ActiveBeta Indexes: Capturing Systematic Sources of Active Equity Returns

ActiveBeta Indexes presents exciting new research that shows how above-market returns can be achieved in a low-cost, transparent, and efficient fashion. Active Betas reflect fundamental investment principles that have long been the foundation of active equity returns, but are commonly masqueraded as investment skill, or alpha. This groundbreaking book lifts the veil to uncover the common sources of active returns and reveals their beta-like properties.

Developed by leading investment practitioners at Westpeak Global Advisors, ActiveBeta Indexes introduces Active Beta sources and explains how the behavior of short- and long-term earnings growth gives rise to systematic sources of active equity returns.

• Details a new index framework and research findings that could change the face of active portfolio management
• Presents patent-pending innovations for constructing style indexes and informationally-efficient active portfolios
• Explores the historical performance of ActiveBeta Indexes

Wealth advisers, consultants, pensions and endowments, and other institutional investors will find the intellectual honesty of ActiveBeta Indexes a refreshing perspective on the active management industry. They will also find it a useful guide to a more strategic allocation of their risk and management fee budgets – a growing necessity in these challenging times.

Khalid Ghayur is the CEO and CIO of Westpeak Global Advisors, LP. He was director of research policy, a member of the Global Executive Committee, and chairman of the Index Policy Committee at Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) Barra. Prior to this, he was global head of quantitative research and strategy for HSBC Global Asset Management. He is a CFA charterholder, has served on the Board of Governors of the CFA Institute, and is a former trustee of the CFA Institute Research Foundation. He received an MBA in finance and international business from the Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussees and an MA and BA in economics from the University of Karachi.

Ronan G. Heaney is Director of Research at Westpeak. Before joining Westpeak, he was a software architect with Multum Information Services and a senior software developer at Swiss Bank Corp. He holds an MS in computer science from Purdue University and a BS in applied physics from Dublin City University, Ireland.

Stephen A. Komon is a Senior Portfolio Manager at Westpeak. Prior to this, he was vice president of foreign exchange and commodities at J.P. Morgan & Co., and he also held positions with UBS AG/Swiss Bank and Dean Witter Reynolds. He holds an MBA in finance and accounting from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a BS in commerce from the University of Virginia. He is also a CFA charterholder.

Stephen C. Platt is Director of Portfolio Management at Westpeak. Before joining Westpeak, he cofounded and was a senior vice president of Cordillera Asset Management. He holds a BS in finance from the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business and is a CFA charterholder.