# Investment Strategies and AI Cycles with Ankur Crawford

Alger Portfolio Manager shares her journey from engineering to finance and insights on AI investment approaches.

- **Source:** [The Big Picture](https://ritholtz.com)
- **Published:** 2026-08-15
- **Topic:** [Finance](https://brifing.si/c/finance)
- **Original article:** <https://ritholtz.com/2026/08/mib-ankur-crawford/>
- **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/44c9ba86-16e2-4b4c-9052-1cbd0e43234e

## From Engineering to Investment Career

Ankur Crawford transitioned from an engineering background to become a Portfolio Manager at Alger. She oversees the Capital Appreciation, Focus Equity, and Spectra Strategies funds. She emphasizes how analytical thinking proved crucial in her career shift. Crawford explains how engineering discipline provides advantages in investment decision-making processes.

## Analyzing AI and Compute Investment Cycles

Crawford examines investment cycles in artificial intelligence and computing technologies. She details her methodology for evaluating transformation opportunities in the sector. The portfolio manager shares key metrics she uses to assess growth potential in tech companies. She discusses how long-term AI trends influence her portfolio management strategies.

## Building Investment Strategies

She elaborates on how investment strategies are developed at Alger Capital. Crawford explains her approaches to sector analysis, company valuation and risk management. The manager shares specific criteria for selecting growth-oriented equities. She describes how economic cycles affect different industries in her portfolio.

## Investment Insights on Podcast

Crawford shares her expertise on The Big Picture's 'Masters in Business' podcast. She evaluates recent developments and future trends in investment world. The episode is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube platforms. The portfolio manager offers practical advice for investment decision-making.

## Berkshire Hathaway Case Study

Next episode will feature Alex Morris from TSOH Investment Research. Morris authored a book analyzing Berkshire annual meetings from 1994-2024. He reviewed archives containing over 1,700 shareholder questions spanning 31 years. The book was named among Amazon's 'Best Books of 2025.'

## Long-Term Perspective in Investing

Crawford stresses the importance of maintaining long-term perspective in investments. She shares why staying disciplined during market fluctuations creates value. The manager analyzes principles behind Berkshire Hathaway's sustainable success. She discusses relevance of shareholder meeting lessons for today's investors.

## Trend Analysis in Tech Investments

The portfolio manager closely monitors transformations in technology sector. She explains how developments in AI, cloud computing and infrastructure create opportunities. Crawford shares her methodology for evaluating innovation capacity of industry players. She emphasizes timing importance in technology investments.

## Future Investment Trends

Crawford predicts key focus areas for investors in coming years. Beyond AI and computing, she highlights importance of sustainable investments. She analyzes how global economic transformation affects portfolio strategies. The manager offers diversification and risk management advice to investors.

## Sources covering this story

- https://ritholtz.com/2026/08/mib-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._