The Climb to Investment Excellence: A Practitioner's Guide to Building Exceptional Portfolios and Teams - Hardcover

by Ana Marshall (Author)

A go-to resource for institutional investors and asset allocators seeking practical advice from a proven leader in the field

InThe Climb to Investment Excellence: A Practitioner's Guide to Building Exceptional Portfolios and Teams, celebrated institutional investor and asset allocator Ana Marshall draws on her 36 years' experience in finance and investment to deliver a comprehensive and practical blueprint for a resilient and high-performing institutional portfolio, as well as a reliable roadmap for the management of its stakeholders.

You'll discover ready-to-deploy strategies and advice that's informed by evidence and tried and tested in the real world, helping you to build and manage your team, construct a portfolio, set your goals, select the right managers, and more.

You'll also find:

• Explorations of three themes that consistently define the careers of successful investors and asset allocators: strategy and planning, trust, and risk management
• The critical factors every investor and allocator should consider before making any sort of impactful decision
• Examinations of the importance of resilience in the face of bad fortune or mistakes

A can't-miss resource for institutional investors and asset allocators, The Climb to Investment Excellence will also benefit board members tasked with overseeing their organizations' investment objectives and performance in a volatile and ever-changing market.

(There is no workbook that goes alongside this book.)

Front Jacket

Providing a guide to adapting the endowment model by taking into account the particular needs and objectives of an organization, The Climb to Investment Excellence: A Practitioner's Guide to Building Exceptional Portfolios and Teams, is a one-stop, authoritative roadmap destined to become a classic in the field of institutional investing. It's a perfect guide for investors at every stage of their career, as well as a resource for fiduciaries overseeing large pools of capital.

You'll explore the importance of ensuring your team is aligned with your goals, that they possess the tools they need to get the job done, and the capabilities they'll need to succeed. Along the way, you'll also examine hands-on strategies and tips you can use to make sure your investment colleagues and your organization meet these criteria, from advice on selecting the right managers to navigating past common obstacles encountered by institutional investors and asset allocators.

Ana Marshall identifies critical attributes that define the careers of extraordinarily successful investors and allocators, including planning and strategy, risk management, and the cultivation of organization-wide trust. She provides helpful lists of issues that every investor should consider and discuss before making decisions.

Finally, she emphasizes the importance of resilience in the face of changing market conditions and unanticipated events, as well as how to develop the adaptivity displayed by so many accomplished investors.

In The Climb to Investment Excellence, distinguished asset allocator and investor Ana Marshall delivers a thorough and insightful practitioner's guide to constructing a resilient and profitable institutional portfolio and managing its stakeholders. The book is an essential guide to asset allocation for early-career investors and experienced institutional asset allocators seeking on-the-ground advice and best practices.

Back Jacket

Praise for The Climb to Investment Excellence

"In The Climb to Investment Excellence, Ana Marshall provides a comprehensive behind-the-scenes look at modern day endowment management. She offers a unique perspective derived from decades of investment experience combined with the judgment that comes from a skilled practitioner and introspective and wise leader. This is a must-read for every financial market participant."
--Seth A. Klarman, CEO and Portfolio Manager, The Baupost Group

"Ana Marshall is one of the world's leading CIO's. She deeply understands that successful investing is both an art and a science that requires excellence in both intellect and intuition. In this book she expertly passes on the wisdom gained during an exemplary career as the CIO of the Hewlett Foundation."
--Sir Christopher Hohn, CEO and Founder, TCI

"Ana Marshall has written a thought-provoking handbook for investment managers. Required reading for all CIOs."
--Paul Singer, Founder and Co-CEO, Elliott Management

"This book provides a well-constructed recipe for managing large sums of capital, from setting a cohesive strategy, to implementing a well-defined investment program, managing risk, and motivating teams to endure market downturns and excel over the long term."
--Doug Leone, Sequoia Capital

"Investing is all about spending quality time with quality people, and Ana Marshall personifies this principle. Any fiduciary would benefit from the experience and wisdom Ana shares in her book."
--Lei Zhang, Founder and CEO, Hillhouse Capital

"A clear and practical roadmap for the next generation of fiduciaries and investors."
--Marc Andreessen, Co-Founder and General Partner, Andreessen Horowitz

Author Biography

ANA MARSHALL is Chief Investment Officer for the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. She manages a $13 billion investment portfolio and has over 36 years of experience as an institutional investor and allocator. Ana co-teaches a course on asset allocation and portfolio management at Stanford Graduate School of Business. She is a frequent speaker at Milken Institute, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and serves on several nonprofit boards.