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The Allocator's Edge: A modern guide to alternative investments and the future of diversification
We are entering a golden age of alternative investments.
Alternative asset classes including private equity, hedge funds, catastrophe reinsurance, real assets, non-traditional credit, alternative risk premia, digital assets, collectibles, and other novel assets are now available to investors and their advisors in a way that they never have been before.
The pursuit of diversification is not as straightforward as it once was — and the classic 60/40 portfolio may no longer be sufficient in helping investors achieve their most important financial goals. With the ever-present need for sustainable income and risk management, alternative assets are poised to play a more prominent role in investor portfolios.
Phil Huber is the Chief Investment Officer for a multi-billion dollar wealth management firm and acts as your guide on a journey through the past, present, and future of alternative investments. In this groundbreaking tour de force, he provides detailed coverage across the spectrum of alternative assets: their risk and return characteristics, methods to gain exposure, and how to fit everything into a balanced portfolio.
The three parts of The Allocator’s Edge address:
1. Why the future may present challenges for traditional portfolios; why the adoption of alternatives has remained elusive for many allocators; and why the case for alternatives is more compelling than ever thanks to financial evolution and innovation.
2. A comprehensive survey of the asset classes and strategies that comprise the vast universe of alternative investments.
3. How to build durable and resilient portfolios that harness alternative assets; and how to sharpen the client communication skills needed to establish proper expectations and make the unfamiliar familiar.
The Allocator’s Edge is written with the practitioner in mind, providing financial advisors, institutional allocators, and other professional investors the confidence and courage needed to effectively understand, implement, and translate alternatives for their clients.
Alternative investments are the allocator’s edge for the portfolios of tomorrow — and this is the essential guide for advisors and investors looking to seize the opportunity.
Alternative asset classes including private equity, hedge funds, catastrophe reinsurance, real assets, non-traditional credit, alternative risk premia, digital assets, collectibles, and other novel assets are now available to investors and their advisors in a way that they never have been before.
The pursuit of diversification is not as straightforward as it once was — and the classic 60/40 portfolio may no longer be sufficient in helping investors achieve their most important financial goals. With the ever-present need for sustainable income and risk management, alternative assets are poised to play a more prominent role in investor portfolios.
Phil Huber is the Chief Investment Officer for a multi-billion dollar wealth management firm and acts as your guide on a journey through the past, present, and future of alternative investments. In this groundbreaking tour de force, he provides detailed coverage across the spectrum of alternative assets: their risk and return characteristics, methods to gain exposure, and how to fit everything into a balanced portfolio.
The three parts of The Allocator’s Edge address:
1. Why the future may present challenges for traditional portfolios; why the adoption of alternatives has remained elusive for many allocators; and why the case for alternatives is more compelling than ever thanks to financial evolution and innovation.
2. A comprehensive survey of the asset classes and strategies that comprise the vast universe of alternative investments.
3. How to build durable and resilient portfolios that harness alternative assets; and how to sharpen the client communication skills needed to establish proper expectations and make the unfamiliar familiar.
The Allocator’s Edge is written with the practitioner in mind, providing financial advisors, institutional allocators, and other professional investors the confidence and courage needed to effectively understand, implement, and translate alternatives for their clients.
Alternative investments are the allocator’s edge for the portfolios of tomorrow — and this is the essential guide for advisors and investors looking to seize the opportunity.
324 pages, ebook
Published October 26, 2021
49 people are currently reading
319 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 18, 2022
High level overview of asset allocation for investors. Fluently written and easy to grasp, provides a clean summary of the alternative investment landscape. Would have been interesting spending more time discussing portfolio objectives and construction (liability forecasting).
February 9, 2023
Thesis: in a world with 2% bond yields and stocks at the highest valuations ever, where will you get return and income in the future? Unfortunately, this came out at the wrong time (2021). 2022 reset that thesis and the book already needs an update.
He has some new alternatives that are worth the read, but Larry Swedroe's book the good, flawed, bad and ugly about Alternatives is much better.
He has some new alternatives that are worth the read, but Larry Swedroe's book the good, flawed, bad and ugly about Alternatives is much better.
February 14, 2022
For those uninterested in business, investing, and market cycles and who use a professional to help with retirement planning - stop reading this review now and move on.
For those interested in any of these things or for those who manage their own portfolio - this book is a must read.
The book starts with a conversation/study about the death of the traditional 60/40 portfolio. Whether this in fact comes to pass, the argument is valid and the author's focus on alternatives as a result is sound. Investing has changed and is changing. More than ever as asset allocators all investors need to look at what the future holds and Huber does a great job discussing ONE segment of that future in alternatives.
This is a high level overview of alternatives, but that is the aim of the book. It is not meant to deep dive on any particular sector or class of alternatives. More importantly Huber's writing is good. Many business writers are too technical, but Huber goes technical while still keeping it easy to digest.
Highly recommended for anyone in the financial services industry or anyone who manages their own retirement portfolio.
For those interested in any of these things or for those who manage their own portfolio - this book is a must read.
The book starts with a conversation/study about the death of the traditional 60/40 portfolio. Whether this in fact comes to pass, the argument is valid and the author's focus on alternatives as a result is sound. Investing has changed and is changing. More than ever as asset allocators all investors need to look at what the future holds and Huber does a great job discussing ONE segment of that future in alternatives.
This is a high level overview of alternatives, but that is the aim of the book. It is not meant to deep dive on any particular sector or class of alternatives. More importantly Huber's writing is good. Many business writers are too technical, but Huber goes technical while still keeping it easy to digest.
Highly recommended for anyone in the financial services industry or anyone who manages their own retirement portfolio.
July 1, 2022
Methodically constructed and well presented.
Huber's book is a great introduction to alternative investments. Readers get the full breadth here and may take a deep dive into specific investments / vehicles elsewhere.
Recommended for anyone wishing to brush their basic knowledge on alternative investments.
Huber's book is a great introduction to alternative investments. Readers get the full breadth here and may take a deep dive into specific investments / vehicles elsewhere.
Recommended for anyone wishing to brush their basic knowledge on alternative investments.
September 8, 2024
If you believe that complicated methods and allocation to a large number of strategies are for you, then you may like this book. However, if you believe that simplicity can bring more efficiency and pay less for the services of intermediaries (who like to spread the complication to sell the solution), then this book is dispensable.
January 12, 2025
This was a great overview. 5 starts. Maybe could have been shorter. That said learned a lot. Gave lots to think about and actively employing some of the strategies there-in. I feel.if a book causes you to make changes in the area it covers it is 5 stars.
August 23, 2022
Very good book on alternative assets and their use in a portfolio
October 24, 2023
Very actionable! I will be using this book to help explain to clients our recommendations. Great resource!
February 15, 2024
Financial service industry book. Out of date within a year. Offered up some alternatives that may get more popular.
March 18, 2024
A well-written overview of how and why a small dose of some alternatives may make sense within a total portfolio—to enhance low or negative correlation among one’s holdings, and maybe contribute to higher expected returns.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews