Michael W. Wright

Provides investment advice

Ascend Capital employs an opportunistic US-focused long/short equity investment strategy. They seek to generate superior risk-adjusted returns that maximize gains and minimize volatility over a broad range of market environments. They employ a variation of the Jones Model investing strategy with the intention of achieving capital appreciation in a broad range of market environments. The net market exposure of each account may vary significantly depending on the firm's assessment of shifting economic and market conditions, as well as particular long and short investing opportunities. Ascend Capital's strategy has neither a long nor short bias. Although their strategy focuses on equity and equity-related securities that are publicly traded, they may pursue a highly diverse range of investments and trading strategies. Ascend Capital may cause the accounts to invest a significant portion of their assets in one or more of the following: illiquid securities, including privately placed equity (of public and private companies), defaulted debt, bank debt and trade claims, bonds (convertible and non-convertible), other fixed-income investments and senior and subordinated tranches of asset-backed pools. Ascend Capital's strategy includes short selling. They expect the funds to utilize leverage on a moderate to extensive basis. The separate accounts utilize leverage in accordance with the investment guidelines for each account. The firm may cause the accounts to buy or sell (write) options, publicly traded and over-the-counter, covered and uncovered, on securities and securities indices, as well as options and forward contracts on currencies. They may also cause the accounts to engage in a variety of investment techniques involving arbitrage. addition, they may cause the accounts to engage in futures and other derivative transactions, typically for hedging of existing long and short positions.

Provides brokerage services

Forward Management offers investment management and advisory services in the following investment strategies: US Dividend Signal Portfolio, International Dividend Signal ADR and Institutional Portfolio, Global Dividend Signal Portfolio, Small-Mid Core Portfolio, Global All-Cap Dividend Signal Portfolio, Tactical Growth Portfolio, and Adaptive Income Portfolio. The US Dividend Signal Portfolio seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation and dividend income by investing primarily in larger, established companies located in the US. It invests primarily in high quality common stocks that regularly pay dividends. Investments are selected based on higher relative dividend yields, dividend growth potential, and anticipated stock price appreciation. The Global Dividend Signal Portfolio seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation and dividend income by investing primarily in companies located around the world. It invests primarily in common stocks and ADRs that regularly pay dividends. Investments are selected based on higher relative dividend yields, dividend growth potential, and anticipated stock price appreciation. The Small-Mid Core Portfolio seeks to achieve above-average returns by constructing a style and sector diversified portfolio of small- and mid-sized company stocks. It invests in companies with earnings primarily focused on one business with reasonable valuations. The Global All Cap Dividend Signal Portfolio is a combination of the Global Dividend Signal and Small-Mid Core Strategies. The Tactical Growth Portfolio seeks to produce above-average, risk-adjusted returns, in any market environment, while exhibiting less downside volatility than the market itself. It is designed to evaluate potential long and short investments in an attempt to isolate those securities believed to be undervalued or overvalued relative to their intrinsic value and offer the greatest risk-adjusted potential for returns. The Adaptive Income Portfolio seeks to produce the highest level of income given a target level of risk. It invests across a diverse range of ETFs and dynamically adjusts the portfolio’s mix of assets to adapt to changing markets conditions.

Manages hedge funds

Functions as a College/University

Functions as a College/University