Episode 384: Identifying Alpha in Private Markets: A Discussion with Ares' Quantitative Research Group

Avi Turetsky, Partner and Head of the Quantitative Research Group at Ares Management, and Bill Kieser, Principal and Co-Head of Research and Data Science at Ares Management, join the InsuranceAUM Podcast to explore how quantitative research is changing the way institutional investors evaluate private markets.   They discuss how investors can look beyond traditional measures like IRR and quartile rankings to better understand alpha, benchmarking, portfolio construction, and relative value across private equity, private credit, real estate, infrastructure, and secondaries. The conversation also examines what Ares’ research suggests about investing during periods of volatility and the potential benefits of taking a more contrarian approach to private market allocations.   The discussion also looks ahead to the growing role of AI and machine learning in investment research, including how Ares is using data to identify potential credit risks and where quantitative tools may complement, rather than replace, human investment judgment.