EDHEC PhD in Finance alumnus Jonathan Harris attended the latest Inquire Europe Seminar
"Immersed among esteemed academics and leaders in quantitative finance was incredibly stimulating."
"It was an enriching experience, marked by engaging discussions and insights from leading figures in finance, providing an ideal setting for forging meaningful connections and delving into the latest in quantitative finance."
Jonathan Harris, PhD (EDHEC) had the opportunity to attend the latest Inquire Europe conference held in Cologne and he shares with us his take aways from the event.
JONATHAN HARRIS, PhD
EDHEC PhD in Finance Graduate, Founder of Total Portfolio Project, and Project Leader at the Center for Sustainable Finance and Private Wealth (Switzerland).
The Institute for Quantitative Research in Europe (Inquire Europe) was established to unite investment professionals interested in the development of quantitative solutions to financial and investment problems. Inquire Europe members consist of a broad range of banks, stock brokers, consulting firms, insurance companies, investment advisors, independent money managers and pension funds. EDHEC Business School is the first academic member of Inquire Europe. Twice a year, the conference provides a pivotal time for members and industry leaders to convene. As part of the EDHEC membership, Jonathan Harris, PhD (EDHEC) shares with us his experience.
Jonathan, you attended the latest Inquire Europe Conference held in Cologne. Could you please describe your overall experience?
My experience at the Inquire Europe Conference was truly inspiring. Immersed among esteemed academics and leaders in quantitative finance, all set against the backdrop of a classic hotel in Germany, was incredibly stimulating. The conference served as a unique platform for the exchange of ideas and the fostering of discussions at the forefront of finance. It was an enriching experience, marked by engaging discussions and insights from leading figures in finance, providing an ideal setting for forging meaningful connections and delving into the latest in quantitative finance.
Was there a specific presentation that you found particularly interesting and impactful?
The presentations by Martin Lettau on handling missing data and Bryan Kelly on the potential of machine learning in finance were particularly notable. Prof. Kelly's exploration of the benefits of complex models, such as deep learning, over simpler ones, incited a thoughtful debate on the application of Occam's razor in financial modeling. These talks, among others, stood out for their depth and their ability to challenge conventional wisdom.
As an investment professional, you are committed to developing innovative strategies and metrics that advance the field of finance. Did you find key take aways from this conference dedicated to Innovation in investing for the long run?
Absolutely. Raman Uppal's presentation underscored the importance of considering unsystematic risk in financial models, challenging the traditional focus solely on systematic risk. Prof. Uppal's innovative perspective deeply resonated with my research, as he offered the classic paper Merton (1987) as a model that provides microfoundations for the pricing of unsystematic risk. Coincidentally, I have been developing a model that can be viewed as a generalization of Merton's. So, it was wonderful to catch up with Prof. Uppal and talk about his research.
