Episodes

Bernie Madoff was a market structure pioneer, a former NASDAQ chairman, and one of the most trusted names on Wall Street—bona fides that allowed him to architect the largest known Ponzi scheme in history under the noses of regulators. In this first episode of our two-part look at Madoff, Ronan and JR sit down with New York Times journalist Diana Henriques, author of The Wizard of Lies, which also inspired the HBO movie starring Robert De Niro. Diana, who was the first journalist to interview him...

It’s Boxes and Lines Lite, where we break down the biggest market stories in just 10–15 minutes. This time, we’re tackling the DeepSeek disruption—the surprise AI breakthrough out of China that sent Nvidia’s stock plunging, erased $600 billion in market value, and wiped nearly $100 billion from tech billionaires’ fortunes. Ronan and JR break down why markets reacted so dramatically, how DeepSeek’s low-cost, high-performance AI models are shaking up the industry, and whether this is just another ...

Dave Nadig, veteran ETF expert and self-styled “financial futurist,” returns to Boxes and Lines to look into his crystal ball and let Ronan and JR know what he sees in the cards for finance in 2025. First things first: It’s going to be a deeply weird year, Nadig predicts (there’s a reason why a telepathy podcast recently topped the charts over Joe Rogan). Beyond that, Nadig predicts we are about to enter a “corpostate,” batten down the hatches of “fortress America” with tariffs galore and see th...

In this special episode of Boxes and Lines, Ronan and JR are answering your questions. We’re airing listener voicemails and emails, taking on everything from the future of the SEC under new leadership to the feasibility of 24-hour trading. Along the way, we brainstorm replacements for Wall Street’s iconic bull, assemble the ultimate finance industry dinner guest list, and see right through a "mystery caller’s" thinly disguised voice. Tune in for lots of insights and enough banter to keep you que...

In this episode of Boxes and Lines, Ronan and JR sit down with Rusa Goletiani, a chess champion turned FX trader at BlackRock. Rusa shares her incredible journey from learning chess as a young girl in Georgia (the country, not the state!) to fleeing her war-torn homeland with nothing but her beloved chess notebook in the early ‘90s. Hear how chess helped her escape and thrive, how it influenced her career in finance, and why she believes decision-making under pressure is the secret cause for bot...

AI could change how businesses operate forever – but do executives truly understand how to harness its power and uncover patterns in their data? Former KX Managing Director Conor Twomey stops by to discuss how his new venture, AI1, will help businesses make the right AI investments to capitalize on the technology. Conor also covers the finer points of building an AI prompt, what’s really going on behind “hallucinations,” and what the Christopher Nolan masterpiece “The Prestige” says about the AI...

In this special episode of Boxes and Lines, we’re switching things up. Guest host Jayme Abrahamsen from IEX’s business development team takes over the mic to chat with Patrice Meagher, founder of MilkMate. Patrice shares the story behind MilkMate , a company dedicated to providing solutions for nursing mothers in the workplace. Tune in as Jayme and Patrice take a closer look at how industries like finance—often male-dominated—can benefit from adopting more inclusive parental support policies.

The proceeds from Norway’s oil and gas industry have reached $1.7 trillion – so how do its leaders manage that wealth to its citizens’ benefit? Emil Framnes, Global Head of Equity Trading and Transition at Norges Bank Investment Management, talks with Ronan and JR about how the fund invests that wealth across the more than 40 countries he and his team oversee. (Fun fact: The value of the fund per Norwegian, Framnes says, is about $200,000.) The trio also touches on topics including lit vs. dark ...

In this special, shorter “Boxes and Lines Lite” episode, Ronan and JR break down the ins and outs of penny stocks, also known as sub-dollar trading. From their speculative nature to the surprising number of these low-priced stocks trading on major exchanges, they explore why penny stocks are both risky and, at times, deceptive. With JR’s insider knowledge from his days at the SEC, they also touch on Virtu’s recent recommendations to the Commission on tightening the rules around penny stocks, inc...

JR and Ronan interview IEX interns Annie, Shay, Alex, and Rory from our class of Summer 2024 with a twist: the interns are also asking some questions. As the co-hosts get in the hot seat, we hear what kept Ronan and JR up at night early in their careers, as well as their advice for the interns as these budding pros build their career paths.

In this episode of Boxes and Lines, we’re joined by Patrick Young, trader, media pundit and author of late nineties fintech harbinger "Capital Market Revolution." Two decades after predicting the digitization of finance, Patrick reflects on how his forecasts have played out and what he got right, wrong, and how his lateral thinking has been both a blessing and a curse. Ronan and JR get his thoughts on AI handwringing, comparing it to the Y2K fears of the past, and explore how today’s technologic...

Note**: this episode was recorded before President Biden announced he wouldn’t be running for a second term ** We’ve got another predictions episode for you this season – this time with legendary economist Dr. Nouriel Roubini, who was given the warm and fuzzy nickname of 'Dr. Doom' by the media for his prescient prediction of the 2008 financial crisis. Dr. Roubini, a bestselling author and professor at NYU’s Stern School of Business and an expert in global economics, talks about the impact of th...

24/7 trading – it’s the topic JR and Ronan love to hate and, according to a recent wave of press this year covering Wall Street’s wariness to adopt it, they’re not alone. But does everyone need to get with the program? Many retail brokers, including Robinhood and Interactive Brokers, offer 24-hour trading on weekdays for US stocks, and start-up 24 Exchange, backed by Steve Cohen’s Point72 Ventures fund, is seeking SEC approval to launch the first always-on exchange. In this new short “Lite” epis...

Boxes and Lines is back from a summer break with new episodes, kicking off with this special edition featuring two legendary Irish Olympic runners, Eamonn Coghlan and Gerry O'Reilly. Running has been on Ronan Ryan’s mind lately, as he’s gearing up for a charity 10K race in November for GOAL, a global humanitarian organization, as part of the Great Ethiopian Run. As the chair of GOAL USA’s Board of Directors, Ronan will join 45,000 other runners in Africa’s largest road race to help GOAL address ...

This time, it’s personal. JR and Ronan’s spouses, Nick Buzard and Kara Ryan, join the show to discuss their kids, pets, their experiences navigating work-from-home life during COVID, and their advice for all newlyweds at IEX (and those listening!). For the final segment, the couples put their knowledge of each other to the test in a lightning round of the ‘Newlywed Game’ where the rules get quickly thrown out the window. Who comes out victorious? And will you still want to share chips and dip at...

In this episode of Boxes and Lines, Ronan and JR chat with Alex Kane, CEO of sports betting exchange Sporttrade. He breaks down how Sporttrade incorporates features similar to traditional elements of trading and stands out from traditional sportsbooks by offering lower costs and more control to users. He also discusses the challenges of expanding the company amid the patchwork of U.S. gambling laws, as well as elements designed to protect consumers and Sporttrade’s more unique features like in-p...

Join us for the 100th episode of "Boxes and Lines" as hosts Ronan Ryan and John Ramsay celebrate this milestone with IEX’s Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Marija Zivanovic-Smith. In this special edition, we venture down memory lane with live reactions to memorable clips from the past five years. We’ve highlighted all the best moments, from early technical glitches to the time Ronan mistakenly called a guest by the wrong name for several minutes, and the playful squabbles between our ...

The “vanguard of Vanguard,” Gerry O’Reilly, stops by to chat with Ronan and JR to discuss the Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund ($1.6 trillion in AUM), his 30 years at the firm, and how the industry has evolved during his tenure. The three also touch on the proposed updates to Reg NMS by the SEC, AI, and cryptocurrency in a broad-ranging hot topics segment. Not to bury the lede, but Gerry also makes Boxes and Lines history as our first guest who is a former Olympian and talks about his expe...

The man, the myth, the legend - market structure expert Larry Tabb joins Ronan and JR to talk shop about crypto, AI, and hot-button topics including access fees, tick increments, and the SEC's regulatory direction. They also discuss the challenges of moving to T+1 settlement and whether sub-dollar trading is a “scam.” It’s a must-listen episode for the true market structure (and carpentry) wonks out there. Hit play and pull up a chair at the Larry Tabb table. Recorded February 1, 2024.

This week, Ronan and JR are joined by Ellen Correia Golay, a Treasury markets advisor at the New York Federal Reserve Bank and an expert in U.S. Treasury market structure and fixed income. Ellen dispels the gold heist myths of Die Hard 3, takes a closer look at all-to-all trading in Treasury markets, and discusses the SEC’s recent adoption of rules that could require principal trading firms to register as dealers. Recorded February 7, 2024.

Ronan and JR welcome back Chris Ekimoff and Kurt Wolfe, co-hosts of the 'inSecurities' podcast, to talk shop about the latest in securities regulation. With Chris's forensic accounting expertise and Kurt's background in law and SEC enforcement, they discuss the SEC's cautious stance on predictive analysis, industry reactions, and the effects of what some call the SEC’s 'regulation by enforcement' approach in the crypto space. Later in the show, they discuss how lawyers can protect their mental h...

Join us for a special episode of Boxes and Lines, featuring Neal Freyman and Toby Howell of the wildly popular newsletter, the Morning Brew. Listen as JR and Ronan learn how they’ve helped re-shape business news, making it digestible for millennials and Gen Z - or should we say, Zillennials - from its humble beginnings as a cheat-sheet at the University of Michigan to becoming a digital media powerhouse under Business Insider. Neal and Toby discuss the changing habits of media consumption, the c...

Join Ronan and JR as they kick off 2024 with Dave Nadig, a “Financial Futurist” for ETF Trends and ETF Database, and an all-around expert in the ETF industry. In this episode, Dave shares his predictions for the year, discussing the election's impact on investments, the prospects of ESG and clean energy, the implications of SEC-approved Bitcoin ETFs, challenges in active ETFs, insights on Cathie Wood’s ARK in 2023, and the role of AI in finance. Get out your crystal balls out and compare your no...

Shelley Eleby, Managing Director and Head of Marketing for Electronic Trading at BMO Capital Markets, joins Ronan and JR to talk strategy and the key to strong branding in an era of shrinking screen sizes and attention spans. An industry veteran, Eleby discusses her wariness of AI and the “shiny penny” effect it seems to be having across all aspects of business, including finance. Eleby and BMO’s focus is, instead, on market microstructure, an area where the company is experimenting to understan...