GLOBAL WEALTH MANAGEMENT

CORE SUBJECTS

Strategic Wealth Management

This module is based on a deep and broad engagement of the major concepts, tools and practices utilised in the professional advisory services regarding the investment of assets owned by high net-worth individuals. The course takes account of national, regional and international developments in financial markets to furnish the student with the appropriate knowledge base to assess the optimality of wealth opportunities as well as the inter-temporal risks associated with various financial products. In addition, the course prepares students to project the potential returns associated with alternative wealth management scenarios. To this end, students are provided with the necessary inter-disciplinary know-how and skills to utilise appropriately the theories of financial economics, econometrics and investment widely used in the industry. Included in the module is a strong grounding in financial planning methods and strategy that would allow the student to gain a through understanding of advisory requirements. Thus, the course will also provide a strong grasp of financial regulatory requirements necessary to ensure legal compliance with the appropriate authorities.

The principal objectives of the course are the following:

• Enhance the student’s modelling, management and technology-related skills and knowledge to enable best practices in the professional management of client assets
• Improve research skills to identify the most appropriate investment products and develop maximum value creation based on traditional and alternative asset packages
• Acquire sophisticated risk management perspectives that predict evolutionary trends in the global financial environment and identify opportunities as well as threats as they arise to protect client assets from value erosion and to guarantee optimal returns
• Design innovative and original wealth management models in order to offer unique services and products to customers who require highly differentiated services in the intensely competitive market place

Portfolio Management

The module provides the students with a thorough knowledge of the theories, models and practices of portfolio management. In particular the course will cover topics such as risk premium assessment and risk diversification, Markowitz portfolio selection model, capital asset pricing model, Fama-French three factor model, fixed income products, securities and derivative securities pricing. The course will operate under the principal assumption of efficient markets, although some insights from behavioural finance theories will be under review. Use of software packages such as Excel, Matlab etc. will form an integral part of the practical aspects of the module.

The principal objectives of the course are the following:

• Improve knowledge of the fundamental theories and models of portfolio selection and use this advanced knowledge base in order to create optimal portfolios
• Create asset allocation models that give the best returns to clients with various risk preferences and tolerances
• Produce numerical models to justify a particular portfolio as preferable and desirable above all alternative feasible portfolios
• Gain awareness of both fundamentals analysis and technical analysis to arrive at a full picture of portfolio performance measures