This course takes a look at institutional investing from the asset owner or limited partner's perspective (sovereign wealth funds, endowments, pension funds, life insurance companies, etc.) The course is co-taught by Ana Marshall, the CIO of the Hewlett Foundation, and Hanno Lustig, who was on the Allocation Advisory Board of the NBIM. We cover the tools of modern asset allocation and manager selection with a special focus on the challenges posed by alternative asset classes (hedge funds and private equity). To provide additional context, Ana Marshall will lecture on best practices in asset allocation and manager selection. Scott Gladstone, the developer of the Aladdin asset management tool at Blackrock, will introduce the class to this new tool. Students enrolled in the course will get access to Aladdin. The course material is founded on insights from modern finance and the economics of delegated asset management, complemented by industry perspectives. The target audience for this course includes all students who are interested in careers or already have careers in asset management. The course objective is to help you develop an understanding of the main challenges in the asset allocation and manager selection process, and hand you the tools to navigate these challenges.
3 units · GSB Letter Graded
This course takes a look at institutional investing from the asset owner or limited partner's perspective (sovereign wealth funds, endowments, pension funds, life insurance companies, etc.) The course is co-taught by Ana Marshall, the CIO of the Hewlett Foundation, and Hanno Lustig, who was on the Allocation Advisory Board of the NBIM. We cover the tools of modern asset allocation and manager selection with a special focus on the challenges posed by alternative asset classes (hedge funds and private equity). To provide additional context, Ana Marshall will lecture on best practices in asset allocation and manager selection. Scott Gladstone, the developer of the Aladdin asset management tool at Blackrock, will introduce the class to this new tool. Students enrolled in the course will get access to Aladdin. The course material is founded on insights from modern finance and the economics of delegated asset management, complemented by industry perspectives. The target audience for this course includes all students who are interested in careers or already have careers in asset management. The course objective is to help you develop an understanding of the main challenges in the asset allocation and manager selection process, and hand you the tools to navigate these challenges.
Offered in Autumn 2025 at Stanford University.