BNP Paribas Asset Management has announced the addition of three new senior quantitative analysts to its Quant Research Group (QRG) as part of the institution’s quantitative ambitions, including augmenting its fundamental investment processes with quantitative inputs, developing new proprietary ‘quantamental’ portfolio construction techniques and ensuring the continued competitiveness of its factor investing approach through innovative enhancements.
The three appointments to the QRG Research Lab are Boris Afanasiev, Benoît Bellone and Frédéric Abergel, who will report to Thomas Heckel and François Soupé, Co-Heads of the group. Like QRG Research Lab’s other quantitative analysts and data scientists, the new ‘quants’ will work across all asset classes, undertaking strategic research and using their connections within the academic world where appropriate.
With 30 experts in quantitative investment, the QRG was established in 2017 to centralize BNPP AM’s quantitative research capabilities, which has led the asset management institution to expand its expertise to cover new datasets and develop innovative advanced quantitative approaches.
Pierre Moulin, Global Head of Products & Strategic Marketing at BNP Paribas Asset Management, said: “The creation of a stronger, more collaborative and more efficient quantitative research platform will enable us to remain at the forefront of quantitative research, and the addition of such highly experienced analysts as Boris, Benoît and Frédéric to the team will be instrumental in helping us to achieve our ambitions. I am very pleased to welcome them to BNP Paribas Asset Management.”
Boris Afanasiev, based in London and experienced in systematic futures markets trading, joined BNP Paribas AM from StatQuant Consulting, where he was Managing Director, having previously been CIO and Founding Partner of Asset Algo Advisory. Prior roles include senior quantitative researcher at AQR Capital Management and Head of Commodities research at Winton Capital Management.
Benoît Bellone, based in Paris, was designing and managing multi-asset factor and global macro absolute return strategies at HSBC Global Asset Management where he was Head of Multi-Asset Research, before embracing the new challenge. His career includes economist roles at the OECD and the French Ministry of Finance.
Also based in Paris, Frédéric Abergel was Director of the Chair of Quantitative Finance at CentraleSupélec before joining BNP Paribas AM. There, he researched on electronic markets and high frequency finance for 11 years. His experience in quantitative research roles in investment banking includes roles at Natixis, Barclays Capital, CAI Cheuvreux and BNP Paribas.
