Portfolio Manager Profile
David T. Kilborn, CFA
David is a Managing Director and Co-Chief Investment Officer
at Dwight.
David Kilborn, a native of New York City, believes that the key to the investment business lies in the ability to process information as effectively as possible. One has to be both receptive and skeptical at the same time.
Precision Under Pressure
“The reality is that we must constantly analyze an enormous
amount of information from a wide variety of sources.”
According to David, the investment team at Dwight uses their
experience, base knowledge, and intuition to take this information
and make informed decisions under pressure on a daily basis.
“No one gets it right 100% of the time, but if you can
get it right most of the time, you can be successful.”
David believes that the key to performing well under these
circumstances “is to focus on maintaining a certain
discipline and on utilizing all the lessons learned from the
past.” He says that if the focus is on the magnitude
of a deal or of a fear of doing it wrong, “you just
won’t be able to achieve your goals.”
In order to work in this kind of demanding environment, David feels that the investment group must be a cohesive unit. “Trust and chemistry are very important. Just like an army battalion, we all have to work together and share information. Everything that David Thompson, Co-CIO, and I do in developing the team is based on a foundation of trust and personal chemistry.”
Always Looking Forward
Another element that David feels is essential for achieving
consistent performance is learning from your past decisions,
both good and not-so-good. “You can get important information
from ideas that succeed and important information from ideas
that do not. It is vital to learn these lessons and keep going.
You don’t want to repeat your mistakes, but by the same
token, you also have to let things go and move forward.”
This is the mantra that David continually repeats to the team.
Dwight’s success in growing the investment team and assets
under management only reinforces David’s sense that this
is the right approach. “In work, in life, and even in
golf, it is our reactions to situations that are most important.
Some people stop and sulk when they miss the mark, and some
people come right back and make birdies.”
David Kilborn
hits one straight down the middle.
Performance on the Green
As you might expect, David has a fiercely competitive streak
both at work and on the golf course. However, he says in the
game of golf, you are really competing against yourself. He
likes to think that his golf game has improved through the
same disciplined approach that he takes with investing. “Golf
is a game of honor. How you react on the golf course is how
you react in life.” David participates in golf tournaments
in his free time and tries to make it to the Vermont Amateur
every year. “I love sports. I probably would have tried
to become a basketball player if I was just a little taller.”