SEDA Experts has appointed David Baker as Managing Director, adding a senior equity trading specialist with more than 35 years of experience across buy-side and sell-side roles to its expert witness roster.
The appointment strengthens SEDA’s equity markets and trading expertise, as Baker brings deep experience spanning long/short equity strategies, portfolio trading, and global equity markets, alongside senior leadership roles at major financial institutions.
SEDA said Baker’s background aligns closely with the firm’s focus on providing independent, practitioner-led expertise to support complex litigation, regulatory matters, and disputes involving financial markets.
A Career Spanning Buy-Side and Sell-Side Leadership
Baker has spent more than three decades trading and managing risk across a wide range of equity strategies and market environments.
“David is a storied equities trader with a broad swathe of experience on both the buy-side and sell-side,” said Peter Selman, Managing Partner of SEDA Experts.
His career includes senior portfolio management roles at hedge funds and asset managers, as well as leadership positions at global investment banks where he oversaw large-scale trading operations and infrastructure.
SEDA said this breadth of experience positions Baker to advise on matters involving best execution, market structure, trading practices, and risk management.
Takeaway
Portfolio Management Experience at Scale
Prior to joining SEDA, Baker was a Portfolio Manager and Partner in the Asset Management division at Perella Weinberg Partners.
In that role, he managed diversified equity and event-driven portfolios across multiple investment structures, including commingled funds, UCITS vehicles, and separately managed accounts.
At peak, assets under management reached approximately $700 million.
Beyond portfolio construction and trading, Baker was actively involved in global investor marketing, performance reporting, and presentations to institutional clients.
SEDA noted that this combination of front-office trading, portfolio oversight, and investor-facing responsibilities adds practical context to Baker’s expert witness capabilities.
Takeaway
Recent Role at Weiss Multi-Strategy
Most recently, Baker served as Portfolio Manager and Partner at Weiss Multi-Strategy.
There, he managed the firm’s Diversified Equities Long/Short and Equity Event strategy, overseeing approximately $600 million in capital.
His investment approach combined fundamental analysis with macroeconomic, factor-based, technical, and sentiment-driven inputs.
According to SEDA, the strategy was built on a process refined over more than 17 years of consistent, positive, and non-correlated performance relative to benchmarks.
This experience gives Baker direct insight into portfolio construction, risk attribution, and performance evaluation — areas frequently scrutinized in investment-related litigation.
Takeaway
Senior Roles at Deutsche Bank
Earlier in his career, Baker spent more than a decade at Deutsche Bank, where he held several senior leadership roles across the firm’s equities business.
He served as a Portfolio Manager for long/short equity and event-driven strategies within Deutsche Bank’s proprietary trading platform, managing multi-billion-dollar risk allocations.
Baker also held the role of Managing Director and Global Head of Equity Trading.
In that capacity, he oversaw portfolio trading, index trading strategies, global cash trading, and the associated operations, risk management, and trading infrastructure.
SEDA said these roles provided Baker with deep familiarity with best execution standards, futures trading, block trades, customer facilitation, market manipulation issues, and liquidity risk.
Takeaway
Early Career at Morgan Stanley
Baker began his career at Morgan Stanley, where he served as Principal and Head of North America Program Trading.
In that role, he was responsible for pricing and executing large-scale North American equity program trades.
He also played an active role in the development of program trading and index arbitrage strategies during the early stages of those businesses.
SEDA noted that this early exposure to evolving market structure and trading technology adds historical perspective to Baker’s expertise.
Such experience is particularly relevant in disputes that require an understanding of how equity trading practices have evolved over time.
Takeaway
Academic and Industry Engagement
In addition to his professional trading career, Baker is an Adjunct Professor of Finance at the University of Connecticut.
He also serves on the Westchester/Connecticut Chapter Board of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, as well as on its National Advancement Committee.
Baker holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Statistics from New York University.
SEDA said his academic involvement reflects an ability to translate complex financial concepts into clear, structured analysis — an essential skill for expert testimony.
Takeaway
Strengthening SEDA’s Equity Markets Practice
SEDA Experts specializes in providing independent financial expert witness services to law firms, regulators, and financial institutions.
The firm said Baker’s appointment further strengthens its capabilities in matters involving equity trading, portfolio management, market structure, and execution practices.
With litigation and regulatory scrutiny increasingly focused on trading behavior, liquidity, and market impact, demand for experienced practitioners has grown.
SEDA said Baker’s blend of buy-side portfolio management and sell-side trading leadership positions him to address a wide range of complex disputes.
Takeaway
Industry Context
The appointment comes as equity markets continue to face heightened scrutiny around best execution, market manipulation, and trading transparency.
At the same time, the increasing complexity of trading technology and fragmented liquidity has made expert analysis more critical in legal proceedings.
Firms like SEDA are expanding their rosters to include practitioners with direct, hands-on experience navigating these dynamics at scale.
Baker’s background reflects this trend toward sourcing experts with deep operational and strategic insight rather than purely academic credentials.
Takeaway
Looking Ahead
SEDA said Baker will advise on matters involving equity trading, portfolio strategy, execution quality, and market conduct across U.S. and international markets.
As financial litigation grows more technical, the firm expects demand for senior trading experts to continue increasing.
Baker’s appointment reflects SEDA’s strategy of expanding its expert network with practitioners who have operated at the highest levels of global finance.
The firm said it will continue to add specialists across asset classes and disciplines to meet evolving client needs.
