Leon Zeng, PhD, CFA, CAIA, is Senior Director of Investment Decision Analytics at Morningstar. Within the Research and Investment Division, he leads a global quantitative team dedicated to improving investment return forecasts and asset allocation performance across both public and private markets. Beyond quantitative modeling, Dr. Zeng spearheads Morningstar’s behavioral consulting initiatives, leveraging applied behavioral science to enhance the firm’s marketing and client engagement effectiveness.
Prior to his current role, Leon served as Senior Principal of Behavioral Insights at Discover Financial Services, where he led the Behavioral Insights team to drive client acquisition and portfolio engagement through the application of consumer psychology.
Leon holds a Bachelor of Engineering from Tsinghua University, specializing in quantitative optimization, and both a Master’s and PhD from Purdue University, focusing on Behavioral Finance and Management Science. He has also completed Executive Education programs at Harvard and Yale. Leon has published 21 academic papers and co-authored a chapter in the APA Handbook of Consumer Psychology (2022). Outside of his professional pursuits, Leon enjoys playing the piano, traveling, and volunteering for CFA Boston and a local Bernese Mountain Dog club.