Starcast Join the waitlist
The Rational Reminder Podcast

The Rational Reminder Podcast

Episode 409: Investment Banker - What Private Equity Doesn't Tell You

May 14, 2026 · 1h 16m

Coming soon to iPhone. Already have it? “Listen in Starcast” takes you straight there.

On this episode

About this episode

In this episode, we are joined by Jeff Hooke, former investment banking, private equity, and private debt executive turned academic critic of alternative investments, for a rigorous and provocative examination of private equity, private credit, and institutional investing. Jeff draws on decades of experience in finance and years of academic research to challenge many of the assumptions driving institutional and retail allocations to private markets. We discuss why pension plans and endowments continue pouring capital into alternatives despite evidence of underperformance, how private market valuations can obscure true risk, and why the fee structures embedded in private funds create…