IMCM is suitable for all students interested in gaining a broad perspective on investing and the asset management business. This includes both those targeting careers in asset management and those interested in learning how to manage effectively their personal wealth, current and future. This course aims at de-mystifying the world of investing as a black box full of incomprehensive complexity. While talent has a nature component, it also has an important nurture component. Investing is within the reach of any creative, motivated, well-trained individual – every student in the school.

The course has an eminently practice-oriented focus. Its main objective is to develop a framework for investing through the evaluation of specific investment decisions and opportunities across a wide array of public and private markets. Students learn how to evaluate any investment opportunity and, just as importantly, how to enhance value and how to build a deal flow, while developing the specific analytical tools that apply in each market and type of situation.

Students get a broad understanding of capital markets, assets classes, investing styles, and instruments (equity markets, bond markets, credit markets, real estate, privates, active and index investing, value and growth investing, activism, ESG investing, tail risk hedging, futures and swaps, etc.).

Students also explore investing from the asset owner perspective, learning modern practices in portfolio construction for personal and institutional investors (family offices, endowments, pension funds, and sovereign wealth funds). They examine portfolio construction and risk management, identification of investment talent and skill, investment vehicles, and costs (types of fees, taxes, etc.).

This course makes special emphasis on being current and on hearing directly from investors. The average age of each case in this course is short and sessions on capital markets and asset classes are updated every year. Classes often feature guest speakers to help students develop an up-close perspective on the issues raised in the case discussion and enhance students’ skills in investment decision making.

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