Tactical Beta Strategy
The Tactical Beta Strategy was launched in November 2016†. The strategy provides constant exposure to instruments linked to the performance or volatility of the S&P 500®Index (S&P 500) unless or until U.S. equity market volatility signals ‘risk off’. When that happens, exposure to the S&P 500 is reduced to seek to preserve capital. The signal that triggers a risk-off position is based on a proprietary statistical analysis and manager skill and experience. The Tactical Beta Strategy seeks to provide passive exposure to the S&P 500 with tail-risk management…thus the name “Tactical Beta”. Actual positions are determined based on the skill and experience of Matt and Mike Thompson who developed the Tactical Beta strategy while working at previous asset management firms and since then have been jointly and primarily responsible for managing the strategy.
†LHA has an exclusive license from Thompson Capital Management (TCM) to employ and market the Alpha Seeker, Tactical Beta, and Tactical Q strategies.
Portfolio Managers
Meet the Portfolio Managers
D. Matthew Thompson, CFA
Alpha Seeker™, Tactical Beta, and Tactical Q Strategies Co-Portfolio Manager
Matt oversees the Volatility Dashboard and acts as Co-Portfolio Manager of the Alpha Seeker strategy, the Tactical Beta strategy, and the Tactical Q strategy.
Matt has over 20 years of capital markets and investing experience, focusing on futures trading with an emphasis on VIX-related exchange-traded products. Matt’s perspective and insights on risk, the VIX and the broader volatility ecosystem are sought after by peers and members of the financial press alike, with contributions to articles in Barron’s, the Wall Street Journal and Reuters.
Matt served in an analyst role at Envestnet before joining forces with his brother Mike as the head of operations at Premier Asset Management LLC, a $500M investment advisor spun out of Northern Trust. Subsequently, Matt served in business development and financial modeling roles for a Chicago-based start-up derivatives exchange before being recruited to a family office in 2008 where he co-developed Thompson Capital Management’s (TCM) Volatility Dashboard during the Financial Crisis. Matt subsequently traded the VIX trading strategy directly in the futures market for the proprietary trading desk of ED&F Man Ltd and as a Commodity Trading Advisor, first as a principal of Advocate Asset Management LLC and subsequently for Typhon Capital Management LLC.
In 2015, Matt assumed the role of Co-Chief Investment Officer with his brother at Kaizen Advisory LLC. He co-developed the Alpha Seeker, Tactical Beta, and Tactical Q strategies with his brother Mike. Matt has a B.S. in Economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Matt is a member of the CFA Society of Chicago.
Michael A. Thompson, CFA
Alpha Seeker™, Tactical Beta, and Tactical Q Strategies Co-Portfolio Manager
Early in his career, his work included portfolio management roles at The Northern Trust, William Blair and Premier Asset Management LLC, a $500M investment advisor spun out of Northern Trust. Mike later provided derivatives modeling expertise to a start-up derivatives exchange in Chicago before being recruited by a family office where he co-developed a VIX trading strategy that began trading on a proprietary basis using VIX ETPs in October 2011.
In 2013, Mike began trading the strategy directly in the futures market for the proprietary trading desk of ED&F Man Ltd and as a Commodity Trading Advisor, first as a principal of Advocate Asset Management LLC and subsequently for Typhon Capital Management LLC.
In 2015, Mike assumed the role as Co-Chief Investment Officer with his brother at Kaizen Advisory LLC. He co-developed the Alpha Seeker, Tactical Beta, and Tactical Q strategies with his brother Matt. Mike has a B.S. in Economics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Mike is a member of the CFA Society of Chicago.
Tactical Beta
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