Charlotte Angel Connection Episode 083: Brian Pope, Managing Director of Alternative Investments at Barings

Charlotte Angel Connection

Brian Pope is a Managing Direct for Barings Alternative Investments. Barings is a name you have heard more from over the last couple of years here in Charlotte. They have hosted the 1st and 2nd Southeast Fintech Venture Conference on the 26th Floor of the Barings building in downtown Charlotte. They have also been active in the community from a community service perspective. We are also seeing Barings more frequently in the business press as their employees are great resources for the local and national media. Click here to listen. All of that is great for Charlotte and Barings. We are fortunate to have them in Charlotte. Today, though, I sat down with Brian to explore the alternative investment landscape from his perspective. We talk at length about the private equity, venture capital and growth equity markets which is an active private investment space where Brian spends his time. He takes a long-term professional approach on how to invest in these asset classes. Listening to him discuss the nuances of the return potential and risk aspects of early stage investing is very interesting. Surely it’s nice to have a very large portfolio to take a disciplined and calculated approach to managing across these private markets. We took a quick detour to talk about the Charlotte startup scene to hear Brian’s first hand views on the positives in the community relative to the global opportunity set. The momentum and increased local resources are hard to miss these days and is clearly at the top of mind of many people. We also dove into the discussion of why companies are waiting longer to go public and the continued support companies have from private market investors. It was a topic I’ve wanted to discuss with Brian since we booked this interview in late 2018. He didn’t disappoint as it really leads us through the final 30 minutes of the interview – including a look into what else the Charlotte startup community may have to offer in addition to Fintech. Thanks to Brian and his team for everything they do for the Charlotte Startup community. We are fortunate to have them in the community and loved having Brian on the podcast. Local Notes and Thoughts Dan Roselli and Packard Place are continuing to build their Public House/Keg-Side Chat event. Come join me on Wednesday March 20 as I sit in/drink in for Dan as a guest host and welcome Derek Wang from Stratifyd. Derek and his team have done phenomenal things here in Charlotte and I can’t wait to sit down and discuss some aspects of their growth over the last 4 years. QC Fintech is also in the process of interviewing for their spring class and after speaking with Dan recently they are seeing some really good companies. Be on the lookout for announcements for the spring class and the opportunities you will have to meet them and ultimately support them as they come to Charlotte for 12 weeks to incubate their ideas and companies. Barings Streaming Income is a new podcast which has recently launched on iTunes. Tune in to learn more about their insights. William Bissett is the owner of and an Investment Advisor Representative of Portus Wealth Advisors, a Registered Investment Adviser. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. Opinions expressed on this program do not necessarily reflect those of Portus Wealth Advisors. The topics discussed and opinions given are not intended to address the specific needs of any listener. Portus Wealth Advisors does not offer legal or tax advice, listeners are encouraged to discuss their financial needs with the appropriate professional regarding your individual circumstance. Investments described herein may be speculative and may involve a substantial risk of loss. Interests may be offered only to persons who qualify as accredited investors under the Securities Act, and a Qualified Purchaser as defined in Section 2(a)(51)(A) under the Company Act or an eligible employee of the management company...