General Investing >> Money Manager Interviews >> July 20, 2017

James A. Abate, MBA, CPA, CFA, is the Chief Investment Officer of Centre Asset Management, LLC, and the Portfolio Manager of the firm’s American Select Equity Strategy. He also serves as the firm’s Managing Director. Prior to founding Centre Asset Management, LLC, Mr. Abate was U.S. Investment Director, North America, for GAM. Prior to GAM, Mr. Abate served as Managing Director & Fund Manager/Head of U.S. Active Equity at Credit Suisse Asset Management responsible for its U.S. Select Equity Strategy and stable of Global Sector Funds. While at GAM and Credit Suisse, Mr. Abate achieved Standard & Poor's Funds Research AAA rating, has received numerous "Category King" mentions in The Wall Street Journal, as well as multiyear Investment Week award nominations. Prior to transitioning to asset management, he was a Manager in Price Waterhouse's Valuation/Corporate Finance Group and served as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army and Reserves, achieving the rank of Captain. Mr. Abate holds a B.S. in accounting from Fairleigh Dickinson University and an MBA in finance from St. John's University, and formerly was a Visiting Professor in the graduate program at the Zicklin School of Business, Baruch College. Mr. Abate is a contributing author to several John Wiley published books: Applied Equity Valuation, Focus on Value, Short Selling and The Theory and Practice of Investment Management; his article writings have appeared in The Journal of Portfolio Management, Investment Week, FT Investment Adviser, The Wall Street Journal, Mergers & Acquisitions and other various publications; and other writings — with Professor J. Grant, Ph.D. — on EVA, or economic value added approach to security analysis have been adopted by the CFA Institute candidate study programs. Mr. Abate is a former member of the editorial advisory board of The Journal of Portfolio Management. Profile
TWST: Can you describe the firm and your role in it?
Mr. Abate: I am the Managing Director of Centre Asset Management where I also serve as the Chief Investment Officer. Centre Asset