HedgeCo News - Despite the fact that the global economy and the financial markets are still recovering from the crisis, interest in hedge funds from the cream of the crop of universities and business schools worldwide is stronger than ever.
The Alternative Investments Conference organised by the London School of Economics Private Equity Society and Financial Markets Group has attracted unprecedented interest among students and financial institutions worldwide, with over six top-level students competing for each place available.
The Conference has attracted a stellar collection of keynote speakers, such as David Rubenstein, Co-Founder and Managing Director of The Carlyle Group, James Chanos, Founder and Managing Partner of Kynikos Associates, Emmanuel Roman, Co-Chief Executive Officer of GLG Partners, Randall Dillard, Co-Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Liongate Capital Management and Sir Deryck Maughan, Global Head of Financial Services of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co.
The conference will cover a wide range of topics, including identifying value in unusual places, the crisis aftermath, going back to basics in private equity, commodities, funds of hedge funds, emerging markets, regulatory developments and the future outlook for hedge funds and private equity as well as a wide variety of hedge fund investment strategies.
As future sector employees, the most motivated students were quick to notice the turnaround in 2009 and see the long-term future of the industry. This has driven applications to attend this year’s conference up by over 50% to 2,200 applications for the 350 places available. 75 nationalities from 75 leading universities and business schools worldwide are represented this year.
“The talent pool for alternative asset recruitment at even the graduate and post-graduate level is now truly global," Randall Dillard, Co-Founder & Chief Investment Officer of Liongate Capital Management, the lead platinum conference sponsor, said.
The event is entirely self-financing, receiving no financial support from the London School of Economics or its students union. Preparation by the committee to arrange sponsorship funding starts nearly a year ahead, to meet the conference budget of approximately £100,000.
The strong draw the conference exerts is evidenced by the many delegates who are prepared to sacrifice time and money to travel from the US, Asia and even Australia, to hear what the brightest minds in the industry have to say. The fact that high-profile institutions are sponsoring the event is a bellwether of the positive trends seen in the alternative assets sector in recent months.
The four annual conferences since inception have been possible thanks to generous and loyal sponsors, with Liongate Capital Management, the London-based fund of hedge funds group, as lead sponsor since the first conference. Selection is based on academic merit and work experience, along with proven interest in the industry.
Sponsors of the conference in 2010 are Liongate Capital Management (Platinum sponsor), Silver Oven, IAM, Greenoaks Capital Management and Sankaty Advisors with support from JP Morgan.