• MAX DARNELL
• KEN FERGUSON
• JOSEPH GERMAIN
• CURT KETTERER
• DORI LEVANONI

• TIM MECKEL
• ED PETERS
• JIA YE

MAX DARNELL has served as First Quadrant's Chief Investment Officer since 2002. Max is responsible for overseeing the firm's investment products, with emphasis on strategic research and development initiatives. Max, along  with Curt Ketterer and Joseph Germain, serves in the firm's Executive Office. Max began his career at First Quadrant in 1991, managing derivatives research throughout the decade. In 2000 he was named Director of Research, overseeing both equities and derivatives products. Max earned a Master's degree in Economics from  the University of California, Los Angeles, in 1991. Back to top

KEN FERGUSON is a First Quadrant partner co-heading the firm’s Global Macro Strategies. He is involved in all aspects of product development: model building, risk measurement, risk allocation, and portfolio optimization. On joining First Quadrant in 1994, Ken was initially focused on tactical asset allocation, currency, and global macro strategies. Prior to joining First Quadrant, Ken was an assistant professor of mathematics at the University of California, Irvine, and the University of Southern California. He received his PhD in mathematics from the University of Utah in 1991. Back to top

JOSEPH GERMAIN joined First Quadrant in 2011 as Managing Director and Head of Business Development. He is responsible for leading the firm’s sales, marketing and client service strategy for its global distribution platform and serves in the firm's Executive Office. Joe comes to First Quadrant from Affiliated Managers Group where he was Managing Director of Global Distribution.  He joined AMG after having been the Chief Operating Officer and Head of Business Development for the Quantitative Investment Group at Lehman Brothers Asset Management in New York.  Prior to joining Lehman Brothers, Joe was the Director, Client Management and Business Development for GMO as well as Vice President, Corporate Marketing at Putnam Investments.  He received a BA from Stonehill College. Back to top

CURT KETTERER joined First Quadrant as Chief Financial Officer and treasurer in 1995, and became the firm's Chief Operating Officer in 1998. He is First Quadrant's partner in charge of operations, finance, and administrative functions, and serves in the firm's Executive Office. Curt's 30+ years of financial and investment advisory experience include service as Senior Vice President of Finance at Trust Company of the West and, prior to that, as Chief Financial Officer of Security Pacific Investment Group. He also spent nine years with Arthur Andersen LLP. Curt earned an MBA in finance from Loyola University in Los Angeles, and holds a bachelor of science degree in accounting from California State University, Long Beach. Back to top

DORI LEVANONI is a First Quadrant partner co-heading the firm’s Global Macro Strategies. He is involved in all aspects of product development: model building, risk measurement, risk allocation, and portfolio optimization. On joining the investment research team, Dori was initially focused on tactical asset allocation, currency, and global macro strategies. Mr. Levanoni first joined First Quadrant in 1991 as an intern while studying physics at California Institute of Technology. He left the firm in 1995 to work in the anatomy and neurobiology department of Washington University in St. Louis. Returning to First Quadrant in 1996 as head of systems, Mr. Levanoni moved to the investment research team two years later. He subsequently served as manager of currency research and director of the currency product. Back to top

TIM MECKEL, partner and director of client service, is responsible for keeping clients abreast of the firm's research innovations, special projects, and performance across all First Quadrant products. In addition he oversees monthly client reporting, client consultation on tailoring risk allocation within the product roster, and acts as liaison between clients and the Pasadena-based client service group. Prior to joining First Quadrant in 1988, Tim spent four years based in Frankfurt working on international finance and venture capital in the high technology sector. He earned an MBA from the Harvard Business School in 1988 and received his bachelor's degree with a double major in economics and German from Middlebury College in 1981. Tim became a CFA charterholder in 1992. Back to top

ED PETERS is a First Quadrant partner co-heading the firm’s Global Macro Strategies. He is involved in all aspects of product development: model building, risk measurement, risk allocation, and portfolio optimization. Prior to joining First Quadrant he spent 23 years with PanAgora Asset Management where he was, over time, an equity portfolio manager, Director of Tactical Asset Allocation, Chief Investment Officer of Macro Investments, and Chief Investment Officer. Prior to joining PanAgora, Ed was Investment Technology Manager at Interactive Data Corporation and an equity analyst/trader at Mutual Benefit Life. He has lectured extensively in the classroom as well as in conference settings. The author of numerous articles in investment journals, Ed is also the author of three books: Chaos and Order in the Capital Markets (Wiley, 1991, 1996), Fractal Market Analysis (Wiley, 1994), and Patterns in the Dark (Wiley, 1999). Ed holds an MBA from Rutgers University. Back to top

JIA YE is the Chief Investment Strategist and Director of Trading at First Quadrant. She leads the trading and trade research team to develop and implement trading strategies that take advantage of alpha and liquidity opportunities across asset classes. Prior to her current role, Jia oversaw the firm’s global market neutral strategies. She received her PhD in finance and business economics and MS in applied mathematics from the University of Southern California. She has published articles in various journals, including research on portfolio construction, equity management and tax-efficient investing. Back to top