Christopher Murphy leads research at Valor Equity Partners, a role that grew out of his long history with the firm—he advised Valor through Pipal Research starting in 2005 before formally joining in 2011 and later being promoted to partner with a mandate to keep building out the research team. Trained as an economist with advanced degrees in economics and a Kellogg master's with distinction, he had already helped build Pipal Research's research infrastructure from the ground up, and Valor has described him as an important culture carrier at the firm.