Deputy Chief Investment Officer Warren Pierson featured on Ignites

In a Feb. 26 story in Ignites, Warren Pierson, Deputy Chief Investment Officer with Baird Advsiors, discussed the importance of associate engagement and the ways the team ensures all associates are able to share their input. 

(excerpt)

At Milwaukee, Wis.-based Baird Advisors, the company makes it clear to employees from day one that the CIO will not make every investment decision on their own, says Warren Pierson, managing director and deputy chief investment officer.

"You're not going to hold on to people if one person is making all the decisions, because people want engagement. They want input; they want to feel like they're making a difference and having an impact," he says.

New employees and junior staffers are assigned mentors, and soon after hiring they are asked to meet clients and share their thoughts on what might add value to portfolios, Pierson says. The company also emphasizes teamwork and aligns compensation with product performance, he says. 

"That fights against a star [manager] system or a hotshot coming in saying, "I'm going to make a big name, prove how great my investment decisions are," he says. 

Engagement also helps avoid burnout, he says.

"We want to get the most out of you for 30 years, not a grueling 10 years where we churn and burn you," Pierson says.

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