Lear Investment Management Appoints Eric Stephenson Managing Director and Director of Research

Veteran investor brings experience across fundamental research, portfolio management and credit as Lear expands its research capabilities

DALLAS, Sept. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Lear Investment Management ("Lear"), a Dallas-based SEC-registered investment adviser serving high-net-worth individuals, families, advisors, and institutions, today announced that Eric Stephenson, CFA, has joined the firm as Managing Director and Director of Research. Stephenson will lead fundamental investment research in support of the firm's investment process and provide market perspectives for Lear clients and advisors.

"Good investing requires the conviction to see an opportunity and the discipline to understand what could go wrong," said Rick Lear, Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Lear Investment Management. "Eric brings both. His experience across equities and credit will help us challenge our assumptions and assess the risks behind our highest-conviction ideas."

Stephenson's investment approach combines detailed company research with a focus on the behavioral factors that can cause market prices to diverge from underlying value. He brings more than two decades of institutional investment experience spanning fundamental research, hedge fund portfolio management, leveraged finance, and high-yield credit. He previously managed long/short, multi-asset portfolios at Sandler Capital Management and Hunter Global Investors, trading commodities, energy, industrials, and other cyclical sectors. Earlier in his career, he held senior structuring roles in leveraged finance and high-yield capital markets at Bank of America and BT Alex. Brown, covering private equity sponsors including KKR, MacAndrews & Forbes, Carlyle, and AEA.

"What attracted me to Lear is the firm's willingness to do the fundamental work, form an independent view, and invest according to what the research tells us rather than simply follow the market," said Stephenson. "I'm looking forward to building on Lear's research process, working alongside Rick and the investment team, and helping translate that research into clear market insights for clients and advisors."

The appointment continues Lear's expansion of its research capabilities, following the addition of Yves C. Siegel, CFA, as Senior Research Advisor for Energy and Infrastructure, and the naming of former Bloomberg Chairman and CEO Peter Grauer to chair the firm's new Advisory Board.

Stephenson is a CFA charterholder and a member of the CFA Society Dallas/Fort Worth. He holds an M.S. in Sustainable Development from Columbia University, an MBA in Finance and Accounting from Texas Tech University, and a B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin, and is a graduate of St. Mark's School of Texas.

About Lear Investment Management

Lear Investment Management is a Dallas-based SEC-registered investment adviser serving high-net-worth individuals, families, institutions, and the advisor community. Lear is dedicated to creative out-of-the-style-box thinking, portfolio valuation and research, and a superior client experience. Earlier this year, Lear was named Zephyr/PSN Manager of the Decade in recognition of the performance of Lear's Global Vigilance Conservative Strategy over the 10-year period ending Dec. 31, 2025. Lear's Moderate Risk Separately Managed Account Strategy also earned Morningstar's 5-Star Rating™ for the 10-year period ending March 31, 2026.

The firm seeks to identify investment opportunities by studying economic factors, security valuation, global macro trends and human behavior, then expressing those insights through disciplined portfolio management that is willing to go against the grain, especially when industry thinking does not reflect modern economic or technological developments.

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SOURCE Lear Investment Management