Finance
In today’s challenging economic environment, many financial services companies are thriving as new technologies, including AI, continue to revolutionize the sector. Our finance team provides actionable insights our clients need to navigate risks and seize investment opportunities.
A curious team with wide-ranging expertise
Blue Heron’s finance team comprises industry experts from both finance journalism and the finance sector itself. The team’s researchers have written for outlets including The New York Times and Forbes and have held positions in both national banks and boutique investment consultant firms.
Over the past five years, the finance team has conducted hundreds of diligence projects, ranging from an AI accounting startup to world banking giants struggling to stay nimble in a fast-moving economy. Payments has also been a significant focus for the team, with projects on both the newer, agile players as well as the established processing giants. Within asset management, the finance research team has investigated potential investments in hedge funds and private equity managers.
Recent areas of research
Banks
Diversified, regional, custody
Financial services
Asset management, consumer, exchanges, fintech, mortgages, payment processing, investment
Insurance
Brokers, insuretech, multi-line, reinsurance, property, casualty
Real estate
REITs, development and services, operating companies
Payments in process
To evaluate a new CEO taking over at a legacy payments company, Blue Heron spoke with the executive’s former colleagues about her ability to cope with the aftermath of an unsuccessful acquisition.
Banking on scrutiny
To assess the leadership at a bank that has struggled since the 2008 financial crisis, Blue Heron spoke with former senior-level executives about the bank’s potential as it remains under the watchful eyes of regulators.
Assessing an investment
To vet a potential investment in an Asian credit fund, Blue Heron elicited a multi-perspective view by speaking with former colleagues of 13 executives and investors in the fund.
Insurance and technology
To gauge the state of enterprise software in the insurance industry, Blue Heron interviewed executives at some of the top property and casualty insurers about their software choices.
Meet our finance team
Riva Atlas
Sector Leader, Finance
Riva is Finance Sector Leader at Blue Heron. Her focus ranges broadly across finance companies, including financial technology startups, large banks such as Citigroup and UBS, and asset managers in the public markets and alternatives space. Previously, Riva was a financial reporter for more than 20 years with publications including The New York Times, Forbes, and Institutional Investor. After leaving journalism in 2006, she worked for more than three years as a research analyst for Ziff Brothers Investments, among other institutional investment firms. She is fluent in Hebrew.
Jacob Colon
Senior Researcher
Jacob is a Finance Senior Researcher at Blue Heron with a focus on Fortune 500 management teams. Prior to joining Blue Heron, he worked as a TV news writer for CBS3 Philadelphia and as a reporter for The Bennington Banner in Vermont. Jacob has a bachelor’s in journalism from Temple University.
Kristi Subramanian
Director of Project Managers
Kristi is Director of Project Managers at Blue Heron. Previously, Kristi spent over 17 years conducting investment and operational due diligence, primarily on alternative investment managers. She launched and operated Northbound Research, an independent due diligence consulting firm that catered to institutional investors. Before Northbound, Kristi was a VP at PNC Bank within the investment advisor research unit. She was also head of research at Excalibur Advisors, a boutique alternative investment consulting firm. Kristi began her career within Ernst & Young’s national due diligence group. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Drexel University in finance and accounting.