Tony Dote, just recently retired from a role of Managing Director at Lazard Asset Management, where he spent over 40 years, focused on business development with a particular focus on large institutional investors including public pension funds. He started his career in insurance and later investment consulting.
Our conversation starts with Tony’s upbringing in a large and close Italian family in his native Chicago. We learned about the bonds of family and community that were laid down there and how this later influenced the premium that he places on these features.
Tony’s career evolution charts the evolution of the industry – the development of the investment consultant value proposition and the evolution of institutional portfolios beyond stocks and bonds. Over 40 years a tremendous amount has changed, and this is what Tony considers the only constant in the industry – change. He describes some high points and low points, and the relationships that have been central to his profound success in this area.