Press Release

Philadelphia, PA February 22, 2021—Xponance, Inc., a multi-strategy investment firm, announced today that it will expand its business to include alternative capabilities for institutional and other qualified investors. The firm has hired industry veteran Marquette Chester as Senior Managing Director to lead this effort. The alternatives platform will draw upon parent company Xponance’s 25-year track record investing with Diverse, Emerging, and/or Women-Owned Business Enterprises, and will initially focus on General Partnership (GP) staking and seeding interests in a select group of diverse, emerging and women-owned alternative managers.

Xponance currently offers systematic active and passive equity, fixed income, and Manager of Emerging Managers solutions. The firm’s due diligence techniques specialize in early-stage investment strategies and capacity constrained offerings designed to generate sustainable alpha for clients. The pioneering Xponance “manager ecosystem” provides critical access to the innovative investment strategies offered by emerging and diverse firms.

Tina Byles Williams, Xponance founder and CEO, stated, “We are proud to continue our long-term commitment to meeting asset owners’ demand for intelligent solutions and deeper partnerships across the investment landscape. Our entrance into the alternatives space is a natural extension of the firm’s DNA as a ‘force multiplier’ to expand opportunity for diverse and women owned firms and industry professionals.”

Ms. Byles Williams continued, “With this expansion, we will provide important direct capital solutions to emerging and diverse alternative managers, as investor interest in the space grows. We are delighted that Marquette is joining our team – he has the experience and industry presence to lead this evolution.”

Mr. Chester commented, “Tina is a visionary leader; it’s a privilege to join this champion for innovative investment solutions and the strong team that has been built over the last 25 years.”

Mr. Chester brings to Xponance over 30 years of institutional experience, with 20 years in private equity. He previously served as Principal and Managing Director for the Investor Relations and Product Development Group at WL Ross & Co. and Invesco Private Capital. Mr. Chester joined Invesco in 2000 and was named the Head of Investor Relationships for the Private Capital platform in 2009. Prior to that role, he was Managing Director of Institutional Sales & Service, responsible for relationship management and new business development with U.S. public funds and other institutional investors.

Mr. Chester earned his AB in Economics from Duke University. He serves on the Advisory Boards for Disciplina Capital Management, Bravance Healthcare LLC, Vanguard Sports Group & Tristar Global Real Estate. As a leading voice in the diverse investment community, Mr. Chester was previously Chairman of the National Association of Securities Professionals (NASP) and is currently Chairman of the NASP Foundation.

About Xponance

Xponance is a multi-strategy investment firm and the successor of two legacy firms, FIS Group, Inc. and Piedmont Investment Advisors, Inc. We offer global and non-U.S. equity investment strategies by harnessing the investment edge and focus of proven entrepreneurial or emerging managers in a tested strategic framework. Our specialized due diligence techniques and product seeding of capacity constrained strategies are designed to generate sustainable alpha for our clients. As a direct investment manager, Xponance specializes in creating systematic, risk controlled, active and passive equity strategies. Our active U.S. fixed income strategies span the maturity spectrum and provide income and downside protection through differentiated off-benchmark and off the run securities. Aapryl, a technology company and subsidiary of Xponance, provides a web-based manager performance analytics and portfolio risk management platform that empowers investors to improve portfolio performance.

Xponance’s primary goal is to be a trusted client solutions partner. Our name is derived from the word “exponent” and dually connotes our core objectives—to be a zealous champion for our clients; and to provide higher level engagement and a broader array of solutions to meet their investment needs. We are employee owned by women and diverse professionals, whose common passion is to do the right thing for our clients and each other.

Website & Social Media Links:
xponance.com | LinkedIn | Twitter

Media Contact:

Len Oremland
Managing Director, Head of Distribution & Client Engagement                                          |
Tel: (215) 567-1100 ex. 1207 | Email: loremland@xponance.com
Xponance® |  1845 Walnut Street, Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19103