Dimensional Fund Advisors

Reflections from the 13th CEO Forum 2026 marked the 13th year of the CEO Forum, where a fantastic group of leaders convened in Napa Valley for an event full of learning, connection, and growth. This milestone felt especially meaningful since we returned to our roots—the first Forum was also in Napa Valley in 2014. Since then, we’ve seen so much evolution—in the Forum, in the firms of the CEOs, and in the industry. When I look back across that arc, it is striking to see how much the conversations, connections, and community have deepened. Capturing the spirit of Napa, this year’s theme was centered around “Bold Ideas Taking Root.” It was an honor to dig into this theme and help set the tone with Steve Condon, CFA, homing in on crafting firm vision. In all, I was genuinely blown away by the leaders in the room. Their openness and generosity in sharing insights—whether around bold ideas for scaling, long-term growth, or technology innovations—allowed for the discussions to be both grounded and thought-provoking. My biggest takeaways: ➡️ The opportunity to rethink scale: The conversations around scale were particularly insightful. A key takeaway for me was the importance of defining what “scale” actually means for your firm, as well as the benefits you want it to bring. ➡️ There is no single “right” path to growth: Different firms take different approaches. Your chosen path drives strategy, resource allocation, and long-term planning. ➡️ The promise and constraints of AI: As expected, AI was featured prominently across many conversations. There is no shortage of excitement around its potential but unlocking it will depend on tight data and well-designed workflows. In parallel, CEOs also emphasized the continued importance of human-centered practices. AI may become deeply embedded in daily life, but trust will still rest with human relationships and experience. Finally, I have to give a shout-out to my pizza-making team, “It just takes Dough $!”—a little healthy competition, a super-fun group, and a pitch man who definitely knows how to sell the vision. Thanks to all the CEOs and Dimensional leaders that made the Forum so impactful. Your work in driving the industry forward is appreciated and celebrated. Until next year! #DimensionalEvents

One of the better things about getting older is that you get to look back on the people who’ve shaped your life. For me, two people keep coming to mind, and I’ll admit seeing their names next to one another makes me chuckle: Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gene Fama. Between the three of us, we have a dozen bodybuilding championships and a Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences. 

Last week, Dimensional hosted our Annual Institutional Symposium at our global headquarters in Austin. AIS is a unique opportunity for institutional asset owners to connect with one another, learn from leading scholars and practitioners, and have some fun along the way. It was a great week shared with incredible people and organizations from all over the world. Among the personal highlights for me were: • A Q&A with former Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas President Robert Kaplan. • A fireside chat with Vice Admiral Joseph Maguire, who in his long and distinguished career commanded Navy SEALs and served as Acting Director of National Intelligence, which was facilitated by Jarvis Hollingsworth, president and CEO of JVH Capital Partners. • A panel discussion, moderated by John Skjervem of Utah Retirement Systems, featuring Greg Dowling of FEG, William Forde of NEPC, and Russ Ivinjack of Aon. I’m grateful to the team that helped plan the week’s events. We had some unforgettable small group dinners and fun social activities. To all of the institutions that attended, we can’t thank you enough for spending time with us and for your continued trust. It’s truly an honor to serve you and your constituents. I can’t wait for next year.