In this episode of Alternative Allocations, Loren and Tony discuss the growing trend of advisors adopting alternative investments in wealth management. They talk about the primary drivers for this adoption, including diversification, risk mitigation, and the potential for higher returns. They note, however, that the process is fraught with challenges, such as the complexity and time required to understand these products, and limited access through many firms. To help advisors overcome these hurdles, asset managers are investing in education, digital content, and the development of model portfolios and blended public-private products.

Loren Fox is the Director of Research at FUSE Research Network, a provider of business intelligence and consulting for the asset and wealth management industries. Loren is responsible for industry benchmarking studies, consulting projects, supporting the firm's clients, and helping to shape the overall research agenda.

Before joining FUSE, Loren spent nearly 10 years as the director of Ignites Research, a unit of the Financial Times that produced original research on the asset management industry; he also created and ran the US financial advisor rankings that appeared in the Financial Times from 2013 through 2020. Previously, he was a senior research analyst at Strategic Insight. Prior to that, Loren was a business journalist for many years, having worked at Institutional Investor and other publications, and he is the author of the book "Enron: The Rise and Fall" (2002).

As an industry expert, Loren has spoken at numerous conferences and been quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Financial Planning, WealthManagement.com, and other publications. He earned his BA from Johns Hopkins University and his MS from Columbia University.

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Resources:

Loren Fox | LinkedIn Alternatives by Franklin Templeton Tony Davidow, CIMA® | LinkedIn