Effective Asset Management

Group work and spirited class discussion are a key component of this highly-interactive course. The material is split into four modules – Quantitative Investing, Liquid Alternatives, Illiquid Alternatives, and Investment Synthesis.

Asset management plays an important role in the economy – facilitating effective saving for retirement, making financial markets more efficient, and allocating capital to firms and entrepreneurs with valuable ideas. Indeed, since London is now the world’s second largest asset management centre after the US, the success of this industry is crucial for the growth and prosperity of the UK. Here, at the world-renown London School of Economics, a senior faculty member from the Department of Finance leads a cutting-edge course designed to develop a deep understanding of best practices in asset management for those entering or progressing their careers within the field.

Programme structure

In order for an asset management firm to be successful, three things are required. First, the company must have an effective investment strategy. Second, the investment strategy must be implemented efficiently. Third, the company must successfully handle the non-investment elements of the business, such as marketing and compliance. This course covers all of these elements, exploring the perspectives of both asset managers and those individuals and institutions that provide capital to the managers.

This executive course is led by Professor Christopher Polk, former director of the LSE Financial Markets Group, a widely-published researcher, and a highly-rated educator. The material is split into four modules – Quantitative Investing, Liquid Alternatives, Illiquid Alternatives, and Investment Synthesis.

Professor Polk couples dynamic lectures teaching fundamental asset management concepts with case studies that build on these key ideas while also illustrating recent developments in global investing. Group work and spirited class discussion are a key component of this highly-interactive course.

Course outcomes

• Highlight best practices in asset management
• Identify the important objectives of effective investment policies and their efficient implementation
• Understand, critique, and refine the advanced trading strategies used by hedge funds
• Recognize and assess key strategies in private equity and venture capital
• Integrate these specific asset management skills within a broader business plan
• Interact with a leading academic in the field of asset management through carefully-selected case studies of industry-leading firms
• Discuss and debate the future of the asset management industry, identifying likely opportunities and key risks