Matthew Nest, CFA, is a Managing Director of SSGA and the Adviser and Global Head of Macro Strategies. In that capacity, he is responsible for global interest rate and currency portfolio management. Prior to joining SSGA in 2016, Mr. Nest spent sixteen years at PIMCO in a number of functions including portfolio management, strategy and business development. He has worked in the U.S., Sydney, Singapore and Hong Kong. He started his career at Bank of America and has been working in the investment industry since 1999. Mr. Nest has a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Arizona State University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business. He earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation and is a member of the CFA Institute.

James Palmieri, CFA, is a Managing Director of SSGA and the Adviser, a Senior Portfolio Manager, and Head of Structured Credit for the Fundamental Active Fixed Income Team. In his role, he is the lead portfolio manager and trader for the Structured Products Group servicing all total rate of return and insurance accounts managed in Stamford, CT. In addition to his portfolio management responsibilities, Mr. Palmieri is a member of the Fixed Income Currency and Cash Senior Leadership Team, and the Fundamental Active Core and Core Plus Fixed Income Team. He joined SSGA in 2016 through its acquisition of GE Asset Management. Prior to joining SSGA, Mr. Palmieri worked at GE Asset Management for eleven years as a senior portfolio manager and trader for all fixed income total rate of return and insurance accounts for GE. Prior to joining GE Asset Management, he worked at Constitution State Corporate Credit Union for one year as an investment director and CIGNA Investment Management for five years as a fixed income portfolio manager. He received his Bachelor of Science from Central Connecticut State University, is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charter holder and has twenty years of investment experience.