EDHEC in Asia - Exclusive interview

Mr  Ducoulombier, what is the news for Singapore in terms of executive education ?  

Well, there's three major pieces of news as far as EDHEC-Risk Institute is concerned. First, we have extended our strategic partnership with CFA Institute to offer our joint executive education seminars to Asia and will be introducing our flagship Advances in Asset Allocation seminar to Singapore on May 18-20. Second, our PhD in Finance programme will be offered also from Singapore starting February 2011. Third, we are launching an Executive MSc in Risk and Investment Management in Europe and Asia, where we once again will be delivering the programme from Singapore.

The PhD in Finance has been extremely successful, why offer it in Asia?

The programme has indeed managed to attract top students from twenty-six countries. This success is attributable to its rigorous curriculum, outstanding faculty, and unique format allowing practitioners to study towards the degree without interrupting their careers. The PhD programme has two tracks: a residential track for high-potential graduate students and young professionals who join EDHEC-Risk Institute as research assistants, and an executive track for high-level practitioners who keep their full-time jobs.

The programme's geographic expansion will allow us to better serve demand from the Asia-Pacific region, provide all candidates with more options, and strengthen the programme's global positioning. It will also mean fewer hours spent in transit for PhD in Finance candidates based in the region, who currently make up close to one-third of those on the executive track.

Will it still be one and the same programme?

Yes, this is the same programme delivered from two locations, and much will be done to maximise exchanges between all candidates. Although those joining the programme in Singapore in 2011 will be able to take all of their courses locally, they will also have the opportunity to take elective seminars in Europe. Likewise, those joining in Europe in October 2010 will have the option to attend electives offered in Singapore. Moreover, all participants will have on-demand multimedia access to all courses and presentations given in Singapore, Nice, and London.

What is the purpose of the new Executive MSc?

The recent financial market meltdown has challenged conventional wisdom and underscored the need for the investment industry to go beyond security selection and traditional portfolio management, adopt state-of-the-art techniques, and shift from promoting products to designing investor solutions.

Targeting aspiring entrants and perpetuating the industry's security selection bias, the typical master's programmes in finance and investments focus on the basics of financial markets and instruments, on financial statement analysis, and on conventional portfolio theory. As such, they cannot prepare professionals for the challenges facing the investment management industry.

Built around an innovative curriculum, delivered by expert faculty, and enjoying the support of a leader in applied financial research, the Executive MSc in Risk and Investment Management equips professionals with the conceptual and practical tools to improve the organisation of the investment process and optimise each of its steps. Spanning traditional, alternative, and structured investments, and drawing upon the latest scientific advances, the programme focuses on dynamic asset allocation and advanced risk management techniques and on the integration of investor needs and constraints in the design of novel solutions for institutional, private and retail investment management.

Driven by the evolving requirements of the industry and centred on the business relevance of financial innovation, the EDHEC-Risk Institute Executive MSc in Risk and Investment Management is the perfect choice for practitioners who wish to embrace and lead the major changes that will redefine investment management.

Mr. Martellini, why present EDHEC-Risk Institute's research in Singapore?

Spearheading the school's Research for Business' philosophy, EDHEC-Risk Institute conducts academic research on themes of particular relevance to the finance industry and highlights its applications to practitioners. Asia being home to some of the world's largest investors and a key growth region for global financial institutions, it is natural for EDHEC-Risk to present its research results there.

What is on the menu for Singapore then?

I will be presenting the Institute's research on new forms of indices and benchmarks to an audience of 100 representatives from the Asian investment industry at an event we organise at the Raffles Hotel on November 17. On November 19, I will give a three-hour seminar summarising the Institute's various contributions to optimal risk management for long-term investors. Some 150 senior officials from government funds, central banks, pension funds, investment management firms and international organisations will be present at this event the Institute jointly organised with Institutional Investor. These being our first real forays in the region, we had planned for lower numbers of attendees; that we ended-up giving the hotel a lot of work for making more space available, demonstrates the strong demand for research expertise in our fields on the part of the industry.

Besides these public events, I will also be discussing the early results of the EDHEC-Risk/Deutsche Bank research chair on Asset-Liability Management for Sovereign Wealth Funds with the asset allocation and risk management teams of major institutional investors.