Democracy as a Factor in International Investing

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About This Episode

Large international index funds do not account for geopolitical risk. Corruption has costs, and in this age of conflict with rising tensions in the Middle East, Russia, Ukraine and elsewhere, investors are faced with a daunting landscape while US markets are near highs. Should investors ride the momentum or transition and rotate to sectors that represent greater value and higher forward expected returns? The traditional international funds are attractively valued relative to the US but are fraught with risk. Today we will hear from Julie Cane and Chris Browne from Democracy Investments to discuss democracy as a factor in international investing.

About Our Guest

Julie Cane is the CEO and co-founder of Democracy Investments, a registered investment advisory firm focused on providing strategies that grow democracy globally.

The firm’s Democracy Investments International Index is the first to re-weight an international equity index towards democracies and away from authoritarians, which is achieved by leveraging their exclusive license of the Economist's Democracy Index for financial products globally.

Julie Cane’s 30+ year background in financial services includes Wells Fargo, Charles Schwab, SEI Investments and Autodesk Ventures. Julie began her career as a U.S. Naval Aviator flying the SH-3 Sea King helicopter conducting combat search and rescue training missions and torpedo recovery in Coronado and the Philippines. She holds a BA from the University of Virginia and an MBA from the Anderson School at UCLA.

Christopher Browne, CFA®, is the chief investment officer (CIO) and a co-founder of Democracy Investments.

Chris Browne has more than 30 years of experience in investments and financial markets. including Franklin Templeton Investments, where he advised institutions and family offices on multi-asset portfolio construction. Before Franklin Templeton, Mr. Browne was a fixed income portfolio manager at California Investment Trust (now Shelton Capital), where he managed all fixed income investing for the firm. Other relevant experience includes Autodesk Ventures, BayStar Capital, Harris Bretall Sullivan & Smith, as well as Pacific Income Advisers.

Chris received his MBA in international business from Thunderbird, has a B.A. from the University of California – Santa Barbara. Additionally, he has earned the right to use the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation.

Show Notes

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