hedge funds (00:06:26) - Analysing data: Human vs machine (00:07:53) - Verifying sources: Trust and technology (00:10:00) - Speed vs accuracy: Finding the right balance (00:17:55) - Alternative data sources (00:23:45) - News and data: AI strategies (00:26:47) - AI and information filtering (00:28:40) - Factchecking LLM output with AI (00:31:40) - Differentiating data sources (00:32:40) - Investments hedge funds should be making

March 25, 202648 min

AI at work: Inside the new era of hedge fund research and trading

How are today’s hedge funds really using artificial intelligence — beyond the hype? In this episode, we sit down with Andrew Delaney, President of A‑Team Group and Nishant Gurnani, Partner and Quant Researcher of Versor Investments for a practical look at how AI is transforming research, alternative data, strategy design, and risk management. From treating AI agents as “junior analysts” to building proprietary model stacks and navigating crowded trades, our guests unpack how technology is reshaping modern investment workflows and the competitive edge in markets today. Chapters (00:00:00) - Introduction (00:07:22) - Use cases of AI tools in investing (00:15:00) - Conviction and decision-making (00:19:30) - Internal vs external models (00:25:50) - Avoiding crowded trades (00:32:02) - AI execution in discretionary trading (00:35:30) - Regulation (00:40:00) - The importance of prompt writing and data quality (00:44:30) - AI outside of work

January 14, 202643 min

Centuries of Strategy: A conversation with Man Group’s CIO

How does a firm founded in 1783 stay at the cutting edge of global finance? In this episode, we sit down with Greg Bond, the Chief Investment Officer of Man Group, the world’s largest publicly listed hedge fund, to explore how a legacy of over two centuries continues to evolve. From the rise of multi-strategy investing to leveraging AI and advanced technology for smarter decision-making plus so much more. Chapters (00:00:00) - Man Group's unique history and the genesis of Man AHL (00:06:36) - The benefits of a broad background (00:09:40) - Acquisitions and adding alpha (00:12:15) - Capitalising on cross-collaboration (00:14:00) - Private credit (00:16:17) - Multi-strategy hedge funds (00:19:29) - Attracting top talent (00:25:37) - The landscape of systematic investing (00:29:56) - Developing AI researchers (00:33:14) - The allocator's dilemma (00:37:45) - 2026 outlook (00:42:47) - Pearls of wisdom for listeners starting their career

October 8, 202531 min

Inside the academy: How Point72 shapes future investors

From hands-on training to mentorship and real-world exposure, the Point72 Academy works with students and interns to demystify the industry and prepare them for careers in investing. Whether you're a student curious about hedge funds or a professional interested in how top firms develop talent, this conversation offers valuable insights into what it takes to break in—and stand out. Listen in as our Jamie McDonald sits down with Jaimi Goodfriend, Head of Investment Professional Development and Point72 Academy Director. Chapters (00:00:00) - Hedge Fund Huddle wins an award (00:01:00) - Point72 Academy's programs (00:03:27) - Jaimi Goodfriend's career (00:05:10) - The academy's origins (00:07:48) - The qualities that make great investors (00:09:37) - Attracting top talent (00:11:49) - Day in the life of an intern (00:13:35) - Transitioning from Analyst to Portfolio Manager (00:17:55) - An apprenticeship culture (00:22:02) - The numbers (00:23:40) - Strategies (00:26:30) - Advice to future investors

September 10, 202543 min

Desert Funds, Island Lessons: What hedge funds in the Middle East have learned from the Cayman Islands

We are seeing a boom in hedge funds in the Middle East but what does it really mean to do business there and what is driving that growth? To help us discuss this topic, Jamie is joined by Chude Chidi-Ofong from Montague Square, Rob Thomas from Centralist Group, and LSEG's Jim Backhouse. What is it like living there? Investing there? And just how do the trends of domiciling in the Cayman Islands translate to the Middle East? Have a listen to our latest episode to find out.

July 9, 202555 min

The realities of a hedge fund trader’s day

On May 7, 2025, a group gathered in NYC and had the chance to experience the Huddle in person by taking part in an evening filled with fascinating stories and insights from past hedge fund managers. It was a behind-the-scenes look into their world as they shared their personal journeys, key moments, and the lessons they learned throughout their careers. These stories from the frontlines were recorded and are now available in our latest episode of the Hedge Fund Huddle. Listen as we are joined by our moderator, Michael Smith, Global Director, Customer Strategy & Execution at LSEG, Jamie McDonald, Hedge Fund Huddle podcast host, Derek Wallis, Author of ‘Occupy a Job on Wall Street,’ and Tracy Castle-Newman, Retired Managing Director, Morgan Stanley. We want to hear from you! If you've got questions, comments or would like to be a guest on the Huddle, get in touch with us at fmt@lseg.com.

June 11, 202546 min

The psychology of trading – Identifying your strengths and weaknesses as a trader

We have reached the third and final episode in our recent series on the psychology of trading. Learning to understand what you are good at and where you can use improvement is beneficial in life as well as on the trading desk. In this episode, we are joined by two well-established veterans in the financial performance coaching industry to help break this idea down plus more. Let’s hear from Peter Burditt and Steven Goldstein.

May 14, 202538 min

Hedge funds in the fixed income fast lane: what’s driving this evolution?

In this episode, we explore the growing role of fixed income in the hedge fund space as firms increasingly diversify beyond traditional equity strategies. As market dynamics evolve, and electronic trading grows, hedge funds are turning to fixed income for new opportunities. David Rickard, Global Head of Fixed Income Trading Workflows at LSEG and Roderick Joniaux, Head of European Government Bonds and Supranational Products at Tradeweb, join us to talk about what this could mean for the future of the industry.

April 9, 202545 min

The psychology of trading – Performance data and how to use it to your advantage

Is it skill or luck? Something we may not often consider or evaluate when trading. But, by using performance data, you should be able to analyse how to better execute trades based on certain factors. Did you ever consider what sorts of markets you are better at trading in or are certain performance biases holding you back? In the second episode in our series on the psychology of trading, we look to answer these questions and more. We are joined by Clare Flynn Levy, Founder and CEO of Essentia Analytics and we welcome back Dr. Richard Peterson who is a psychiatrist, and the CEO of MarketPsych. Chapters (00:00:00) - Introduction (00:01:48) - Clare's background (00:08:53) - Analysing performance as a fund manager (00:12:44) - Can unconventional approaches pay off? (00:19:26) - Navigating today's markets with optimisation (00:22:40) - Can our mindsets evolve with the markets? (00:27:38) - Short-term vs long-term (00:29:25) - Diagnosing alpha decay with data (00:35:49) - Sunk cost bias and the repurchase effect (00:39:15) - Why process matters

March 5, 202547 min

The psychology of trading – Breaking down emotions and personalities

Confident, competitive, disciplined, introverted, anxious are just some of the traits that make up hedge fund traders. Some of them can be positive to one’s performance while others can tend to hurt potential and success. Traders are constantly learning how to deal with herd psychology, navigating bubbles and crashes as well as often trying to turn anxiety into something that is motivational and activates a game plan for success. Today we are kicking off a series focusing on the different pieces that help make up the psychology of trading and for our first episode, we are welcoming back two long-time experts in the field of psychology who work with traders to help them optimise performance on the desk and off. Dr. Richard Peterson is a psychiatrist, and the CEO of MarketPsych and Dr. Alden Cass is a licensed clinical psychologist and trading performance coach.