A new ETF seeking to quantify corporate leadership quality has entered the market, as Wedbush partners with Indiggo LLC to launch the Wedbush ReturnOnLeadership U.S. Large-Cap ETF (NYSE:EXEQ).
The fund targets exposure to 50 U.S. large-cap companies that boast strong leadership execution. This identification is carried out using Indiggo's proprietary ReturnOnLeadership framework, which is a model built on more than a decade of leadership and performance data.
Turning Leadership Into an Investable Factor
According to Wedbush Funds Chief Investment Officer, Cullen Rogers, leadership has traditionally influenced investment decisions qualitatively but lacked systematic measurement.
He said the ETF is designed to transform leadership from a subjective assessment into a scalable, rules-based investment factor, emphasizing execution, alignment, and measurable outcomes in corporate strategy.
AI-Driven Leadership Metrics
The ETF tracks the Solactive Indiggo ReturnOnLeadership U.S. Large-Cap Index, which evaluates companies across four leadership dimensions:
- Connection to organizational purpose
- Strategic clarity
- Leadership alignment
- Focused execution
The methodology applies AI analytics to both structured financial data and unstructured public information to identify signals linking leadership behavior with business performance.
Expanding Thematic ETF Innovation
The launch broadens Wedbush's ETF suite and reflects a growing push toward differentiated factor strategies, particularly those blending traditional financial metrics with behavioral, governance, and AI-derived insights.
As thematic and factor investing continue to evolve, EXEQ positions leadership quality as a potential new performance driver, effectively betting that strong management execution can translate into sustained financial outperformance.
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