Dave Iben
Dave Iben is the Chief Investment Officer and Lead Portfolio Manager at Kopernik Global Investors, a global value equity management firm. With over 40 years of investment experience, Iben specializes in identifying undervalued securities worldwide and constructing high-conviction global equity portfolios. Prior to founding Kopernik, Iben served as Director and Head of the Global Value team at Vinik Asset Management, managing the $2.7 billion Global Value Long/Short Equity portfolio. He also held senior leadership roles at Tradewinds Global Investors, including Lead Portfolio Manager, CIO, and President, where he was responsible for the firm’s Global All-Cap, North American All-Cap, and Global Long/Short strategies, directly managing over $20 billion in assets at the time of his departure. Iben’s extensive track record in value investing, global equity analysis, and portfolio management positions him as a leading authority in international value-oriented investment strategies.
Dave Iben Professional Experience / Academic History
Professional Experience
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Chief Investment Officer and Lead Portfolio Manager
Academic History
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Bachelor's Degree
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Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Dave Iben is the Founder and Chairman of the Board of Kopernik Global Investors and serves as the firm’s Chief Investment Officer and Managing Member.
He is the Lead Portfolio Manager of the Kopernik Global All-Cap and Global Unconstrained strategies, and the Co-Portfolio Manager of the Kopernik International and Global Long-Term Opportunities strategies.
Kopernik employs a contrarian, bottom‑up fundamental investment philosophy, seeking undervalued businesses globally and staying disciplined on valuation, industry, issuer and country exposures.
EARLY CAREER
Iben brings decades of experience in portfolio management, research, trading, and risk management.
Prior to founding Kopernik, he directed Tradewinds Global Investors’ investment activities, where he was the sole portfolio manager for the Global All-Cap, North American All-Cap, and Global Long/Short strategies, overseeing more than $20 billion in assets at the time of his departure.
He was a Co-Founder and Lead Portfolio Manager of Palladian Capital Management, a senior portfolio manager at Cramblit & Carney (1996–1998), and began his career with Farmers Group, Inc., where he served as Chief Investment Officer, managing $16 billion of investable assets.
Iben has earned the CFA designation and is an active member of the CFA Institute and CFA Society of Tampa Bay.
He has been recognized by Bloomberg, Lipper, and other industry rating agencies for his leadership in investment management.
MEDIA PRESENCE
Iben is regularly featured in leading financial media including Forbes, Business Insider, Bloomberg, Financial Times, and Barron’s, and has appeared as a guest on Real Vision, sharing insights on global equity markets, value investing, and portfolio strategies.