You Can Do Both: Investing for Mission and Performance

This week on Swimming with Allocators, Earnest and Alexa welcome Quincy Brown, Managing Director at FEG Investment Advisors. With 29 years of experience, Quincy discusses how his firm serves mission-driven organizations by integrating responsive investing strategies, focusing on diverse and emerging managers, and balancing financial performance with social impact. Key topics include the evolution of ESG investing, technology's role in creating new investment opportunities, and the importance of understanding client missions. Quincy also emphasizes that organizations can achieve both financial returns and social objectives by taking a long-term, strategic approach to investing, particularly in venture and private equity sectors. The conversation provides a nuanced look at how investment consultants are navigating changing landscapes of mission-aligned investing. Don’t miss it! 

Highlights from this week’s conversation include:

• Quincy’s Career Path (1:09)
• FEG’s History and Client Base (4:44)
• Building Trust and Client Relationships (7:00)
• Values-Aligned and Responsive Investing (9:17)
• Shift Toward Venture and Private Equity (12:26)
• Identifying Diverse and Emerging Managers (14:36)
• Diversity Criteria and Thresholds (17:01)
• Advice for Emerging Managers (18:03)
• Role of the Research Team (19:10)
• Fund Performance Trends (21:55)
• Mission Alignment Across Asset Classes (24:33)
• Lessons from ESG and DEI Trends (28:44)
• Exciting Trends in Venture and Private Markets (30:16)
• Advice for Allocators on Values-Aligned Investing (35:14)
• Connecting with Quincy and FEG and Parting Thoughts (36:34)

FEG Investment Advisors is a Cincinnati-based investment consulting and OCIO firm serving nonprofits, endowments, and foundations nationwide. With a legacy of research-driven diligence, values-based investing, and a deep commitment to diverse and emerging managers, FEG is a leader in aligning capital with mission. Learn more at www.feg.com.

Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), a division of First Citizens Bank, is the bank of the world’s most innovative companies and investors. SVB provides commercial and private banking to individuals and companies in the technology, life science and healthcare, private equity, venture capital and premium wine industries. SVB operates in centers of innovation throughout the United States, serving the unique needs of its dynamic clients with deep sector expertise, insights and connections. SVB’s parent company, First Citizens BancShares, Inc. (NASDAQ: FCNCA), is a top 20 U.S. financial institution with more than $200 billion in assets. First Citizens Bank, Member FDIC. Learn more at svb.com.

Swimming with Allocators is a podcast that dives into the intriguing world of Venture Capital from an LP (Limited Partner) perspective. Hosts Alexa Binns and Earnest Sweat are seasoned professionals who have donned various hats in the VC ecosystem. Each episode, we explore where the future opportunities lie in the VC landscape with insights from top LPs on their investment strategies and industry experts shedding light on emerging trends and technologies. 

The information provided on this podcast does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal advice; instead, all information, content, and materials available on this podcast are for general informational purposes only.