Jeffrey Gundlach not impressed with robo advisers

He says 'one-size fits all' portfolios are a dangerous bet, especially in a market decline
JUN 23, 2017

In the financial industry's battle of humans versus machines, billionaire bond fund manager Jeffrey Gundlach is betting people will prevail. "I don't believe in machines taking over finance at all," Mr. Gundlach, CEO of DoubleLine Capital, said Thursday night in a cocktail-hour interview before his induction into the Fixed Income Analysts Society Inc.'s Hall of Fame. Mr. Gundlach, 57, is a top-ranked money manager whose $54 billion DoubleLine Total Return Bond Fund has outperformed 90 percent of its Bloomberg peers over the past five years. He co-founded the Los Angeles-based firm, which managed more than $100 billion as of March 31, after being ousted by TCW Group in 2009. Mr. Gundlach singled out so-called robo-advisers, which provide online portfolio management using little human intervention, as a dangerous bet. "It's a one-size-fits-all financial solution," he said. "Everybody gets the same portfolio, which means everybody owns the same stock, which means when they all decide to get out you cause a crash." What's Mr. Gundlach's advice for beating machines? "Work hard," he said.

Latest News

Fintech bytes: Orion and Flourish bring client cash into advisor workflows
Fintech bytes: Orion and Flourish bring client cash into advisor workflows

Plus, Asset-Map partners with Contio to elevate the advisor meeting experience, and MyVest claims an innovation in portfolio management with separately managed models.

Advisor moves: LPL lands $1B group from Ameriprise
Advisor moves: LPL lands $1B group from Ameriprise

Meanwhile, Cetera has drawn advisors managing around $390 million from LPL and Commonwealth, while Raymond James' financial institutions division announces its own LPL hire in Indiana.

Bluespring Wealth snaps up $1.1B New Jersey RIA in fifth deal of 2026
Bluespring Wealth snaps up $1.1B New Jersey RIA in fifth deal of 2026

Synthesis Wealth Planning brings a fivefold asset growth story and a recently merged practice to the Bluespring fold.

Clients expect to know if you use AI, but don’t realize that their portfolios are likely exposed
Clients expect to know if you use AI, but don’t realize that their portfolios are likely exposed

Janus Henderson Investors research reveals demand for transparency, but lack of awareness of AI’s prevalence in the corporate world.

Retirement dream looking more like a luxury as cost-of-living squeezes savings
Retirement dream looking more like a luxury as cost-of-living squeezes savings

New research reveals rising expenses, forced early exits, and a widening gap between how long people live and how long their money lasts.

SPONSORED Beyond wealth management: Why the future of advice is becoming more human

As technical expertise becomes increasingly commoditized, advisors who can integrate strategy, relationships, and specialized expertise into a cohesive client experience will define the next era of wealth management

SPONSORED Durability over scale: What actually defines a great advisory firm

Growth may get the headlines, but in my experience, longevity is earned through structure, culture, and discipline