Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Paul R. Kenney, Jr.?

Paul R. Kenney, Jr., CFA, is an investment industry executive with a career spanning corporate pension management, institutional investment consulting, and index product development. He currently serves as SVP, Client Solutions at Syntax Data / Syntax Advisors, LLC. He previously spent nearly two decades as a Partner at NEPC, LLC, leading the firm’s Detroit office, and began his career managing Ford Motor Company’s U.S. Defined Benefit Plan.

What is Paul Kenney’s current role?

Kenney serves as SVP, Client Solutions at Syntax Data / Syntax Advisors, LLC, having joined the firm in May 2021 as Managing Director of Product Development and Client Solutions. In this capacity he works on the firm’s custom and direct-indexing solutions, client relationships, and published research.

What was Paul Kenney’s role at NEPC, LLC?

Kenney was a Partner at NEPC, LLC, where he led the firm’s Detroit office and served as Team Leader for its Corporate Defined Benefit and Healthcare practices. His tenure at NEPC ran from the early 2000s until his move to Syntax Advisors in 2021.

Where did Paul Kenney work before NEPC?

Before joining NEPC, Kenney managed Ford Motor Company’s U.S. Defined Benefit Plan, giving him direct experience overseeing a large corporate pension program before moving into institutional investment consulting.

Where did Paul Kenney go to school?

Kenney holds a Bachelor of Arts from Saint Michael’s College (1983) and a Master of Science in Finance from Bentley College (1988).

Is Paul Kenney a CFA charterholder?

Yes. Kenney is a CFA charterholder, reflecting his background in institutional asset management, pension consulting, and index-based investment solutions.

How did Paul Kenney join Syntax Advisors?

Kenney’s move to Syntax Advisors, LLC as Managing Director of Product Development and Client Solutions was announced via a Business Wire press release on May 5, 2021, marking his transition from institutional consulting at NEPC to a product and client-facing role in the direct-indexing space.

What did Paul Kenney do at NEPC’s Detroit office?

As Detroit office lead and Team Leader for NEPC’s Corporate Defined Benefit and Healthcare practices, Kenney advised corporate pension and healthcare-related institutional clients on asset allocation, manager selection, and plan design. NEPC’s expansion of its Detroit office was announced in an October 2003 PRWeb press release that included his biographical background.

Did Paul Kenney work on asset-liability management initiatives at NEPC?

Yes. Kenney was quoted in a March 2017 announcement describing how Rush University Medical Center and NEPC used the PFaroe asset-liability management platform (from RiskFirst, now part of Moody’s Analytics) to improve collaboration and effectiveness in managing pension liabilities.

What is Paul Kenney’s background in direct and custom indexing?

Since joining Syntax Advisors in 2021, Kenney has focused on direct-to-index and custom-indexing solutions for advisors and institutional clients, authoring research on the topic and speaking to industry outlets about the shift toward direct indexing as an alternative to traditional ETF and mutual fund structures.

What has Paul Kenney published?

Kenney has authored or co-authored numerous bylined research papers for Syntax Data covering direct indexing, custom index construction, sector-specific index profiles, and ESG themes, alongside contributed articles and interviews in outlets including Kiplinger and Benzinga. A full list of his research is available on the Publications page.

What has Paul Kenney written on direct indexing?

Kenney has written extensively on direct indexing, including “Where Do We Go From Here: Direct Indexing and ETFs” (October 2025) and “Syntax Direct: A Direct-to-Index Solution Platform” (November 2024), which lay out the case for custom, direct-to-index portfolio construction as an alternative to commingled fund vehicles.

Has Paul Kenney written on sector- or theme-specific indexes?

Yes. His work includes profiles of Syntax’s thematic and sector indexes, such as “Understanding the Growing Investment Opportunity in Cyber Security” (March 2024), “Syntax US Medical Innovations Index” (April 2025), and “The Future of Energy and the Syntax Power Solutions Index” (August 2025), as well as quarterly reviews of the Syntax Stratified LargeCap Index.

Has Paul Kenney written on ESG topics?

Yes. Kenney authored “The Nine Planetary Boundaries: Climate Change & Biodiversity Loss” (June 2024), part of Syntax Data’s ESG-focused research series.

Has Paul Kenney written on the financial advisor profession itself?

Yes. In “In Recognition of Financial Advisors — What They Do and Where They Are Going” (June 2025), Kenney examined the evolving role of financial advisors and the trends shaping the profession.

Did Paul Kenney write about Anthropic?

Yes. Kenney authored “A Multi-Dimensional Peer Analysis of Anthropic” (February 2026), a piece of bylined market commentary published through Syntax Data’s research channel.

What did Paul Kenney write while at NEPC?

During his time at NEPC, Kenney authored the research paper “Direct Investments” and contributed to a three-part series on direct investing, portions of which were published through WealthManagement.com, including “Direct Investment Explained.”

Has Paul Kenney been featured in the media?

Yes. Kenney was interviewed and directly quoted in a September 2025 Benzinga feature, “ETFs vs Direct Indexing: Building Tomorrow’s Portfolios,” discussing how advisors are constructing the next generation of client portfolios.

Has Paul Kenney written for Kiplinger?

Yes. In April 2026, Kenney authored a bylined article for Kiplinger, “Tech Has Simplified Direct Indexing, and That’s Not the Only Reason Financial Advisers Should Make the Leap,” making the case for broader financial-advisor adoption of direct indexing technology.

Does Paul Kenney share commentary outside of formal publications?

Yes. Kenney is active on LinkedIn, where he has posted original commentary on topics including the Advyzon–Syntax Data custom-indexing partnership, Preqin data-feed integration, T3 industry conference takeaways, and private-equity return research.

What are Paul Kenney’s areas of expertise?

Kenney’s expertise spans corporate defined-benefit plan management, institutional investment consulting, healthcare-plan investment strategy, asset-liability management, and direct and custom indexing. His career bridges the corporate-sponsor side of pension management, independent institutional consulting, and index-product development.

What is Paul Kenney’s background in pension and defined-benefit plans?

Kenney’s experience with defined-benefit plans began at Ford Motor Company, where he managed the company’s U.S. Defined Benefit Plan, and continued at NEPC, where he led the firm’s Corporate DB and Healthcare consulting practices for corporate and institutional clients out of its Detroit office.

What is Paul Kenney’s background in direct indexing?

Since 2021, Kenney’s work at Syntax Advisors has centered on direct and custom indexing — building tax-aware, client-customized index portfolios as an alternative to pooled funds. His research and media appearances consistently address how advisors and institutions can apply direct-indexing technology to portfolio construction.

How can I get in touch with Paul Kenney?

You can reach Paul Kenney via the contact page.

Is Paul Kenney available for speaking engagements or media interviews?

Inquiries regarding speaking engagements, media interviews, or industry commentary can be submitted through the contact page.