ISAAC SCHWARTZ

Founder & Chairman, The New Silk Road Forum
Portfolio Manager, Global Equity, Robotti & Company Advisors

Isaac Schwartz is a global investor working at the intersection of capital markets and geopolitics, recognized for his ability to navigate environments where political realities, institutional structures, and long-term capital converge. Over nearly two decades, he has built a reputation for disciplined, research-driven investing across developed and emerging markets, with particular depth in regions that remain less visible in mainstream global markets.

Isaac is a Global Equity Portfolio Manager at Robotti & Company Advisors, a New York–based investment adviser managing in excess of $1 billion in equity assets. Since joining the firm in 2007, he has played a central role in global equity investing, with a particular focus on emerging and frontier markets where long-term fundamentals, governance standards, and capital discipline are decisive.

He serves on Robotti & Company’s Investment Committee, contributing to global idea generation, valuation work, and portfolio construction. His experience spans both developed and emerging economies and is informed by long-standing engagement with Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and select European markets, alongside other regions that remain less visible in mainstream global markets.

Over the course of his career, Isaac has conducted extensive first-hand due diligence on more than 800 publicly listed companies across over 35 countries. He has met directly with senior management teams at their headquarters and worked closely with local market participants, building an investment perspective grounded in direct access, deep research, and on-the-ground insight. His approach combines rigorous financial analysis with thoughtful scuttlebutt work, allowing for a nuanced understanding of businesses, industries, and the environments in which they operate.

Isaac’s sector experience includes financial services, banking and insurance, logistics, infrastructure, distribution, e-commerce, consumer products, and durable goods. In parallel with his investment responsibilities, he is actively involved in mentoring and developing research analysts and has led long-term investor communications, including writing shareholder letters and hosting investor meetings. He is also a frequent speaker at investor forums and leading business schools, where he is known for his clear, grounded perspective on global markets.

Since its founding, the New Silk Road Forum has hosted nine annual summits in key Silk Road countries, welcoming over 200 senior professionals, including portfolio managers, sovereign wealth representatives, and top executives from across the globe. Isaac personally moderates and leads live, on-the-record conversations with corporate CEOs, central bank governors, and sovereign wealth fund managers, creating rare opportunities for candid dialogue grounded in real-world investing experience.

In 2026, the Forum will celebrate its 10-year anniversary, bringing together the world’s most visionary leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, and thinkers for a three-day summit of insight, dialogue, and connection. The event will take place from September 16–18 in Istanbul, Türkiye, a city at the crossroads of East and West, symbolizing a decade of independent thought leadership, cross-border exchange, and strategic insight.

The Forum is widely recognized for its intellectual rigor, independence, and long-term perspective, reflecting Isaac’s disciplined approach to investing and his commitment to constructive engagement with global markets. Each year, it provides a platform where ideas move freely, perspectives are shared, and insight becomes action, connecting members from New York, London, Hong Kong, Dubai, and major cities across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and the Americas.