Hailed as “one of Wall Street’s most creative and influential minds,” investment strategist Michael Mauboussin, Head of Consilient Research at Counterpoint Global, Morgan Stanley Investment Management, retired from his 8 1/2-year chairmanship of SFI’s Board of Trustees following the board’s bi-annual meeting in May.
Mauboussin has often, in media interviews, credited complex systems science for inspiring his view of market behavior. During his tenure as Chair, which began in November 2012, he helped support that science in the aftermath of an economic recession,* and through a global pandemic.
“I could not wish for a more thoughtful and caring collaborator than Michael as we worked through the financial and institutional complexities of life in 2020. Michael is a testament to someone who both understands the mysteries of economic systems and someone who cares deeply about the basic science at SFI as well as its researchers. Without Michael things could have worked out very differently last year,” says David Krakauer, SFI’s president, who is also the William H. Miller Professor of Complex Systems.
Under Mauboussin’s leadership, SFI hasn't merely weathered the financial challenges of the past decade — it has flourished under them. In partnership with Krakauer, Mauboussin has helped guide SFI’s expansion to a second campus in Tesuque, NM, and helped tighten the board’s membership to make it even more efficient while simultaneously guiding it toward greater diversity than at any time in SFI’s history.
He has worked tirelessly to balance the Institute’s budget, and by managing its investments and keeping it financially nimble, has helped maintain SFI as a haven where researchers can focus on big ideas rather than on securing funding.
Even as he retires from his chairmanship, Mauboussin remains an active Trustee on the Board. He has pledged to support Katherine Collins and Ian McKinnon as they transition into their new roles as Chair and Vice-Chair.
Krakauer is quick to point out that "just as SFI science is fundamentally collaborative, so is running an institute. As far as I am concerned Michael has been my partner from day one, and we spoke frequently about both challenges and opportunities. I feel very fortunate to have worked with someone of the intellectual caliber and professional ethics of a Michael Mauboussin. I have learned a great deal through our partnership."
“SFI science has deeply influenced me professionally and personally and it has been an honor to serve SFI’s board and broader community. As President, David Krakauer has infused the institute with vision, energy, and rigor, and it has been my pleasure to work closely with him and the rest of the leadership team. I look forward to continuing as an engaged board member, and have every confidence that Katherine and Ian will build on the Institute’s strength.”
*Mauboussin replaced former Chair Jim Rutt, who helped to see the Institute through the Great Recession.