From Hedge Fund Roots to Alternative Credit Leadership: Soraya Chabarek, President & CEO, MCQS

Description

While women leaders in finance are gradually becoming more common, that cannot be said the alternatives industry.  But as traditional investment firms increasingly acquire alternatives and private markets firms, their leaders, styles and backgrounds are experiencing a changing topography.  One of those to have been instrumental in helping build some well-known alts firms, from GLG to Moore Capital and now MCQS, is their President and CEO, Soraya Chabarek. Soraya discusses the characteristics of some of the top hedge fund performers, the egos and enigmas, females in finance, the art of selling, and how she helped reposition CQS from a hedge fund manager into an alternative credit platform.   She gives her view on where the risks and opportunities lie in today’s credit market, how founder-led firms scale beyond star culture, and on resilience, grit, and what she looks for in a hire. Subscribe to stay up to date with our range of fascinating interviews, featuring some of the biggest names in global finance and business! RECORDING DATE: 25th November 2025 TOPICS: 00:00 - Introduction 02:10 - Path Into Finance 07:40 - Entering Hedge Funds and Key Career Moves 15:10 - Inside the Hedge Fund World 21:00 - Transforming CQS—Institutionalization and Growth 24:50 - Cultural Integration and Merger with Manulife 27:40 - Measuring Success and Maintaining Performance 29:30 - Private Credit - Risks and Opportunities 32:30 - AI, Research, and the Role of Human Insight 35:10 - Communication, Connections, & Personal Touch 43:00 - Resilience and Industry Shifts 44:40 - Middle East Investment & Global Shifts SPONSORS: - Schroders is a global investment and wealth manager, with a purpose to provide excellent investment performance to clients, through active investment management. Find out more: https://www.schroders.com/en/global/individual/ - IFM Investors are a global institutional asset manager whose purpose is to invest, protect and grow the long term retirement savings of working people. They manage investments across