Our team of experts

Dennis DeBusschere is the CEO and Head of Portfolio Strategy for 22V Advisory Direct. Dennis is also CEO of 22V Research and the chief market strategist. Prior to helping found 22V Research, he began his career in sales at Merrill Lynch. Dennis then went on to head Evercore ISI’s Portfolio Strategy Research and Quantitative Research teams and sit on the firm’s Investment Policy Committee. Dennis has consistently been one of the top-ranked portfolio strategists in the Institutional Investor’s annual poll. His daily market note covers major macro and micro events, analyzing their tactical/short-term impact on markets as well as their implications for longer-term market themes. Dennis graduated from University of Delaware in 1999 with a dual major in political science and economics.

Max Trunz is the President of 22V Advisory Direct. Additionally, Max is the President and Head of Sales at 22V Research. Prior to joining the firm, Max was a senior vice president at Wolfe Research where he was responsible for the curation and distribution of a research note specific to RIAs and Family Offices. Before that, he worked on Dennis DeBusschere’s Portfolio Strategy and Quantitative Research teams at Evercore ISI. Max has opened and covered clients in over 30 states and of various investment strategies. He has been in equity research for 11 years in both a research and sales capacity. Max graduated from Fairfield University and resides in Rumson, NJ with his wife Annelise and two girls (Tilly and Scarlett).

Neal Giffin is the COO for 22V Advisory Direct. Additionally, Neal is the Chief Operating Officer at 22V Research, and Chief Executive Officer of 22V Securities, LLC. Prior to joining the firm, Neal was a senior managing director in equity trading at Evercore ISI. Neal spent over 28 years at ISI, then Evercore ISI, 12 of which as head of equity trading. A 1991 graduate of Fairfield University in Connecticut, Neal served on the board of trustees of the Dolan School of Business for 10 years and is a 30-year resident of Garden City on Long Island.

Mark Whaling is the Head of 22V Advisory Direct and is focused on growing additional distribution channels for the firm. Mark joined 22V Research in January 2025 as the Head of Business Development and Strategic Growth, a complementary role to his responsibilities at 22VAD, with a focus on expanding 22V’s product offerings, distribution channels and client-facing talent. In addition to his role at 22V, Mark Whaling is the founder of Whaleshark LLC and a founding partner of WS strategic partner firms, Black Powder Partners and Black Powder Search. In all roles, he leverages his 25 years of institutional sales, finance, and management experience to drive positive outcomes for clients and partners. Prior to 22V, WS, and BPP, Mark was the Global Head of Securities at Canaccord Genuity, a position he held since April 2019. He was responsible for the oversight of all global sales, trading, research, and specialty desks. Previously, Mr. Whaling was Global Head of Sales and Trading, and from 2012 to 2015, he served as Head of Global Equity Sales and Trading. Mark joined Collins Stewart (which was acquired by Canaccord Genuity in March 2012) in 2008 as Head of US Equity Research and Sales. He was promoted to Head of Equities in September 2010. In March of 2011, he was promoted to President of Collins Stewart LLC and Head of US Securities. Before moving to Collins Stewart, Mark spent five years as a Managing Director of Institutional Equity Sales and Director of Product Development at FTN Financial. Previously, Mark was Head of Product Development at FTN Financial and a Vice President in the Institutional Sales departments of Bank of America Securities and ABN AMRO. Mr. Whaling holds a BA in history from Princeton University, where he remains deeply involved with their Football and Lacrosse Alumni organizations and helps mentor student athletes. Outside of his life in finance, Mark is active in charitable causes. He is Chairman of the Special Operators Transition Foundation, which helps special forces veterans find high quality employment. Additionally, he is on the board of the Westchester Chapter of the NFF, Golden Dozen, which provides scholarships for student athletes. He is also actively involved with Steer for Student Athletes, which helps deserving student athletes achieve their dreams of attending college.

John provides technical analysis for 22V Advisory Direct and its subscribers. John has worked on Wall Street since 1987, with his research background beginning in 1990. From 1990–1994, Mr. Roque worked at Safian Investment Research and then from 1994–1998 at Lehman Brothers, where he partnered with long-time technician Steve Shobin. He was at Arnhold & S. Bleichroeder and its incarnations from 1998–2009, followed by a short stint at WJB Capital through 2011. From 2012–2015 Mr. Roque worked on the buy side at Soros Fund Management and then from 2016–2018 at Key Square Capital Management. He returned to the sell side in April 2019 at Wolfe Research before joining 22V. John was a ranked Technical Analyst in Institutional Investor Magazine’s Research Poll from 2009–2011. He received both his BA with Honors in Economics and his MBA with Honors in Financial Statement Analysis, International Trade & Development and International Economics from Fordham University. John lives with his family in Mount Vernon, NY.

Peter is the economics expert for 22V Advisory Direct. Peter Williams is an experienced global macro analyst with a career across the public and private sectors. He spent the past two years as a Director on Evercore ISI’s global central bank strategy team, analyzing and forecasting central bank policy and macroeconomic developments across G7 economies. Prior to his time at Evercore, he spent four years at the International Monetary Fund where he focused on interest rate and inflation modeling, as well as forecasting and advising policy makers for the US and other economies. He has held other roles in the public sector, buy side, and independent research organizations. He holds an MSc in Financial Economics from the University of Oxford and a BS in Economics from the University of Tulsa.

Emily Blackstein is the Research Coordinator for 22V Advisory Direct and coordinates, edits, and packages all content and offerings for the firm. Emily is also an Associate on the Portfolio Strategy Team at 22V Research. Prior to joining the firm, she held internships at Dynamic Funds and Scotiabank. Emily was born and raised in Toronto, Canada. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce with Honors from the Smith School of Business at Queen’s University.