The Sub-Advisory Institute is recognizing four Industry Visionary Award Winners of the sub-advisory and manager research space this year for their leadership, innovation, and active participation in the investment industry. David Braham, Executive Director, Head of Asset Management Relations, North America Institutional, Institutional Investor, sat down with Industry Visionary Award Winner Scott Lavelle, Managing Director, Investment Advisor Research (IAR) and Product Management, PNC.

Scott has defined his career by a sense of leadership, teamwork, and relationship building. At PNC, he is Managing Director of the Investment Advisor Research (IAR) and Product Management group, where he oversees the selection, monitoring, and delivery of external investment managers across traditional and alternative investments.

Scott graduated from Boston College with a Bachelor of Science in Finance and holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Financial Risk Manager (FRM), and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designations. He entered the investment industry as an equity trader in 1998, before holding roles as a portfolio manager and investment due diligence analyst. During the course of the interview, Scott shared what has surprised him over the years, leadership that has inspired him, and what continues to attract him to the investment industry.

The following is edited for length and clarity.

If you look back, what have you been surprised by the most?

Marketwise, this past year, it would be Liberation Day.

Personally, it would be winning this award – and the opportunity to co-host the Central Sub-Advisory & Manager Research Roundtable in Chicago with Kristof Gleich: a wonderful experience of learning and community within our industry.

What’s the one key innovation you’re most excited about today?

Professionally and personally, there’s a lot of administrative tasks that I would love AI to do, so I can spend more time doing things that are more fun.

What’s your leadership philosophy, and what’s special about your team?

I live by a leadership philosophy: Leaders make people and situations better, and I think it’s the best definition of leadership I’ve ever heard because it means everyone can lead; even if you’re the least experienced person on the team, you can lead: Everyone can choose actions that make the team better and make the people around them better, regardless of status.

As far as what makes the team special, I think my team behaves largely along that philosophy because its members are intent on bringing out the best in each other in a very supportive way.

Which leaders and/or mentors had the biggest impact on your life?

My father had a large bookshelf and taught me that learning never ends. He was my first teacher on leadership and the responsibility that comes with it. He taught me that the team is responsible for a leader’s success and that high standards, coupled with support, drive results while building cohesion and pride. His example is the foundation of my leadership practice.

That leadership definition I mentioned earlier? That’s from Randall Stutman who founded CRA|Admired Leadership. He taught me to be intentional about the leader I want to be and how to express that identity through timeless and universal behaviors associated with excellence in leadership. That's made me both more purposeful and more effective.

Early in my leadership journey, Marlene Timberlake D’Adamo and Jim Dunigan both were mentors in the sense that they took a chance on me. They gave me a lot of responsibility before maybe I was ready for it, and they showed me what it meant to believe in someone and enlarge them – encourage someone to grow or be bigger.

Throughout my career, Jocko Willink and Leif Babin have mentored me through their leadership events, Jocko’s podcast, and their books. Their concept of extreme ownership, that it’s all on you but it’s not about you, has fundamentally shaped my leadership philosophy.

If you were 18 again and choosing a different career, what would you do?

I would want to work with a close-knit team chasing excellence together to create something meaningful for others. A chef and their team at a Michelin-starred restaurant is a good example, the type of place where people celebrate special moments. They're all in it together as they create peak experiences for guests with very high expectations. There's a strong sense of pride in each other and the standards they hold themselves to. The combination of team orientation, excellence, and positive impact on others would be essential.

As we look forward to 2026, big prediction, what do you think is going to happen this year?

No prediction for the 2026 financial markets: I’ve learned I don’t have a crystal ball.

For me, I want to focus on relationships in the industry. Sometimes, you get busy, and relationships can drift. My goal is to maintain and deepen relationships I have with some great people in the industry.

What’s your one favorite speaker since you started attending events?

To go with the Michelin-starred restaurant theme: Will Guidara who wrote “Unreasonable Hospitality,” because he’s a great storyteller of leadership lessons, and it’s incredible how he was able to transform the dining experience. Three things I remember from his talk that I still think about:

  • When you give people responsibility, they become more responsible.
  • Hire those who are curious about what they don’t know and generous with what they do know.
  • Run toward what you want, not away from what you don’t.

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