Investing In Integrity – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode of the Investing in Integrity podcast, Ross Overline, CEO and co-founder of Scholars of Finance, speaks with Howard Marks, Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of Oaktree Capital Management. 

Join Howard and Ross as they explore the key moments of his illustrious career and the principles defining exceptional investing. They discuss second-level thinking, the emotional challenges of investing, and how integrity and shared values build successful partnerships. Howard also shares his insights on philanthropy and giving back to inspire future leaders. A must-listen for finance enthusiasts and aspiring leaders!

Meet Howard Marks:

Howard Marks is a legend in the world of investing, known for his sharp insights and disciplined approach to risk. As the Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of Oaktree Capital Management, he has grown the firm to manage over $200 billion in assets, specializing in distressed debt and high-yield investments. With a career spanning Citicorp Investment Management and TCW Group, Howard has shaped modern investing through his expertise and widely followed memos. Beyond finance, he is dedicated to philanthropy, serving on the investment committee of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and as an emeritus trustee at the University of Pennsylvania.

In this episode of the Investing in Integrity podcast, Ross Overline, CEO and co-founder of Scholars of Finance, speaks with Bei Ling, Head of HR at Wells Fargo.

Bei shares her experience and insights on ethics, leadership, and cultural transformation in finance. Bei discusses her career journey from Merrill Lynch to Wells Fargo while underscoring the impact of HR on ethical practices in an organization. She highlighted Wells Fargo’s focus on transparent feedback, leadership accountability, and promoting a positive risk mindset among employees through extensive training. Bei also shared personal values like family and self-awareness, her framework for decision-making, and insights into handling ethical challenges in finance. Her advice to future leaders is to develop authenticity, kindness, and resilience as key soft skills.

Meet Bei Ling

Bei Ling is the Head of Human Resources at Wells Fargo and a member of the company’s Operating Committee. She leads all aspects of the company’s human capital strategy. Bei focuses on cultivating a world-class culture and inclusive environment that supports the recruitment, development, and retention of top talent across Wells Fargo’s global operations. Since joining in 2021, Bei has worked closely with senior leadership to drive innovative and people-centric strategies.

Before Wells Fargo, Bei was a Managing Director at JPMorgan Chase, where she led Talent Development and Total Rewards while overseeing leadership development, compensation, benefits, and workforce analytics. She also served as Head of HR for the Commercial Bank. A graduate of Beijing University, Bei holds an MBA from USC’s Marshall School of Business and serves on the boards of CareerWise USA and USC Marshall’s Corporate Advisory Board.

In this episode of the Investing in Integrity podcast, Ross Overline, CEO and co-founder of Scholars of Finance, speaks with Joel Peterson, Chairman and Founder of Peterson Partners, Consulting Professor at Stanford Graduate School of Business, and best-selling author of Entrepreneurial Leadership and the upcoming book, Juggling Glass and Rubber Balls.

The conversation starts with discussing the importance of trust while building high-performing teams. Joel emphasizes the need for integrity and delivering on promises to build trust within an organization. He also highlights the importance of empowering leadership and creating a high-trust culture.

The conversation segues to the topic of family and work-life harmony, and Joel shares his personal experience of balancing a demanding career with raising seven children.

He introduces his new book, "Juggling Glass and Rubber Balls," which focuses on finding harmony in life and defining success in terms of maturity in different aspects of life. Ross and Joel then discuss the role of values and priorities in driving personal and professional growth. Joel emphasizes the importance of assessing where one spends one's time, money, and mindshare to determine one's actual values and priorities.

They also discuss the significance of virtues and how many people overlook them. Joel mentions that supporting an organization like SOF (Scholars of Finance) is essential because it instills virtues in tomorrow's financial leaders.

Meet Joel Peterson

Joel Peterson has been on the Graduate School of Business faculty at Stanford University since 1992, teaching courses in real estate investment, entrepreneurship, and leadership. Joel served as Chairman of the Board of Overseers at the Hoover Institution at Stanford from 2016 to 2019. 

He also served as Chairman of the Board at JetBlue Airways for 12 years (2008-2020) and is on the boards of Franklin Covey and Packsize. Before Stanford Business School and founding Peterson Partners, Joel was Chief Executive Officer of Trammell Crow Company, the world’s then-largest private commercial real estate development firm. He has also served as the Chairman at the Hoover Institute and is an advisor and investor in firms like HireVue and ICON Aircraft. 

Joel has also been a Board Member at IT giant Asurion for 10 years and a Managing Partner at Trammel Crow Company. He earned an MBA from Harvard Business School and his Bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University, where he was valedictorian. 

Joel is the author of Entrepreneurial Leadership: The Art of Launching New Ventures, Inspiring Others, and Running Stuff and The 10 Laws of Trust: Building the Bonds that Make a Business Great.

In this episode of Investing In Integrity, Ross Overline speaks with Steve Quirk, Chief Brokerage Officer at Robinhood. 

While the democratization of finance makes investing more accessible to a broader investor base, Steve emphasizes the importance of responsible investing behavior, especially for novice investors. The conversation also touches on the innovation and evolution within the finance industry.

Steve and Ross also explore the topic of industry leadership and the strategies essential for navigating disruptive changes. Steve emphasizes the importance of passing wisdom and experience to the next generation of finance leaders while emphasizing the importance of integrity, authenticity, and financial literacy.

Steve Quirk oversaw the strategy and deployment of initiatives for Trading at TD Ameritrade. He also served as a member of the company’s Senior Operating Committee, which shaped the organization's strategic focus. Under Steve’s leadership, TD Ameritrade debuted the Investor Movement Index® (IMXSM), a proprietary, behavior-based index aggregating Main Street investor positions and activity. 

Steve focused on teaching the next generation of investors and has championed the creation of the TD Ameritrade U program to bridge the gap between academia and reality. Before that role, Steve was responsible for developing new trading tools and technology enhancements for the thinkorswim® trading platform. 

Steve’s trading career began in 1987 on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE). While at the CBOE, he served on the exchange’s Index Market Performance Committee and the Arbitration Committee. He partnered with SCMS for seven years, trading options on index products. He also led the Chicago operations of Van der Moolen USA.

Content here is for educational purposes only. It is not individualized tax or investment advice. Consult a tax or investment adviser regarding your specific situation. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Reference to actual stocks or symbols is for illustrative purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any specific security.

The Robinhood Investor Index (RIX) is not a tradable index and individuals cannot invest directly in any index. Data is intended for informational purposes only and nothing referenced with regard to the Robinhood Investor Index is a recommendation of a security, account type, trading or investment strategy. For more complete statistical information and our index methodology, you can visit the RIX website.

Views and opinions expressed here are those of the participants and do not necessarily represent those of Robinhood, its employees, or its customers.

All investments involve risk, including loss.

In this episode of Investing In Integrity, Ross Overline, Chairman, CEO, and Co-Founder of Scholars of Finance, reflects on where SOF is today and where the organization is headed. He shares insights on SOF’s remarkable growth and outlines a proposal for the future, “SOF V2.”

Join Ross as he unpacks this transformation and discusses the groundbreaking results from a Harvard study, showing that today, SOF stands as the home for purpose-driven, principled, high-performing current and future financial leaders and executives—people who manage and will steward capital as a force for good.

Ross also recognizes the various mentors, advisors, and supporters who have helped him along the way. He emphasizes the importance of helping those in need in our society and expresses his confidence in achieving this mission with the support of the SOF community.

Tune in to hear Ross's reflections, learn about SOF's impactful journey, and get inspired by the vision for a better future.

In this episode of Investing In Integrity, Ross Overline speaks with Robert Joss. Robert is a former Vice-Chairman of Wells Fargo, CEO of Westpac, Australia's largest bank, and Dean of Stanford University Graduate School of Business where he teaches leadership today.

Robert became the eighth dean of the Business School in 1999. He served as Dean for 10 years – overseeing the introduction of a new MBA curriculum, the institution of new collaborations between the school and Stanford University. 

Prior to joining the Business School as Dean, Robert was Chief executive officer of Westpac Banking Corporation, one of Australia’s largest banks, a post he held for six years. Before his tenure at Westpac, Robert held a variety of posts at San Francisco-based Wells Fargo Bank between 1971 and 1993, serving from 1986 onward as vice chairman. He worked 3 years at the U. S. Treasury, first as a White House Fellow and then as deputy to the assistant secretary for economic policy. He is currently a director board advisor at CM Capital.

Join Ross and Robert as they engage in a fascinating conversation about Robert's successful career journey and the values that have contributed to his achievements. They discuss Robert's upbringing, education, and roles in the finance industry, as well as his time as the Dean of the Stanford Graduate School of Business. They emphasize the importance of meaningful work, accessibility, humility, and constantly developing skills. They also touch on the concept of balance in leadership and the struggle of managing ambition.

In this episode of Investing In Integrity, Ross Overline speaks with Bradford Hu, the Executive Vice President and Chief Risk Officer at State Street. With almost 40 years of experience, Bradford is an international leader in financial services, risk management, and financial regulation.

Bradford previously worked at Morgan Stanley and Citigroup before becoming the Chief Risk Officer of State Street. His curiosity and love for learning have helped define his career. 

Bradford’s role at State Street involves mitigating risk while encouraging growth and innovation within State Street. Bradford is a believer in taking intelligent risks and emphasizes the need for a principles-based approach to risk management. He encourages open and honest conversations with business leaders to align on risk appetite and set boundaries.

The current landscape of risks includes the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical tensions, the upcoming US presidential election, the end of historically low interest rates, and cybersecurity. Bradford shares his insights on the importance of understanding vulnerabilities and developing alternative action plans to ensure operational and financial resilience.

Effective risk management requires strong leadership that curates a culture of risk awareness and accountability. Leadership is crucial in effectively implementing risk management strategies and integrating them within the organization. Bradford highlights elements leaders should be aware of such as: setting the tone at the top, establishing an appetite for risk, investing and promoting education in risk, and encouraging collaboration and communication. An open dialogue facilitates timely risk identification and resolution.

In this episode of Investing In Integrity, Ross Overline speaks with Helene Glotzer, Head of Risk at Bridgewater Associates. Helene has spent nearly two decades at Bridgewater, one of the top hedge funds globally. In 2018, Helene was named among the 50 Leading Women in Hedge Funds by the Hedge Fund Journal.

Prior to her role at Bridgewater, Helene spent ten years as an attorney in the Enforcement Division of the US Securities and Exchange Commission. From 2004 to 2007, she co-headed the enforcement program for the SEC’s New York Regional Office, where she supervised investigations and litigation involving allegations of insider trading, market manipulation, and other types of fraud and misconduct.

Together, Ross and Helene discuss the unique culture at Bridgewater, which focuses on transparency, radical openness, and integrity. They explore what principles lead to high-performance teamwork and the key leadership values Helene has garnered over the years. She also emphasizes the importance of personal growth, transparency and candor.

In this episode of Investing In Integrity, Ross Overline speaks with Mike Mayo, Managing Director and head of U.S. large-cap bank research at Wells Fargo Securities. He has spent 30 years as a bank analyst and is the author of “Exile on Wall Street: One Analyst’s Fight to Save the Big Banks From Themselves.”

Mike's influence extends beyond traditional research roles, as he was one of the few analysts who foresaw the 2008 global financial crisis and subsequently testified on its causes to the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission in 2010. His contributions to the field have earned him widespread recognition, including accolades such as the Daniel J. Forrestal III Leadership Award for Professional Ethics and Standards of Investment Practice from the CFA Institute.

Mike shares his background and journey into the finance industry, highlighting the challenges he has faced and the importance of staying true to his values. He emphasizes the importance of isolation, initiative, and impact in his work. Together, Ross and Mike discuss the isolation felt by finance professionals and students and how to overcome it, accountability in the financial industry, and leadership in finance. 

In this episode of Investing In Integrity, Ross Overline revisits our all-time favorite episode with Richard Davis, the former Chairman and CEO at US Bank. Richard sits on several boards including Wells Fargo, MasterCard, Dow Chemical Mayo Clinic, and the Advisory Board of Scholars of Finance. A giant figure in the banking industry, Richard is renowned for his financial know-how and excellent leadership.

Richard has now retired from the financial industry having left a lasting legacy, he steered US Bank through the financial crisis of 2008, winning the coveted award “Banker of the year”, selected by American Banker and was the chosen "2010 Executive of the Year" by the Twin Cities Business Journal.

In this episode, Richard shares his rise from bank teller to CEO of one of the biggest banks in America. He touches on leading the U.S. Bank through the Great Recession and his support of employees and customers through social unrest in the 2010s.

His insightful, pointed commentary on why “we shouldn’t set goals, but directions,” or why we should always be the person to “take the next hardest assignment, not promotion,” is relevant to students and professionals alike. Considered a co-founder, Richard was one of the first supporters of Scholars of Finance.