OI25: What If Lower Volatility Is the Wrong Goal ft. Suhaimi Zainul-Abidin

QuantEdge, a Singapore-based systematic trading firm, manages approximately $8 billion by targeting a 25% volatility level to maximize long-term returns. The firm employs a diverse portfolio of risk premia and factor-based market-neutral strategies across 300 global markets, including equities, commodities, and insurance-linked securities. By prioritizing a long-term investment horizon, the firm utilizes multi-year lockup periods and perpetual share classes to align investor interests and mitigate the risk of capital outflows during market drawdowns. This structural approach allows the firm to maintain its systematic, data-driven investment process even during periods of high volatility, such as the 2020 pandemic-induced market stress. CEO Suhaimi Zainul-Abidin emphasizes that the firm’s success stems from a disciplined, first-principles approach to capital allocation, supported by a culture where employees are personally invested in the fund’s performance.