Josh Charlson

Josh Charlson is director of manager research for alternative strategies at Morningstar. In this role, he leads a team of three alternative investment research analysts. He is also editor of the quarterly newsletter Alternative Investments Observer. He is a member of Morningstar’s Analyst Ratings Committee for alternative strategies and the Stewardship Committee that oversees the Fund Research team’s assessment of fund companies. Prior to assuming his current role in 2014, Charlson was a strategist for the fund-of-funds research team. He oversaw Morningstar’s annual Target-Date Series Research white papers as well as its quarterly target-date series reports and ratings and covered a number of risk parity, target-date, and other fund-of-funds strategies. Charlson is frequently quoted in the The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, Investment News, and other financial publications.

Previously, Charlson served as a hedge fund analyst for Morningstar for two years and as a senior editor for Morningstar Associates for seven years, where he focused on retirement planning and advice solutions. Charlson originally joined Morningstar as a mutual fund analyst.

Charlson holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan, as well as a master’s degree and doctorate from Northwestern University. He also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation.