Top Traders Unplugged With Niels Kaastrup-larsen | Engaging Conversations With The Top Traders & Investors

Bill Dreiss has been an early adopter from the very beginning. After going to MIT and Harvard, he wanted to form a business that would allow him to be location independent and allow him to surf, his life passion. Fortunately, systems trading found him.He bought a computer before individuals owned them, started a systems trading firm before almost any of them existed, and has been in business trading his own model fro more than 25 years. You’ll gain a career’s worth of knowledge in this fantastic episode.-----EXCEPTIONAL RESOURCE: Find Out How to Build a Safer & Better Performing Portfolio using this FREE NEW Portfolio Builder ToolIn This Episode, You’ll Learn:Why Bill’s firm is so uniqueHow he went to Harvard business school and then went to work for a Think Tank in CaliforniaHow he developed his first trading system in the 1970sHow he did systematic trading by hand in the early days, without computersThe unique system that was the first system he builtThe first company that he started with a few partners

In our continued conversation with Andreas Clenow, we discuss the research and work that goes into making his trading model, how he deals with risk and drawdowns, and how he explains his models to potential investors. In this episode, we will dive into how clear and explainable a trading model should be, and what questions you should ask firms before investing in them.-----EXCEPTIONAL RESOURCE: Find Out How to Build a Safer & Better Performing Portfolio using this FREE NEW Portfolio Builder ToolIn This Episode, You’ll Learn:How Andreas does his research and what research he looks for in other firmsWhy a track record matters and how it mattersHow trend following has done over the last few yearsHow he builds his own trading strategiesWhat he does with position sizing and how important it isHow he allocates risk on his different modelsWhat he does to measure the environment on trend followingWhat he thinks about sector allocation and diversificationThe kinds of risk management that he uses in his modelWhere

Our guest today is a successful trader, businessman, and author. He is known for his books Following The Trend and Stocks on the Move, and after an impressive career at Reuters finance he moved on to ACIES Asset Management in Switzerland.In our conversation, we discuss trend following and the need to keep it simple, the mistakes that retail traders make, and how to start a new firm in this day and age.-----EXCEPTIONAL RESOURCE: Find Out How to Build a Safer & Better Performing Portfolio using this FREE NEW Portfolio Builder ToolIn This Episode, You’ll Learn:The many skill sets that Andreas hasHow he wrote the books that he is known forWhy he has a large degree of flexibility with his firm and the capital they manageHow he grew up in a small town in Sweden…with lots of cows!About the computer company that he startedHow he left the corporate worldHow he started at ACIESWhat Andreas does when he is not workingThe books he has written about systematic trading strategiesThe value of simplicityWhat An

In the second part of our conversation with Robert Carver, we dive into the specifics of his trading strategy, why he doesn’t trade full time, and what he thinks about the trend-following space in general.You’ll hear his thoughts on drawdowns, research teams, risk, and more. You won’t want to miss his insight and clear explanations of some of finance’s most complicated topics.-----EXCEPTIONAL RESOURCE: Find Out How to Build a Safer & Better Performing Portfolio using this FREE NEW Portfolio Builder ToolIn This Episode, You’ll Learn:The two components of risk, and all about unpredictable riskWhat sets one manager apart from the otherHis view on stop-lossesHow target volatility works for a lot of CTA managersHow he would put together a research team for a fund managerThe problem with hiring a lot of people with the same backgroundHow investors should read the track records of firmsThe concerns and misconceptions about systematized and trend-following strategiesWhy he is so keen on looking at sharp ratioThe

Robert Carver spends most of his book telling you that he is not a good trader. So why did he devote his life and a whole book to the subject?Because he believes in systematic trading; making a simple trading system and sticking to it.In this episode, we dive into his new book and explore why simplicity is the key, people think they are better traders than they are, and so much more.-----EXCEPTIONAL RESOURCE: Find Out How to Build a Safer & Better Performing Portfolio using this FREE NEW Portfolio Builder ToolIn This Episode, You’ll Learn:Why Robert decided to write his new book, Systematic TradingRobert reads the preface to his new bookHe explains one of the biggest investing mistakes of his careerThe book that got him interested in the financial industryHow he got a job with AHLWhy he wrote a book with very little math involved so that he spoke to a large audienceThe 3 types of investors that he defines in the bookHow cognitive biases in humans make them bad tradersWhy he spends a lot of his book explai

In this episode, we dive into the models and processes that Cambridge Capital and Andrew Baxter use to manage risk, research new ideas, and grow their business. We also talk about the importance for managers to explain why they do what they do, rather than just what they do.Listen in to learn more about the future of the managed futures industry and how to be successful in it.-----EXCEPTIONAL RESOURCE: Find Out How to Build a Safer & Better Performing Portfolio using this FREE NEW Portfolio Builder ToolIn This Episode, You’ll Learn:How his forecast method worksHow he develops his basic modelsHow they come up with new ideas for models at Cambridge CapitalThe various short term and long term models that they employ and how they use themWhen they make interventions to the systemThe risk management they use and why they have a risk budgetWhy they are continuously adjusting their risk in the marketThe drawdowns that they expect to see in their program and the ones that they have been throughWhy he thinks CTA f

Andrew Baxter worked at British Aerospace as an engineer before joining the investment management world. He still considers himself an engineer.Listen in to learn how he uses machine learning, why he keeps innovating, and how he started his own firm.-----EXCEPTIONAL RESOURCE: Find Out How to Build a Safer & Better Performing Portfolio using this FREE NEW Portfolio Builder ToolIn This Episode, You’ll Learn:Why Andrew considers himself an engineerHow he went from engineer to investment managementHow he started his firmHis philosophy on the investment management processWhy he harvests risk premiumsWhat he likes to do when he is not workingHow he works with machine learningThe things they learned from their career history that helped them build Cambridge Capital ManagementWhy it is important to stay ahead of the pack and keep innovatingWhat they do in-house versus outsourcingThe culture that he tries to cultivate at his companyHow he talks about track record to his investorsHow he evolved as the managed futur

In this second part of our conversation, we dive into the specifics of how Charles Nenner and his team make their predictions, and what they predict in certain markets like Crude Oil, Copper, and Natural Gas. We also discuss the cycle of a major war at the beginning of each century, and David’s personal story of why he is just as curious today as the day he started.-----EXCEPTIONAL RESOURCE: Find Out How to Build a Safer & Better Performing Portfolio using this FREE NEW Portfolio Builder ToolIn This Episode, You’ll Learn:How they predict the price, and how the price and cycles work together.The fifth category they predict on is economic indicators.What is happening when a market is not behaving as the cycle they show indicates.What are some of the indicators of a big event like 9/11.Where he thinks Natural Gas is going.What he thinks about Copper.The battle between inflation and deflation and where he stands on those terms.About the 100 year war cycle and what he predicts for the next war.The cycles of in

This episode has a unique and interesting guest, the kind we rarely have on this show. David Gurwitz does not trade in the financial markets, but provides predictions and research to many firms, including some we have interviewed. He looks at the cycles in financial markets. Keep an open mind during this episode and see what you can learn about Charles Nenner’s research methods, the start of their research business, and what predictions they have been correct on and which ones they missed.-----EXCEPTIONAL RESOURCE: Find Out How to Build a Safer & Better Performing Portfolio using this FREE NEW Portfolio Builder ToolIn This Episode, You’ll Learn:How David explains what he does, and how this interview is different.How he played semi-professional basketball in Spain before going into accounting.How he met Charles Nenner.How their business works and how cycles works.How Charles has predicted crude oil drop in 2014.What they look at when making their predictions.How they do media appearances and how media has

In this second part of our conversation, Natasha dives into the details of the trading model and portfolio of Altis Partners, her firm. We discuss how they approach risk management, and how they’ve dealt with drawdowns over the years. She also gives her take on the future of the managed futures industry, what advice she would give to emerging firm managers, and other lessons she has learned along the way.-----EXCEPTIONAL RESOURCE: Find Out How to Build a Safer & Better Performing Portfolio using this FREE NEW Portfolio Builder ToolIn This Episode, You’ll Learn:About how Natasha and her team constructs their portfolio.How their models are adaptive.What their integrated risk approach does and how it works.What she thinks the capacity is of the strategy that her firm has.How she defines risk.How correlations play a part in their portfolio.Which sectors of the market do well with their model.How she sets the expectations for what kinds of drawdowns they might have.How to help investors with the emotional

Our next guest left a well known trading firm in London to start a quantitative trading firm with 3 other partners. There’s a lot to be learned from her insights on starting a business, building a culture, and making it through the obstacles along the way. Listen in for our discussions on the startup phase and the current trading model.-----EXCEPTIONAL RESOURCE: Find Out How to Build a Safer & Better Performing Portfolio using this FREE NEW Portfolio Builder ToolIn This Episode, You’ll Learn:How Natasha and her founding partners all worked at the same firm before breaking out on their own.About her childhood growing up as an only child and what got her interested in finance.How she got her first job in finance.When she got hired by QCM.How she met her founding partners.How and why Natasha and her founding partners broke off from QCM.How she set up her new firm with her partners.How they each had a different area of the business that they focused on.The big obstacles of the early days and knowing which peo

In the second part of our conversation with the cofounder of Evolutiq, we dive into the firm’s trading strategy, how they manage risk, and what kinds of investors they seek. He also discusses tips for budding entrepreneurs and firm managers, and how he deals with explaining the complexity of his trading models.-----EXCEPTIONAL RESOURCE: Find Out How to Build a Safer & Better Performing Portfolio using this FREE NEW Portfolio Builder ToolIn This Episode, You’ll Learn:The details of Oliver’s portfolio.What types of markets have more success for their models.Their unique allocation process.How to explain these scientific terms to potential investors.The question of simplicity vs. complexity.How they managed intra-day forecasting.How he manages risk.The way that market correlations play into the portfolio.Oliver’s thoughts on drawdowns and the worst ones that he is expecting.How do you know when a model has stopped working.What Oliver’s experience has been as the world has become more divergent.What keeps him

Our next guest has started and invested in many companies, and is from an entrepreneurial background. First and foremost, he is concerned with running a business, but he also knew he wanted to be a portfolio manager from an early age. Hear the fascinating story of Oliver Steinki on this episode, as we dive into his new firm and the details behind his models and strategy.-----EXCEPTIONAL RESOURCE: Find Out How to Build a Safer & Better Performing Portfolio using this FREE NEW Portfolio Builder ToolIn This Episode, You’ll Learn:The entrepreneurial background that Oliver comes from.How he studied in Germany, Madrid, and Manchester.About his childhood and when he started to realize he was interested in mathematics and finance.What he likes doing when he is not managing his own firm.What algorithmic trading is all about.How the scientific trading model generates signals.What the trade implementation phase entails and how it works.What it is that Oliver is trying to deliver to his investors.About the other

In the second part of our conversation with Mike Coleman, we explore the different commodity markets and how RCMA trades them, and look back at the drawdowns that Mike has gone through and what he has learned from them. We discuss risk, idea generation, and what it takes to build a successful firm.-----EXCEPTIONAL RESOURCE: Find Out How to Build a Safer & Better Performing Portfolio using this FREE NEW Portfolio Builder ToolIn This Episode, You’ll Learn:How correlation plays an important role in what Mike does.What he thinks of the current oil market and the outlook for oil.How they use relative value trading and what that is.What process they have for getting an idea into an actual position.How they have a different relationship between trader and analyst than other firms do.How he defines risk and how he looks at risk management.What he has learned from the drawdowns he has gone through.How to get the investor’s confidence in the manager to a place where they don’t drop out at the worst time.Why regulat

Our next guest lives in Singapore, where he founded a firm that trades in the commodity markets. In this episode, we trace his upbringing in the UK and his first job at Cargill to the start of his firm. We discuss the growth and downsizing periods he has gone through and how he builds a successful business.-----EXCEPTIONAL RESOURCE: Find Out How to Build a Safer & Better Performing Portfolio using this FREE NEW Portfolio Builder ToolIn This Episode, You’ll Learn:Where Mike grew up and how his upbringing shaped his career.How he was interested in travel from an early age, and found out about commodity trading in his final year of university.How he started out as a commodity merchant with Cargill.How he fell into rubber trading which led him to Singapore in 1984.About the beginnings of RCMA.How the commodity markets have changed over the years, and what kinds of companies are still working with commodity trading.The most important things he learned at Cargill that helped in the management of his o

In our second part of this conversation, we dive into the details of the program that Kim runs. We discuss why it’s important to stick with your models, even in times of severe drawdowns, and how Kim views risk. He also talks about the books and people that have inspired him in his career.-----EXCEPTIONAL RESOURCE: Find Out How to Build a Safer & Better Performing Portfolio using this FREE NEW Portfolio Builder ToolIn This Episode, You’ll Learn:The details behind the program Kim runs.What he feels about larger drawdowns.What kind of indicators goes into the models that he uses.Why he uses a non-cyclical approach to creating trading models.How he looks at volatility.What kind of mean reversion strategies he uses.How he responded to the Swiss Franc move.How Kim quantifies risk.How do you prepare for a drawdown when you haven’t gone through a significant one?How his firm comes up with new ideas and goes about doing research.The positives and challenges with working as a father and son team in the same f

Kim Bang grew up with his father’s shipping industry in Denmark, and discovered a fascination of the managed futures industry. He went on to work for companies such as Bloomberg and AIG, before founding his current firm with his son. Listen to his story and find out what makes a firm that can compete in the managed futures industry.-----EXCEPTIONAL RESOURCE: Find Out How to Build a Safer & Better Performing Portfolio using this FREE NEW Portfolio Builder ToolIn This Episode, You’ll Learn:How Kim grew up in Denmark with his dad in the shipping business.How he got into futures markets through his dad’s business.Kim’s education in the U.S. and his first job on Wall Street.How he left AIG to start his own business.His time at Bloomberg building and running their TradeBook system.About Kim’s son’s research club at New York University.How he decided what to do next after his company was sold.How he launched Prolific Capital Markets in 2013.What he does when he’s not working.How he built his business.The funds n

In the second part of our conversation with Barnaby Cardwell, we dive into the details of his program, how he built his company, and what he thinks it takes to be a good manager of a trading firm.-----EXCEPTIONAL RESOURCE: Find Out How to Build a Safer & Better Performing Portfolio using this FREE NEW Portfolio Builder ToolIn This Episode, You’ll Learn:What indicators Barnaby considers more reliable.How he gets into a trade.How important is the position sizing?How much AUM his model can handle.Risk management: how he defines risk and what he does to mitigate it.What he has learned from drawdowns.What keeps Barnaby awake at night.Trading spread between markets and the research his firm is doing into that space.Why he focuses on the managed-account route.How he stands out from the crowd to attract investors.About “key-man” risk.What potential investors don’t ask in their due diligence questions.What it takes to be a great trader.What books have inspired him in trading and life.What his biggest fai

Our next guest is a fund manager in the short-term space, and thus is distinct from many of the guests on this podcast. He discusses how he got into the financial markets from a young age, and why he decided to trade in the short term space in order to separate himself from the competition. Listen in for details into his program and how he started his hedge fund.-----EXCEPTIONAL RESOURCE: Find Out How to Build a Safer & Better Performing Portfolio using this FREE NEW Portfolio Builder ToolIn This Episode, You’ll Learn:How Barnaby grew up and what got him interested in the financial markets.Why he left being a broker and went in to a more systematic approach.How he met his future business partner.How they started his fund in late 2008.What it was about the Market Wizards books that captured his imagination.What he does to compete outside of trading.His first mentor and what he taught Barnaby.Why he decided to go short term.How automation has changed his industry.How he gets through the hard times in the ma

In this second episode with Mahendra, he dives into his predictions for 2015 and the next few years, detailing his thoughts on markets from currencies, gold and silver to oil and real estate markets. He discusses how he sees key geo-political events resolving or worsening in the years to come. You may gain advice and insight that will change how you trade and what you trade in the financial markets!-----EXCEPTIONAL RESOURCE: Find Out How to Build a Safer & Better Performing Portfolio using this FREE NEW Portfolio Builder ToolIn This Episode, You’ll Learn:The drastic rise in volatility Mahendra is expecting for this year and next.What he thinks about where Oil is going to go.What happens when his predictions come true very quickly.His predictions and success with the gold market and the 52-year era for gold.What he thinks about Copper and Silver.What he sees for the major currencies going forward.How Mahendra sees the future of the European Union and their currency.What he predicts that does not pertain to