Creighton AI, a west coast quant equity fund manager which launched its computer-driven global long/short strategy earlier this year, has named Ryan Willson as chief executive officer.
Willson (pictured) was previously head of North America at the San Francisco- and London-based quantitative investment firm, which specialises in systematic global equity long/short and long-only strategies using proprietary machine-learning algorithms.
Before Creighton AI, Willson – who has some 25 years’ experience building boutique investment firms – was CEO of Lateef Investment Management, whose assets grew from USD300 million to USD6 billion. Earlier in his career, he held roles at Merrill Lynch and Morgan Stanley.
CAI was founded by Jim Creighton, who previously had been a quant-focused global chief investment officer at Barclays Global Investors, Deutsche Asset Management, and Northern Trust.
The firm invests in equities using proprietary machine learning techniques and factors which measure stock market data and historic investor behaviour in order to predict future stock market patterns.
The strategy aims to offer investors “exceptional returns” with low volatility and little correlation to broader equity markets and other strategies.
“We launched a fund based on our Global Long/Short strategy at the beginning of 2021, and we have been sub-advising the same Global Long/Short strategy and long-only strategies for institutional clients in Australia for the last thirteen months,” Creighton said.
“The business has grown to a point where I need to be able to focus the majority of my time on the investment side of the business, while Ryan will oversee the management and growth of the rest of the organisation.”
