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Separating asset allocators from governance oversight enables necessary boldness

Ed Grefenstette · Ed Grefenstette – Bold Allocations at The Dietrich Foundation (EP.437) · Mar 24, 2025 · at 25:48

Ed Grefenstette, CEO and CIO of The Dietrich Foundation, discusses how career risk aversion harms institutional investment committees and why non-consensus allocations require governance distance.

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“Career risk aversion drives a lot of behavior, and Bill felt to the extent you could put some distance between the asset allocator and the oversight or governance group, you had a shot at allowing the CIO to be more bold, because Bill always said, boldness is necessary for outperformance. Undoubtedly, that is true. You need to be able to have the flexibility and the latitude to build something that doesn't look like everyone else.”

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