Nov 6, 2025
In this episode of the Investors First Podcast, we sit down with
Perth Tolle, founder of the Freedom 100 Emerging Markets Index
(FRDM), now over $1.6B in assets. We explore her vision for how
personal and economic freedom can shape global investment outcomes.
Perth shares her journey from growing up in Beijing to moving to
the U.S. at age nine, her early career as a Fidelity advisor, and
how those experiences ultimately inspired her differentiated
approach to emerging-markets investing.
We discuss how she constructs and maintains the FRDM Index, the
impact of excluding authoritarian regimes like China and Russia,
the wide dispersion across EM index methodologies, and why her
strategy has delivered top-tier long-term performance. Perth also
walks us through fee decisions, her unique “team of one” operating
model, her chance encounter with Rob Arnott and his future support
of the Freedom 100 EM ETF, and what it’s like partnering with Alpha
Architect. This conversation offers a fresh perspective for
advisors and investors seeking a freedom-focused approach to global
markets.
Today's hosts are Steve Curley,
CFA (Co-Managing Principal, 55 North Private Wealth)
& co-host Chris
Cannon (CIO/Principal, FirsTrust)
Please enjoy the episode. You can follow us on Twitter & LinkedIn or
at investorsfirstpodcast.com
More info at:
https://freedometfs.com