Gopaul explains that REX, which manages about $5 billion in assets, focuses on alternative strategies in their ETFs. Alternatives, in this case, mean specific strategic overlays rather than allocations to private assets. They offer hyper targeted strategies called “microsectors” as well as ETFs with triple leverage or triple inverse overlays or single-exposure strategies. While these are broadly non-traditional ETF strategies, they fall into that realm of offering more institutional strategies to retail investors.
Because his work will largely be in the development, execution, and distribution of ETF strategies, Gopaul doesn’t see a significant hurdle emerging from this move to the US market. The same skills he used in Canadian organizations or for international firms in Canada can largely be applied here. He will lean on his investment knowledge, leadership skills, and ability to connect with clients, and won’t have to be deep in the weeds of US regulatory minutiae in this new role.
That is not to say Gopaul won’t have to learn more about US regulation. He notes that he’ll have to learn the US product development cycle, regulatory environment, and competitive landscape very quickly to thrive in this role. His foremost challenge, though, is staffing. REX, he says, currently employs less than 20 people. Meeting their ambitions will require staffing up. Decisions around finding the right talent, Gopaul says, will be key to his success in this role.
Despite the challenges, or perhaps because of them, Gopaul says he is excited to take on the role. He claims to be most excited to lead new client interactions, meet new clients, and establish new relationships in a new jurisdiction. He hopes to apply some of the lessons learned in his Canadian career stateside now.
Chief among those lessons is a keen ear for client needs. Gopaul says that in his career so far he learned never to assume anything about his clients, he plans to maintain that approach. Gopaul says he will focus on educational efforts, service, and outreach in his client interactions.