Disclaimer: Views in this blog do not promote, and are not directly connected to any Legal & General Investment Management (LGIM) product or service. Views are from a range of LGIM investment professionals and do not necessarily reflect the views of LGIM. For investment professionals only.

Magdalena Polan

Senior Economist

Magdalena is a global emerging markets economist. She joined in 2016 from Goldman Sachs; before that she worked at the IMF, focusing on indebted or crisis-stricken economies. She is an interdisciplinary thinker who believes that financial and economic events cannot be understood without seeing their political or social background. In her free time, she pursues her interests in current events, arts (including martial arts) and photography.

Articles by author's name

Economics

Trade in services matters

Most discussions on international trade focus only on trade in material goods, but nations increasingly trade in services. This matters for trade imbalances and the impact of global trade shocks on individual economies.;
By Magdalena Polan

Economics

The forgotten trade

Most discussions on international trade focus only on trade in material goods, but nations increasingly trade in services. This matters for trade imbalances and the impact of global trade shocks on individual economies.;
By Magdalena Polan

Economics

Turkey: Waiting for reforms

Turkish local elections on March 31 ended a long series of election campaigns. Will reforms follow?;
By Magdalena Polan

Economics

Emerging markets: How to spot leaky boats

With the tide of global risk sentiment tending to lift – or sink – all emerging markets (EM) boats, how do we spot the ‘leaky’ ones?;
By Magdalena Polan

ESG and long-term themes

Will Marie Kondo save the world?

As unpopular as it may sound, the response to climate change may require the global economy to move to a model based less on 'relentless growth'. But can we wean ourselves off consumption?;
By Magdalena Polan

Equities

The emerging market rally: too fast, too furious?

Emerging market assets have rallied strongly since late 2018. But is this justified? And should we differentiate between the fundamentally stronger and weaker economies?;
By Magdalena Polan

Equities

Emerging markets – is spring finally coming (in autumn)?

Following a hugely volatile summer, emerging markets rebounded in September. Is the comeback sustainable?;
By Magdalena Polan

Economics

Argentina: in economic quicksand?

Last year's market darling, Argentina, now finds itself in a vicious cycle of a weakening currency, rate hikes, lower growth and higher debt. So how can the country avoid a liquidity crisis turning into a full-blown crisis?;
By Magdalena Polan

Economics

Can some good come from a trade war?

Without adjustment on the home front, we believe that President Donald Trump's push to reduce the trade deficit is unlikely to improve the US trade balance, or boost domestic employment and growth. However, his outspoken approach and questioning of the prevailing trade system may be the very jolt that global trade negotiators need to update their thinking and move ahead with a constantly changing global economy and patterns of trade.;
By Magdalena Polan

Authors from the same team (24)

Aimee Bowkett

Fund Management Assistant

Aimee is an Assistant Fund Manager in the Asset Allocation Team, working across several strategies. She joined LGIM in 2016 as an Investment Specialist; she held this role for three years and focused on the business development of our flagship Retail strategies. Outside of work, however, Aimee likes to kick back and relax. Always planning her next sun seeking adventure, she’s happiest on a beach, or creating some mental space on the yoga mat.

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Andrzej Pioch

Fund Manager

Andrzej is a fund manager who places a lot of importance on being mindful. He starts the day with a one-mile swim and a cycle to work. In the office, he focuses on multi-asset income strategies and multi-factor equities, and regularly lectures on asset allocation at one of the London universities. With his newly found enthusiasm for running, he now hopes to tick off one of his bucket list goals and take part in a triathlon. Watch this space…! Andrzej joined in 2014 after five years in the multi-asset team at Aviva Investors.

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Barnaby Napier

Asset Allocation Intern

Not what one would expect from a Rugby player who grew up in the Cotswolds, Barnaby’s work interests lie within the quantitative aspects of investing, spending his days writing code and building spreadsheets for fund managers. Extending the list of University of Bath Economists in the intern archive, he argues that his sporty childhood prepared him well for work in an investment team (although if you saw him on a football pitch you may have some concerns about his teamwork capabilities).

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Bruce White

Fund Manager

Bruce is your not-so-Aussie Australian. While seemingly laid back, this serious(ly deadpan) fund manager likes to have trades lined up before most of the team have come in and is not impartial to a little mental acrobatics when it comes to powerpoint slide creation. His socks can be rather colourful…as can his language…

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Christopher Jeffery

Head of Inflation and Rates Strategy

Chris works as a strategist within LGIM’s asset allocation team, focussing on discretionary fixed income and systematic risk premia strategies. He coordinates global rates and inflation strategy across LGIM’s asset allocation and fixed income capabilities. He joined LGIM in 2014 from BNP Paribas Investment Partners where he worked as a senior economist and strategist within the Multi-Asset Solutions group. Prior to that, he worked as an economist within monetary analysis at the Bank of England with a focus on the UK domestic economy. Chris graduated from University College, Oxford in 2001 with a first class degree in philosophy, politics and economics. He also holds an Msc in economics (research) from the London School of Economics and is a CFA charterholder.

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Christopher Teschmacher

Fund Manager

Chris is something of a perfectionist which may explain the raft of automated spreadsheets ensuring charts are properly formatted to Teschmacher® standards. Having become the resident quiz master, he keeps his colleagues on their toes with a steady stream of investment trivia. This worldly Dutchman has wanderlust in his blood – he was born in Australia and has lived in London, New York and Paris. He has since settled in London with his young family, although regular trips to the South of France suggest that ambitions to become a vineyard owner are still strong.

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Daria Kuzina

Portfolio Assistant

Daria is a bit of scribe; within her first month in the team she diligently wrote a ‘War and Peace’ about best practices. At times it’s like she lives a double life: some believe she is very risk averse, preferring to garden, play piano or paint over the weekends, while others know her for her surfing or parachuting escapes. The truth is that she likes to practise what she preaches, and lives a diversified life.

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Emiel van den Heiligenberg

Head of Asset Allocation

Emiel is responsible for the overall strategic direction of the team’s investment and business strategy. He claims to have been a promising lightweight rower at university until French fries got the better of him. Reflecting his love for rowing in a team, he firmly believes that excellence can only be achieved by a great team made up of motivated individuals that are also eager to work together. To this end he is the self-proclaimed inventor of the verb 'teaming' to acknowledge that shaping a top team and culture of excellence is an ongoing process. Outside of work-family obligations, Emiel’s spare time is filled by a passion for shark diving and skiing. Prior to dedicating his career to portfolio management in 1996, Emiel worked as a policy adviser in the Dutch Ministry of Finance and he graduated from Tilburg University in the Netherlands ages ago. When not glued to his Bloomberg screens, this Dutch man is hooked on computer games, peanut butter and his favourite dark beer made by Belgian monks.

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Emma Cheung

Communications Strategist

Emma spends her time scouting out the next opportunity or tool that she can build to give her more time to focus on what matters: connecting with people. Always one to take the scenic route, she was a compliance officer and product specialist at Goldman Sachs Asset Management before travelling the world ahead of joining LGIM. Emma is a self-confessed foodie with an obsession for cleaning her desk. When not distracted by cake (or that smudge on her screen), you can find her behind a camera lens trying to capture the perfect shot.

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Erik Lueth

Global Emerging Market Economist

Erik identifies investment opportunities across emerging markets. He uses quantitative models, past experience and lots of common sense. Prior to joining LGIM, Erik worked for a hedge fund, a bank, and the IMF.

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Francis Chua

Fund Manager

Francis is a fund manager and manager researcher, with a focus on fixed income and alternative investments. He draws parallels with football managers by looking for skill and consistency, while giving nothing away to the managers he meets. We certainly can’t tell what he’s thinking as he types away on his Dvorak keyboard (apparently non-QWERTY keyboards exist…!) Staying true to his Malaysian roots, he balances his steady day-to-day routine with a good dose of adventure abroad.

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Hetal Mehta

Senior European Economist

Hetal is an economist with a focus on the UK and Europe. She has worked for HM Treasury, Oxford Economics and Daiwa Capital Markets, but her real claim to fame is sharing a stage with Sir Ian McKellen. This love for drama is just as well given the excitement of keeping tabs on [insert latest European country]-xit. Away from work, you'll either find Hetal concocting culinary masterpieces (!) or punching the lights out at a HIIT class.

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James Carrick

Global economist

James is a global economist with a knack for using analogies to explain economic concepts. He is a techno-optimist and an early adopter. He enjoys building models - both of the economy and robot Lego ones with his son. He also likes crunching data and chocolate bars. He joined in 2006 from the number-one ranked economics team at ABN AMRO with prior experience at HM Treasury.

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John Roe

Head of Multi-Asset Funds

With failed football dreams behind him, John applies the same level of enthusiasm to investing and how to improve outcomes by battling behavioural biases. He leads on oil research, but also gets involved in a wide range of macro topics. That love of variety also explains his craft beer fascination. Hard to shut up, he’s a regular guest on Bloomberg, a conference speaker and an LGIM Director. His analytical thinking benefits from being an Actuary with an economics degree and having previously worked as a strategist at RBS.

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Justin Onuekwusi

Head of Retail Multi-Asset Funds

Justin secretly pretends to be a rockstar as he travels around the country promoting his funds with his signature red tie, and was even chased across a field by some fans (dogs) as he went for a run one evening. When he’s not in the office squinting intensely at his fund spreadsheets or into a camera, Justin dedicates time to his true love: Manchester United, and catches up on the latest Netflix series on the side.

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Lars Kreckel

Global Equity Strategist

Lars is not your average German: he owns the house he lives in, has two children and drives Japanese cars (one electric). Maybe that’s also why he covers equities rather than bonds?

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Martin Dietz

Head of Diversified Strategies

Who is Martin? The phrase “The power of German engineering” comes to mind. His focused work ethic on managing investments has earned him a spot on the Financial News’ 40 under 40 rising stars and his funds have received numerous awards. The only other thing Martin wants to share is that he has a PhD (summa cum laude).

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Mireille Bensimon

Investment Analyst

Mireille works as an Investment Analyst for the team, researching equity funds for the Multi-Manager funds. Mireille originally qualified as an accountant, honing her analytical skills within the firm's finance team. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, writing and music.

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Panagiotis Berdos

Fund Management Assistant

Panos is a Greek ex-commando sunseeker who absorbs as much sun as he can get at the weekend before unleashing it during the week to model anything you want. While skiing, sailing and swimming is his top priority whenever holidays are due, his real guilty pleasure is munching on his delicious homemade popcorn (just don’t ask him for his secret recipe). Mathematical minds can always come in handy; this one studied Mathematical Science for his Bachelor's degree while completing a part-time MSc in Mathematical Trading and Finance at Cass Business School while working full time with us.

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Rahil Ram

Multi-Asset Associate

Born and raised in the land of sun and sea (Mauritius), Rahil has long convinced himself that London’s weather is beyond rationality. He qualified as an Actuary to satisfy his problem-solving appetite, and now applies the same rigour in the workplace. Since moving to London, he has gradually replaced his morning beach runs with evening gym visits. When not busy catching up with family and friends, Rahil enjoys karting and martial arts.

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Tim Armitage

Quantitative Strategist

Tim is a former musician reincarnated as a quantitative strategist, and subsequently spends more time writing code than songs these days. When not thinking about swaption strategies and risk indicators, you’ll find him running marathons, and secretly hoping there’s a day his three sons form a band that becomes the next Kings of Leon.

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Tim Drayson

Head of Economics

Tim keeps a close watch on global economic developments, with a particular focus on the US. He believes nothing good ever happens after midnight, which is why he is rarely spotted out late. Tim joined in 2008 from the number-one ranked economics team at ABN AMRO, with prior experience from HM Treasury, and graduated with a MSc from the University of Nottingham. When not crunching economic data, he can be found studying the weather forecast, analysing his cycling statistics or looking anxious on three-foot putts.

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Willem Klijnstra

Currency Strategist

Willem is a stubborn Frisian, allegedly a descendant of an obscure hero resistance fighter called Grutte Pier (ca. 1480-1520). While in the office his focus is on currency movements; at home he does most of the moving as he chauffeurs his three young kids around. Mister currency is a sporty character with a balanced lifestyle – he enjoys burning lots of calories as much as he enjoys family sized bags of M&Ms.

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William Miners

Asset Allocation Intern

Will is one for the Asset Allocation history books, becoming our first ever intern to write a blog post. He spends most of his time attending average football matches, dreaming of masters degrees abroad and being on hand to help out fund managers. We are lucky to have him on a 13-month loan deal from the University of Bath.

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