Rob Piasio
Princeton,NJ
Summary
Dynamic and results-driven finance professional with extensive experience in proprietary trading, portfolio management, and fixed income markets. Principal responsible for managing $6 billion AUM, leading high-performing teams, and delivering exceptional returns. Expert in Emerging Markets, structured products, asset-backed securities, and sovereign debt restructuring. Eager to leverage trading experience and strategic leadership in an institutional Fixed Income Proprietary Trading role.
Overview
30
30
years of professional experience
Work History
Investment Manager
Family Office
Princeton, USA
01.2012 - Current
- Managed multi-asset portfolios with a focus on private credit, private equity, and venture capital in emerging industries
- Delivered consistent alpha through innovative structuring, due diligence and strategic planning;
- Developed and implemented tailored risk management solutions to enhance portfolio resilience and optimize long-term returns
- Collaborated with advisors and stakeholders to align investment strategies with sustainability and impact objectives
Board Member, Finance Clerk, and Treasurer
Princeton Friends School
Princeton, USA
01.2010 - 01.2017
- Directed financial planning and oversight, ensuring sustainable growth and operational stability for the institution
- Championed strategic initiatives promoting community-driven leadership and financial stewardship
Managing Director, Fixed Income & Emerging Markets Trading
Nomura
New York, USA
01.1995 - 01.2011
- Directed Emerging Markets Proprietary Trading, Fixed Income Credit, and Special Situations portfolios, responsible for $6 billion in assets under management
- Co-led one of the most profitable trading desks at Nomura, consistently achieving $100mm+ annual budgets, generated $1bn+ cumulative P/L
- Focus on directionally-neutral, capital efficient, low p/l volatility, high risk-adjusted returns;
- Pioneered activist emerging market relative value arbitrage strategies, including Brady Bond arbitrage ($4 billion+ notional, 300 basis points+ average arbitrage monetization), defaulted debt/CDS arbitrage, creditor committee restructurings, special situations/workouts, primary market discount arbitrage, and asset-backed securities arbitrage.
- Recognized as a multi-year, top-performing trader in Emerging Markets.
- Spearheaded strategic trading initiatives, delivering consistent profits, and cementing Nomura’s reputation in Emerging Markets proprietary trading.
- Designed and executed innovative Brady arbitrage strategies, and led sovereign refinancing efforts, driving significant restructuring of sovereign debt portfolios.
- Built and managed a multidisciplinary team of traders and analysts, fostering innovation and operational excellence across global markets.
- Strengthened risk management frameworks, ensuring resilience amid market volatility and regulatory shifts
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Economics
College of William and Mary
Deerfield Academy
Skills
- Institutional Asset Management
- Proprietary Trading
- Fixed Income Markets
- Emerging Markets
- Structured Products
- Asset-backed Securities
- ESG & Impact Investing
- Sovereign Debt Restructuring
- Risk Management & Compliance
- Team Leadership & Development
Accomplishments
- 1997, Asia Financial Crisis: inherited $600mm local and external sovereign/quasi-sovereign Workout portfolio, successfully converted $300mm loss into $50mm profit; principal in the development and standardization of Credit Default Swaps; promoted to Head, Proprietary Emerging Markets Fixed Income, Asia & Latin America.
- 1998, Russian Financial Crisis: inherited $1bn portfolio of Russian GKOs, developed novel correlated hedging strategies including CDS, Brent & WTI oil futures and options, sovereign debt exchange, arbitraged 20 year extension option on Russia 2028 Global bond. Result: reduced original portfolio loss by 90%; promoted to Head, Proprietary Emerging Markets Fixed Income, Global.
- 1998-2002, Argentina Financial Crisis: successfully managed $4bn Emerging Market portfolio during period of extreme Emerging Market volatility; employed default risk neutral strategies to monetize arbitrage opportunities; lead investor in over $3bn sovereign debt restructurings. Result: responsible for the most profitable trading desk at Nomura in the period; promoted to Head, Global Proprietary Fixed Income Credit.
- 2002-2004, Applied new CDS risk management technologies to Fixed Income Credit markets; consistently achieved annual $100mm budgets using directionally neutral, risk capital efficient, relative value arbitrage, activist strategies. Result: promoted to Head of Fixed Income Credit, North America.
- 2004-2008, Built 23-person Fixed Income Credit, North America team, including secondary market making, sales, structured credit, proprietary trading, and risk management platform.
- 2008-2011, Global Financial Crisis, short synthetic CDO equity risk, inherited $3bn Global Special Situations and Workout portfolio including Lehman Estate derivative claims negotiation, MBIA synthetic CMBS insurance restructuring, Syncora Creditor Committee, complex litigation claims, Icelandic bank restructuring.
Hobbies and Interests
- Married, two children.
- Brazilian Jiu Jitsu purple belt.
- Volunteering financial stewardship to educational institutions.
- Coaching and mentoring youth sports programs.
Timeline
Investment Manager
Family Office
01.2012 - Current
Board Member, Finance Clerk, and Treasurer
Princeton Friends School
01.2010 - 01.2017
Managing Director, Fixed Income & Emerging Markets Trading
Nomura
01.1995 - 01.2011
Bachelor of Arts - Economics
College of William and Mary
Deerfield Academy