- Sign up to free AFI briefing emails for exclusive industry updates
- Register for the AFI Innovation Summit ($1bn+ managers and allocators only)
Polina Kurdyavko, head of emerging markets and senior PM at RBC BlueBay Asset Management, was the special guest on the latest episode, sharing insights on her investing approach, career background and view on the opportunity set in EM heading into 2026.
View topics by time-stamp below. The episode is available to listen on this page or via Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. Listen and subscribe today so you never miss an episode.
Record date: Tuesday 7 October. Release date: Thursday 9 October.
1:42 — Career background and evolution.
2:26 — Started career in 1998, personal family motivation.
3:40 — Kurdyavko’s big-picture view on EM and why it provides a fertile hunting ground in alts.
6:35 — Moving from relative to directional opportunity.
8:55 — Impact of this year’s volatility and turbulence on the opportunity set going forward.
14:22 — Episode sponsor: Altaira Strategic Partners.
15:05 — Follow-up on de-dollarization trend.
21:28 — Thoughts on China — real estate, general outlook, significance.
24:24 — Rising allocator interest in EM?
26:50 — Looking ahead into 2026.
Subscribe to the AFI podcast on your chosen platform to get episodes as soon as they land. For complete access to all AFI analysis and research, including the interview archive, consider membership.
To suggest topics, interviewees or trends for future episodes or Explainers, please get in touch.
Headline 2025 series partner
This podcast is brought to you in association with Citco, the leading asset servicer with over $2 trillion of assets under administration (AUA) and the top hedge fund administrator according to the AFI 500 research ranking. Citco acts as a true partner to its clients, dedicated to developing rich long-term relationships through gold standard services and industry leading technology. Head to Citco.com for more information.
Episode 46 sponsor
This episode is brought to you in association with Altaira Strategic Partners, which partners with emerging and established asset managers to provide a state-of-the-art institutional operating environment. Their cutting edge approach helps managers to bring their products and ideas to the marketplace with speed, efficiency and the latest innovations. Its heritage goes back to TIG which has been providing institutional back and middle office services to fund managers since 1980. Meet the team in Mayfair at the AFI Innovation Summit on 13 November, and visit altairastrat.com for more information.