As interest in direct investing among ultra-wealthy families continues to grow, so do the challenges. How do investors maintain the discipline and risk controls of their overall investment program while allowing for the greater flexibility needed to take advantage of the opportunities in this space - while managing the many risks specific to direct investments. In this session, we will explore different structures and approaches used by families to meet these challenges.
Investment Management
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Many family members and family offices are attracted to the idea of aligning their values with their investing. Yet many are confused or frustrated by the lack of straightforward methods and metrics to define an “impact investment,” particularly how to contrast these to more traditional investments. This session will discuss the significant evolution of analytics to determine whether investment returns on an “impact” investment are concessionary, and also new metrics to help quantify the social or environmental contribution of an investment.
A turbulent market can increase the effectiveness of harvesting tax losses – if you have an active tax-managementstrategy – and stick to it. This session will discuss the market’s uptick in volatility in Q1, why there are loss-harvesting opportunities even in bull markets, and the compounding benefits of tax alpha over time. The speaker will discuss the recent tax cuts and share his views on a tax-aware approach to investing in today’s complex markets.
Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum get headlines, but is there really any “there” there? This session will take a hype-free look at what cryptocurrencies are, how they work, and why some people are so bullish about their longtermpotential. We'll also consider the biggest risks to the cryptocurrency experiment, including regulation, fraud, market fragmentation, and market manipulation.
The Fate of the Euro
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Despite the euro's flaws in its initial design, it has become the largest international monetary union in history. Although the risk of a euro breakup exists, this does not warrant a radically new investment strategy, as concerns about the euro are likely already reflected in asset prices. Based on analysis of current developments and of previous monetary unions, the risks to the euro come from two directions.
Vanguard Advisor's Alpha
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The compensation structure for advisors is evolving from a commission- and transaction-based system to a fee-based, asset management framework that is seen as a mutually beneficial transition for clients and advisors. However, the traditional value proposition for many advisors has been primarily based on their investment acumen and their prospects for delivering better returns than those of the markets. No matter how skilled the advisor, the path to better investment results may not lie with the ability to pick investments or strategies.
North Sky Capital Impact Report 2018
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Today, investors of all sizes are utilizing their capital to do good while also doing well. A multitude of impacting investing options are available for foundations, family offices, and individual investors to align their values with their investment portfolios. Whether it is through ESG-screened ETFs and mutual funds, green bonds, PACE bonds, or private equity funds, impact investing is a win-win that can drive much needed social and environment change while also earning a good market-rate financial return.
Transactional Risk 2017: Year in Review
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Strategic investors and private equity firms around the world turned to transactional risk insurance in record numbers in 2017 to reduce deal risk in a highly competitive mergers and acquisitions (M&A) environment. In the latest Transactional Risk report, it provides details on the demand for transactional risk insurance globally. Other key findings include corporate buyers increasing their use of transactional risk insurance and a demand for both traditional and innovative transactional risk products is rising, particularly for contingent tax risk.
Emerging Markets: Down, Not Out
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After a spectacular year in 2017, emerging market equities have badly trailed their developed market counterparts in 2018. It has been a rough ride for investors who believe in the superior growth characteristics of emerging market economies, in particular Southeast Asia. But recent economic data has improved amid the downside pressures of a protracted trade war with the U.S., geopolitical unrest, and concerns about the sustainability of the China growth story.
Transactions for the purchase and sale of businesses are rarely all cash deals. No matter the transaction structure, the use of financing to consummate the purchase creates a new dimension and layers of complexity requiring additional scrutiny and analysis by a discerning seller (or its principals). When financing the purchase of your business, there are five things the deal team should consider.