EQA Partners - About Us

About EQA Partners

EQA’s objective is to deliver superior, long-term, risk-adjusted returns, with scalable products that have a low average correlation with traditional equity indices.

PARTNERS

ANDREW ALPER
Chairman

Andy Alper has built and run global businesses and managed complex organizations. He is a former Goldman Sachs partner and COO of the Investment Banking Division, past president of NYC Economic Development Corporation, Vice Chairman of the University of Chicago Board of Trustees, and member of the University’s Investment Committee. Andy began his career at Goldman Sachs with Richard Breslow, EQA’s chief investment officer, in 1981, and they have been close for many years. Andy earned an MBA and BA from the University of Chicago.

BLUFORD PUTNAM
President
Head of Economic Research

Blu Putnam has experience running asset management businesses, has served as a chief investment officer, and is a thought-leader in economics, finance, and Bayesian statistical analysis. Previously, Blu founded Bayesian Edge Technology & Solutions, whose research work forms the basis for the systems designed and used in EQA’s proprietary models. He has implemented Bayesian trading strategies in partnership with Richard Breslow and most of EQA’s research, statistics, and technology team have been with Blu for 10 to 20 years. Blu earned a Ph.D. in Economics at Tulane University and a BA at Florida Presbyterian College.

RICHARD BRESLOW
Chief Investment Officer

Richard Breslow is a seasoned global trading manager, proprietary trader, and portfolio manager whose disciplined market judgment greatly enhances the quantitative investment process. Richard was Global Head of FX Trading for Bank of America, where he actively and successfully managed the Bank’s global FX risk during the Russian default, Asian currency crisis, and LTCM hedge fund crisis, among other stressful market periods. Previously, Richard worked at Goldman Sachs and founded the Currency Forward Desk, and in the mid-1990’s, ran EMS trading. Richard has a 25- year relationship with Andy Alper dating back to the beginning of their careers at Goldman Sachs. In recent years, Richard has developed Bayesian trading strategies in partnership with Blu Putnam. Richard earned an MBA with Distinction and BS Summa Cum Laude at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

PHILIP ZECHER
Chief Risk Officer

Philip Zecher brings a decade of experience designing and implementing risk models for the hedge fund community. In 1998, he left Deloitte Consulting to develop a proprietary risk system for a closely-held hedge fund. In 1999, this system became the core product for a new company, Investor Analytics, LLC (“IA”), that Philip founded with two other colleagues. The first client for this new risk system was CDC Investments, then headed by Blu Putnam. Philip continuously enhanced the risk models and technology at IA, and the system grew to handle hundreds of managers daily with thousands of positions representing many billions of dollars of hedge fund assets. Philip sold his interest in IA in 2006. Prior to starting his finance career at Deloitte Consulting, he earned a Ph.D. in nuclear physics at Michigan State University and a BS at Ohio University. He is widely published in both academic journals and the financial press.

D. SYKES WILFORD
Head of International
Investor Service

Sykes Wilford is a pioneer in risk management products such as oil and portfolio swaps. He has written several books, one of which laid the intellectual foundation for the building-block approach to financial engineering, a tool which is now ubiquitous among market participants. He built various trading businesses and managed substantial international risk at The Chase Manhattan Bank, and served as a Chief Investment Officer at Bankers Trust Private Banking and CDC Investments. Sykes has a substantial publications record in academic journals and the financial press. Sykes, Blu Putnam, and Philip Zecher have worked together in various capacities over the years. Sykes earned his Ph.D. in Economics at Tulane University, his MA in Economics at Vanderbilt University and his BA at University of Tennessee.