Dubai City a Current Concern, But Not the Most Important
By Alton Cogert

Much be it from me to improve upon the exceptional, though federal government protected, coverage of the credit default originating in Dubai. Evidently rooted in a hangover from a major commercial building boom, this default does have some parallels in Western economies.

But, we must once more elevate the problem of credit default swaps and counter party risk. Worldwide, zombie financial institutions, propped up by their local governments and tending to survival instead of borrowing, are showing excellent make money from trading. Which trading is connected to the 'danger trade' - both on and off- annual report maneuvers utilizing by-products, including credit default swaps.

As in the days of Lehman and Bear Stearns, financiers do not have a good hint regarding the direct exposure in these tools (direct and indirect) at these largest of institutions. Yet, we insurance providers dutifully note every investment and credit acquired direct exposure on our yearly declarations. Well, I guess openness is just good for particular regulated institutions ...

Meanwhile, absolutely the current Dubai event might be motivating a call to your financial investment manager, or at least a glance at the most recent profile holdings. Yet, as we continue to state, the key to solid financial investment results is a strong investment procedure. And, that consists of understanding, in advance, just how your company's investment procedure is designed to deal with shocks (large and small) to economic markets.

This reality is so essential that I have actually created a publication about it, called Uncertain Times: A Chief Financial investment Officer's Trip.

In reality, several insurance firms might be focusing on the financial investment manager at the cost of the investment procedure. David Holmes' superb Property Outsourcing Exchange signed up a solid 64% rise in number of manager searches by insurance companies, this year to date versus in 2014.

Yet, to the extent these searches are substitutes of investment managers, one need to wonder. To what outcome?

Insurer rightfully provide a benchmark for the manager and the manager normally refuses to wander off much from that benchmark. (You have actually probably heard the overused, 'we attempt to hit singles, not home runs' from supervisors.) With that said approach in mind, can the manager truly include large quantities of worth? The response is an unquestionable, no.

The key to including enduring, significant worth is boosting the financial investment procedure.

Consider it in this manner. The manager resembles the mechanic that can tweak your car and keep it running well. And the financial investment process resembles the car. Yet, if you've got a VW Beetle, you actually do not have much of a chance of winning the Indy 500, do you? And, if your financial investment procedure appears to be running okay to you, possibly you are simply opting for satisfactory Beetle-like efficiency?

We can tell you tales of firms that realize this and have seen instead remarkable, documented improvements in financial investment results directly tied to renovations in their investment process.

However, the extra fascinating stories, rather honestly, are those companies that only get concerned when their manager 'under does' or they have to take care of 'problems'.

The 'risk trade', where any kind of security lugging credit or various other risk has done fairly well since March of this year, has buoyed the performance of several a financial investment manager. And, where Boards may have been really concerned about investments in Q4, 2008 and Q1, 2009, those problems have actually somewhat receded due to the 'danger trade'. Sadly, that is truly a brief sighted view.

The concern all Boards should be asking now must include, "just how will our investment process take care of the next 'shock' to the system?" And this is a little part of a larger look at the general investment process.
Exactly what should your company be focusing on now? How the (auto mechanic) manager does or how well your (vehicle) investment procedure is constructed?

As Dubai's buddies in the Middle East may state, "Satisfied Car!" For information about "Uncertain Times: A Chief Financial investment Officer's Journey", please most likely to http://bit.ly/8W2idw. Always speak to a professional prior to acting upon any type of suggestions or opinions kept in mind in this write-up.

Alton Cogert, CFA, Certified Public Accountant, CAIA, President and Chief Executive Officer, founded Strategic Asset Partnership (http://www.saai.com) in 1994 as the very first investment consulting firm that specifically offers insurance provider.

Mr. Cogert has more than twenty years of financial institution experience, with more than half of that time in senior economic management. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst, Certified Public Accountant and Chartered Altenative Investment Analyst. Mr. Cogert holds a BS from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the University of Southern California.

Always contact a professional before acting upon any type of suggestions or opinions noted in this short article.