Exploring the Best Business Schools for Asset Owner Executives
Posted on 03/13/2015
The full out ranking will be released in concert with the April issue of the Sovereign Wealth Quarterly.
I often speak to young finance graduates about how to succeed in a career in investment management and what career options are available. This got my wheels turning – how have these captains and chiefs of pension funds and sovereign wealth funds reached their positions? Personality, ambition, drive, integrity, yes, these traits are essential. But what about education? It seems, in most cases, a minted degree from a prestigious educational institutional like Harvard or Oxford, is all but a necessary prerequisite for a successful career in investment management. These types of institutions tend to open the doors for coveted internships and first jobs. These first jobs, in turn, pave the way for more responsibility and advance the careers of young professionals.
I, however, unlike many of my peers in this industry, did not attend a fancy Ivy League school. Instead I matriculated into Sacramento State University – at the time dubbed a commuter school. However, this commuter school is a funnel to the largest pension fund in the United States – CalPERS. Upon graduating, the investment job options in Sacramento were fund accounting at Investors Bank & Trust (now State Street), Franklin Templeton, CalPERS, or CalSTRS. I ended up taking a CA state employee exam, was ranked and landed a job at CalPERS. This gave me a taste to the complex world of institutional investors.
Best Business Schools – Public Institutional Investors
Over the past three months, SWFI’s research team has compiled, analyzed and assembled a ranking of the top business schools for asset owner executives. In this April issue, we will explore the rankings and see which universities will groom the next leaders in the world of sovereign wealth fund and pension investment executives, which universities will make the ranking and which will own the #1 spot?
The Importance of Membership
Lastly, I would like to highlight our growing SWFI membership program which is attracting organizations that conduct business with the largest asset owners on the planet. This program has been designed to foster greater collaboration, access to information and networking among participants in the world of public institutional investors. Many of our members have enjoyed great success sharing thought leadership at our events and on our website. If your organization wants to get involved, please feel free to reach out to us.
We would be happy to welcome more peers to enter into a dialogue with this large and influential market segment.
The views in this article are expressed by Michael Maduell.
Michael Maduell is President of the SWFI.
www.swfinstitute.org