People

Robert Rice is Chief Executive of OCCAM. After graduating from Oxford in 1970, he pioneered the use of computers in corporate finance. In 1981 he moved to the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency, advising on their portfolio and the performance of their external managers. In 1987 he became Managing Director of Baring Quantitative Management.

In 1989 he joined QUANTEC as Director of Investment Technology, and was responsible for marketing, client support and consultancy worldwide. He founded OCCAM in 1993, but still finds time to lecture on financial technology, and is chairman of INQUIRE UK and a director of INQUIRE Europe, organisations dedicated to the sponsoring and dissemination of quantitative investment research at universities and business schools in the UK and Europe respectively.

Steven Lovelock joined OCCAM in 2010 as a Developer. He holds a First Class (Hons) Degree in Mathematics and Computer Science from Kings College London. Steven works on the development and maintenance of POW! and our up coming free utility software.

Colin Griffin joined OCCAM in 2014 as a Mathematical Developer. He holds an Upper Second Class (Hons) Masters Degree in Electronic Engineering from the University of Southampton. Colin works on the development and maintenance of POW!

Ben Hewins joined OCCAM in 2014 as a Mathematical Developer. Before this he studied Physics and Molecular Biology at University College London. Ben develops PAC-M.

 

External Consultants

Professor Charles Ward advises on Property and Statistical Methods. He is Professor of Property Investment and Finance at the University of Reading.

Edward Rice advises on special projects. He graduated in History from Christ Church, Oxford, and holds a Diploma in Direct Marketing from the IDM, and an MBA from INSEAD where he was Louis Franck scholar, studying on both the Fontainebleau and Singapore campuses. From 1999 - 2005 he was at Ogilvy Worldwide, where as Account Director he was responsible for accounts such as CISCO, IBM and Lotus.

Alex Pigault is Senior Vice President, Research and Asset Allocation, at Blue Oak Capital, one of the most successful of the new breed of Fund of Hedge Fund Managers. He was previously head of client services at OCCAM, and as such is uniquely qualified - when his new role permits - to advise how we can best meet emerging client needs. Alex previously headed the quantitative research team, across all asset classes, for Barclays Private Clients in London and between 1996 and 1998 worked with Deutsche Bank AM and BNP Paribas AM in the multi-management space.

Consultancy

MPT goes back to 1952, and the personal computer to 1981; but understanding and real application of investment technology remains confined to "quant" professionals in a handful of countries; outsiders see it as complex and ridden with black boxes.

OCCAM contends that this need not be so: the key insights of investment technology are simple, and capable of wide application: not just by investment managers, but by securities firms, bank risk analysts, property surveyors and many other members of the financial community, throughout the world.

OCCAM aims to make this possible by the provision of consultancy services to decision-takers and hands-on practitioners alike. OCCAM's services are available:

  • to regular clients, who, in return for a quarterly retainer, know that they can always turn to OCCAM for advice on any matter, however small;
  • to clients with specific research and advisory projects
  • to subscribers of our software (including OCCAM Financial Technology and OCCAM Cashflow Technology)

Services provided include:

  • advice on selection and implementation of off-the-peg software
  • creation of bespoke software where necessary
  • creation of bespoke interfaces to off-the-peg software
  • training and advice on the practical use of quant techniques

OCCAM's staff and consultants have a set of skills and range of experience from the financial and IT industries enabling them to meet a wide variety of client needs.


OCCAM is privately owned, and will not enter into any exclusive or other arrangements which would prejudice its impartiality and independence.