Today marks the 20th anniversary of the
incorporation of M·CAM – the world’s first and only intangible asset
qualitative and quantitative underwriter and trader. At its inception earlier in 1998, the concept
of rendering the “intangible” tangible through the marriage of big data and qualitative market algorithms was revolutionary. Formed the same year that Google was
launched, M·CAM’s steady progress towards reforming the manner in which markets
measure intangible effects has spanned the globe and left an indelible mark on
the capital markets. Two years ago, M·CAM’s
success was memorialized with the launch of the CNBC IQ100 powered by M·CAM – the world’s leading equity index.
There’s no question that our success is due, in large part,
to the amazing contribution of the 103 community members who have been part of
our company for a time across two decades.
We’ve provided investment returns for many active investors throughout
our operation. And we’ve impacted global
markets and government regulators with unprecedented contributions to advancing
transparency and accountability.
But on today’s momentous anniversary, there are a few
unlikely individuals and organizations that I wish to acknowledge for their
contribution to our long march to this moment.
M·CAM’s first credible external investor – Ned Goldstein –
transformed our start-up into an enterprise that attracted national
attention. Ms. Fengming Lu opened the State
Council of China to us as China was commencing its accession into the World Trade
Organization. And Dr. Pieter Fourie made
South Africa our first commercial endeavor at a time when the nascent
technology markets were merely whispers in Africa.
M·CAM’s first remarkable public recognition came from Virginia’s
Center for Innovative Technology and Terry Woodworth who awarded us the
Commonwealth of Virginia’s first Innovation Grant for a fintech company in
January 1999. This award put a spotlight
on our work at a time when financial engineering was largely relegated to
academic institutions.
As he was leaving his post as President Clinton’s Comptroller
of Currency for the United States, Eugene Ludwig took time to open up many
doors to regulators and government agencies which ultimately included the
Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), the FDIC, and other important
relationships upon which M·CAM built a reputation of incomparable collaboration
and success.
SwissRe’s William Hoffman was the first commercial partner
to take a reputational and business risk in our early days. His long days and nights in Zurich led to our
first appearance in the Wall Street Journal announcing our
partnership in 2000. Together with the
team at Banc of America Securities, SwissRe put M·CAM on the global stage in
September 2000.
Bank of New York’s investment research program, coordinated
by John Meserve introduced investors to M·CAM’s market research through its
Jaywalk and ConvergEx platforms. In a
world where sell-side research was a dime-a-dozen, the Jaywalk team went out on
a limb to promote the importance of our work.
Congressman Robert Goodlatte (R-VA) and Senator Charles
Grassley (R-IA) put the power of the United States Congress behind our efforts with
the U.S. Commerce Department, the United States Treasury and the Internal
Revenue Service.
Professor Anil Gupta and the team at the Indian Institute
for Management – Ahmedabad and the SRISTI and HoneyBee networks proliferated
our Global Innovation Commons work around the world.
Theresa Arek and Alise Stunnenberg took my involvement with
the World Bank and brought it to a world of communities that gave rise to the
Heritable Innovation Trust and our engagement in landowner rights across the
globe.
Alistair Nolan – policy analyst at the OECD – and Carol
Corrado – senior advisor at The Conference Board – brought the weight of their
academic research to our analytic services offerings. Together with Tony Clayton – chief economist
at the UK Patent Office – and Alan Marco – chief economist at the U.S. Patent Office,
the merger of industry and academic expertise drawing on M·CAM’s methodology further
solidified our gold-standard collaboration credentials.
Nick Drake, Dan Goldstein, and Jimmy Smith – during their
common tenure at TBWA\Chiat\Day did their best to make us cool – nice try guys!
And then there’s the trinity of extraordinary gentlemen – Mr.
Joe O’Shea, Mr. Chet Nagle, and Mr. Bob Kendall – who added their wisdom to our
navigating the most arduous of challenges and who, when all horizons appeared
to be shrouded in impenetrable fogs – kept watch with me and offered the
encouragement that kept a steady hand on the helm.
If you’re reading this post, odds are that you’re also one
of the amazing lights that have marked the path to this moment. For each and every contribution to our collective
success, I’m deeply grateful. And as we
consider the coming months and years, my commitment remains to honor all those
who stood with me! As with any success,
it is not merely the hand that steers the ship but it’s the conspiracy of
hands, winds and waves that makes the journey an epic voyage. I honor each of you.
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