# Investment Strategies and Cultural Differences with Ankur Crawford Ankur Crawford from Alger Capital shares her global investment perspective. - **Source:** [The Big Picture](https://ritholtz.com) - **Published:** 2026-08-18 - **Topic:** [Finance](https://brifing.si/c/finance) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/38ef52c0-fe18-4052-89cc-e99f26b1b968 ## Ankur Crawford's Career Journey Ankur Crawford earned a double bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and materials science from UC Berkeley. She pursued a master's and PhD in materials science engineering at Stanford University. While working as an engineer at Intel, she won several patents and was awarded the Intel PhD Fellowship. She now serves as a portfolio manager for large-cap strategies at Alger Capital. ## Transition from Engineering to Finance Crawford transitioned from an engineering career to the world of finance, taking a unique path. She applied her analytical skills from engineering to investment strategies. Her experiences at Intel played a significant role in understanding technological trends like artificial intelligence and semiconductors. This knowledge provides a significant advantage in investment decisions. ## Impact of Cultural Differences on Investments Crawford emphasizes that her global life experiences have shaped her investment approach. Understanding the communication styles of management teams in different cultures plays a critical role in investment decisions. For example, the humble approach of a CEO in Russia is seen as a cultural trait rather than a problem for investors. ## Analyzing Management Teams Crawford considers cultural differences when analyzing management teams. For instance, management teams in Japan do not make aggressive forecasts like those in the US. This is not seen as a problem for investors but as a cultural difference. Crawford highlights the importance of understanding the company's business model to calibrate such nuances. ## The Case of Taiwan Semiconductor Crawford analyzed the attitude of Taiwan Semiconductor's management during her interactions with them. The company's management openly discusses problems rather than always focusing on positive aspects. Crawford emphasizes that this approach is a cultural trait and should be considered in investment decisions. ## Global Life Experiences Crawford was born in Kansas, grew up in Florida, lived in the Middle East, and studied at a convent school in the Himalayas. These global life experiences helped her understand cultural differences in shaping investment strategies. Crawford notes that these experiences have helped her view problems from a broader perspective. ## Dream of Becoming an Astronaut Crawford dreamed of becoming an astronaut as a child. Watching space shuttle launches in Florida fueled this dream. However, her engineering career led her down a different path. Crawford says this dream nurtured her curiosity, which she satisfied through her engineering career. ## A Link Between Engineering and Medicine Crawford's brother became an orthopedic surgeon after studying mechanical engineering. Crawford uses his engineering knowledge in designing medical devices. This serves as an example of how engineering can be applied in various fields. ## Importance of Cultural Differences in Investments Crawford highlights the importance of understanding cultural differences in investment decisions. The communication styles of management teams in different cultures are seen as an advantage rather than a problem for investors. Crawford stresses the need to understand the company's business model to grasp these differences. ## Analytical Approach in Investment Strategies Crawford applies her analytical skills from engineering to investment strategies. Understanding technological trends like artificial intelligence and semiconductors plays a significant role in investment decisions. Crawford notes that this knowledge shapes her investment strategies. ## Advantages of a Global Perspective Crawford emphasizes that her global life experiences have shaped her investment strategies. Understanding the communication styles of management teams in different cultures plays a critical role in investment decisions. Crawford highlights that these experiences have helped her view problems from a broader perspective. ## Role of Cultural Differences in Investments Crawford highlights the importance of understanding cultural differences in investment decisions. The communication styles of management teams in different cultures are seen as an advantage rather than a problem for investors. Crawford stresses the need to understand the company's business model to grasp these differences. ## Sources covering this story - https://ritholtz.com/2026/08/transcript-ankur-crawford/ — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._