Fundamentals of Asset Allocation - August Webinar Series

This 90 minute course provides a foundational understanding of asset allocation – the process of dividing investments among major asset classes to balance risk and return. The goal is to equip participants with a clear understanding of how to construct and manage a diversified investment portfolio. Attendees will learn why asset allocation is the cornerstone of long term and why diversification matters.

Key Learning Objectives

• Articulate why the mix of asset classes drives most of a portfolio’s long term return and risk profile
• Differentiate between asset allocation and security selection
• Identify the main asset classes (equities, fixed income, cash, alternatives) and their risk-return characteristics
• Illustrate the benefits of diversification and how it reduces portfolio volatility
• Distinguish between strategic (long-term) and tactical (short-term) allocation approaches

• Asset allocation overview
• What is it and why it matters
• The significance of the Investment Policy Statement (IPS)
• Understanding risk, return and diversification
• Differentiating between asset allocation and security selection
• The major asset classes and their roles in a portfolio
• Example of a resilient portfolio structure
• How to implement asset allocation
• Strategic (SAA) vs. tactical allocation (TAA)
• The strength and limitations of each approach
• Integrating SAA and TAA – the core/satellite approach
• Dynamic allocation – a business cycle approach

As a foundation course, this is suitable for anyone who wants to improve their knowledge of the how to build a robust investment portfolio. This course is equally suited to experienced professionals who are joining the industry from other sectors and those who are joining at the early stages of their careers.

Russell Hammerson

Russell Hammerson is an experienced banker working with structured products and exotic options over 15 years.

Russell started his career in the fixed income trading division at Chase Manhattan in 1986. After having graduated from the Chase nine-month advanced financial risk analysis programme, he was seconded to the Chase insurance banking division for a year. Taking his insurance expertise with him, he later moved to Citibank to work in the financial engineering division, structuring fixed income and equity products for institutional investors.

From Citibank, Russell moved to Bear Stearns to help set up the newly established equity derivatives group as associate director responsible for marketing and structuring of European products prior to becoming head of structured products at Commerzbank.

Before moving into the technical training arena, Russell ran the structured product group at Banque Nationale de Paris followed by Bankgesellschaft Berlin, London, in a similar role as head of engineered products and international new issues and director of the London Management Committee.

Russell has been training all areas of capital markets since 2001. At BG Consulting (now trading as ZISHI Cornerstone), he specialises in structured products, equity and credit derivatives and exotic options.

£95.00 + VAT

Pay using a credit card online, or if you wish to be invoiced please email your full details to: Training@theia.org

PLEASE NOTE: Full payment for the course must be made prior to the course commencement date.

• Any cancellation must be made in writing.
• For all cancellation received 15-30 days prior to the course start date, 50% of the course fee is still payable.
• No refund is given for a cancellation made 14 days or less prior to the commencement of a course.
• Transferring from one course to another is treated as a cancellation.
• You can substitute one delegate for another at no additional cost. In this instance, please give two business days’ notice.

OFFER: Book the following three webinars for £275.00 + VAT

• Emerging Markets Investing
• Fundamentals of Asset Allocation
• Investment Funds Overview