Value Investing with Legends
Columbia Business School
Value investing is more than an investment strategy — it's a fundamental way of thinking about finance. Value investing was developed in the 1920s at Columbia Business School by professors Benjamin Graham and David Dodd, MS '21. The authors of the classic text, Security Analysis, Graham and Dodd were the very pioneers of their field and their security analysis principles provided the first rational basis for investment decisions. Despite the vast and volatile changes in the economy and securities markets during the last several decades, value investing has proven to be the most successful money management strategy ever developed. Value investors' success over the second half of the twentieth century proved not only the validity of the value approach, but its preeminence over even the most widely taught and practiced modern investment theory, which was developed in the 1950s and '60s and remains dominant even today.
Our mission today is to promote the study and practice of Graham & Dodd's original investing principles and to improve investing with world-class education, research, and practitioner-academic dialogue. In this podcast you will hear from some of the world's greatest investors, their views on the investment management industry, how they developed their investment process and how they see the field changing over time.
Our mission today is to promote the study and practice of Graham & Dodd's original investing principles and to improve investing with world-class education, research, and practitioner-academic dialogue. In this podcast you will hear from some of the world's greatest investors, their views on the investment management industry, how they developed their investment process and how they see the field changing over time.
Episodes
Mentioned books
78 snips
May 8, 2026 • 59min
Matthew Fine - Buying Gray Clouds and Building Resilient Portfolios
Matthew Fine, portfolio manager at Third Avenue known for balance-sheet focus and value investing. He discusses buying into “gray clouds,” downside-first credit thinking, European banks and Bank of Ireland, resource conversion at companies like CK Hutchison, copper and commodity angles, Japan’s reform-driven opportunities, and how passive flows and short horizons reshape where mispricing appears.
12 snips
Apr 17, 2026 • 1h 2min
Jenny Harrington - Dividend Investing, Risk Management, and Building Reliable Income Streams
Jenny Harrington, CEO and portfolio manager at Gilman Hill Asset Management and author of Dividend Investing, discusses building a 5%+ dividend income strategy. She covers screening and portfolio construction for reliable income. The conversation explores cash flow and valuation for risk control, case studies like Clorox and Best Buy, and how AI and communication shape future investing.
31 snips
Mar 13, 2026 • 1h 16min
Samer Sarraf - Investing in the GCC: Private Equity Discipline in Public Markets
Samer Sarraf, founding partner and CIO of Amwal Capital Partners, a Dubai-based investor with roots in engineering and Lehman Brothers. He discusses applying private equity discipline to GCC public markets. Topics include market structure and liquidity in Saudi and the UAE. He also covers concentrated portfolio construction, regulatory and on-the-ground research, and a deep dive into Abu Dhabi Ports.
342 snips
Dec 19, 2025 • 56min
Ricky Sandler - Investing Through Perception Shifts and Market Cycles
Ricky Sandler, founder and CEO of Eminence Capital, shares insights from over three decades of long-short equity investing. He discusses how his upbringing and competitive tennis shaped his investing perspective. Sandler explains his unique investment philosophy focused on 'change in perception' and the importance of risk management, drawing lessons from the 1998 crisis. The conversation covers navigating market cycles, integrating data science into investing, and the implications of AI on analysis while expressing both concerns and optimism for the future.
60 snips
Nov 21, 2025 • 1h 2min
Robert Robotti - From Pink Sheets to Portfolio Management: Bob Robotti's Value Investing Journey
Robert Robotti, President and CIO of Robotti & Company Advisors, shares his lifetime journey in value investing, stemming from his roots in accounting and experiences at Tweedy, Browne. He discusses his contrarian approach, thriving on market inefficiencies, and highlights key investments like Builders FirstSource and Tidewater. Bob emphasizes the importance of capital allocation, aligned incentives, and patience in investing. He also shares insights on private equity, the impact of AI on markets, and the evolving landscape of tangible versus intangible assets.
48 snips
Nov 7, 2025 • 1h 4min
Richard Brekka - From Venture to Secondaries: Richard Brekka on Illiquid Market Advantages
In this discussion, Richard Brekka, founder of Second Alpha and a veteran in venture and secondary investing, shares his journey from private equity to identifying opportunities in illiquid markets. He reveals how a box of stock certificates ignited his passion for secondary investments. Richard also discusses the sourcing of deals through AI data pipelines, the intricacies of deal structures, and the psychology of engaging CEOs. He provides insights on the implications of AI on market dynamics and touches on policy issues regarding private market access for 401(k) investors.
97 snips
Oct 24, 2025 • 1h 8min
Amit Wadhwaney - From Montreal to Moerus: Amit Wadhwaney's Deep Value Discipline
Amit Wadhwaney, founding partner of Moerus Capital Management, shares his unique journey from Bombay to investment success. He discusses valuable lessons learned at Third Avenue and the decision to create Moerus with a dedicated focus on asset-based valuation and downside protection. Amit emphasizes the importance of long-term horizons and how he identifies deep-value opportunities in sectors like gold and international markets. He also reveals his approach to managing risks and the factors guiding his investment philosophy.
212 snips
Oct 10, 2025 • 57min
Bill Ackman - Evolving Investment Playbook, From MBIA to Moats
Bill Ackman, the Founder and CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management, shares his remarkable investment journey. He recounts his pivotal shorting of MBIA and the major lessons learned from the Valeant disaster. Ackman emphasizes the significance of a permanent capital structure and how it shaped his investment strategy. He also dives into his philosophy on durable moats, concentrated investing, and the impact of AI on markets. With a blend of optimism and concern, Ackman reveals what inspires him about the future in the world of finance.
27 snips
Aug 29, 2025 • 50min
Kristin Gilbertson - Risk, Resilience, and Returns
Kristin Gilbertson, CIO of Access Industries and former CIO of the University of Pennsylvania Endowment, shares her journey from the World Bank to managing a prestigious university endowment. She highlights how her risk management strategies helped navigate the 2008 financial crisis. The discussion covers asset allocation, manager selection, and insights into family office dynamics versus endowments. Kristin also offers career advice for those entering wealth management, emphasizing the importance of mentorship and a strong alumni network in this evolving field.
389 snips
Aug 1, 2025 • 55min
Seth Klarman - Contrarian Investing, Discipline, and Building Baupost
Seth Klarman, CEO of The Baupost Group and a major figure in value investing, shares his journey from childhood coin arbitrage to founding his billion-dollar firm. He emphasizes the timeless principles of market inefficiencies and the critical balance between specialization and generalization. Klarman discusses the importance of temperament in investing, the implications of trends like AI and passive investing, and the need to align with management teams for informed decisions. His insights offer a fresh take on navigating the current investment landscape.
