Bill Tilford

BILL TILFORD

Bill Tilford is a respected, innovative veteran portfolio manager with deep technical and fundamental skills for building successful investment strategies using big data, AI, statistical and financial disciplines. With over three decades of investment experience, Bill has a proven track record in building and leading investment teams at prominent financial institutions such as RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (RBC GAM), Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), and Connor, Clark & Lunn (CC&L). His expertise extends to research roles at two major Canadian brokerage firms.

Throughout his career, Bill has been a trailblazer in Quantitative Investing, spearheading the development of style and factor strategies, including Value, Growth, Core, Low Vol, and Dividend-focused approaches. Additionally, he has played a pivotal role in crafting alternative investment strategies such as market-neutral and overlay structures. Notably, Bill contributed to the management of one of the largest overlay portfolios, employing fundamental and quantitative strategies in both stock and corporate debt markets during his tenure at CPPIB.

Bill's extensive experience encompasses managing diverse investment vehicles, ranging from pension plans (both as an external and internal manager) to retail mutual funds and Exchange Traded Funds. Leveraging his profound understanding of quant investments, he has researched and constructed various asset mix strategies, including those tailored for risk budgeting, completion portfolios, and liability-driven investing.

Environmental Social Governance considerations have always been integral to Bill's investment processes. His career highlights include managing the Ethical Growth fund at CC&L and leading the Responsible Investment team at CPPIB.

In 1992, Bill earned a Master’s in Mathematics (Statistics and Finance), following a Bachelor of Mathematics (Hons) in 1988, both from the University of Waterloo.