“…we need people who are adaptable…”
Brendan Ahern
Chief Investment Officer @ KraneShares
KraneShares ETFs is a boutique ETF provider seeking to deliver global investors with investment opportunities for the next-wave of China’s development. KraneShares’ CIO, Brendan Ahern says the firm’s main value is providing a balanced perspective and education about China, its growth within capital markets and helping investors make an informed investment decision.
Brendan is in charge of the firm’s research, education and investor outreach efforts. His role ensures he visits China frequently, he is a veracious consumer of Chinese financial news and is in regular contact with the firm’s Chinese partners. Brendan is considered a preeminent expert in global financial markets with a particular focus on China, and is often sought after by leading business and financial outlets including but not limited to CNBC, Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal and Investor’s Business Daily.
Previously, he worked at Neuberger Berman and Salomon Brothers, and was also an early pioneer of the US exchange traded fund (ETF) industry as one of the first 20 employees of iShares by BlackRock. Within iShares, Brendan experienced the proliferation of ETFs and the growth of the ETF industry first hand. During his tenure at iShares he saw AUM grow from a few billion to $1.5 trillion. This “from the ground up” experience forged his comprehensive expertise with all aspects of the ETF industry including product development, marketing, branding, business strategy, operations, portfolio management, and trade execution.
We talked to Brendan about his career path, tips for success and what he thinks about the ETF industry.
