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Investment Strategy and Portfolio Management

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INVESTMENT STRATEGY AND PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT

Executive Summary Kaplan is a charitable fund established in 2007 to provide an investment vehicle for investors seeking to finance some educational objectives. The aim of the fund is to grow members’ contributions through investment in securities. Investors in Kaplan are yet to start making withdrawals from the fund but are due to begin in June 2012. This report looks at current issues in the investment environment in the UK, Europe, and the rest of the world which have an impact on Kaplan’s operations. It also examines strategic asset allocation and investment strategies that Kaplan should employ to achieve its goals. In addition, the report recommends areas in which the fund’s management should actively manage investments and those areas in which passive management would be the better option.

Overview of the Investment Environment In recent years, the global fund sector has continued to register robust growth in many countries with developed financial markets. Collective investment schemes are becoming the most preferred investment vehicles for investors because of their obvious advantages including diversification, professional management of investments, liquidity and investment advice for investors and superior returns (Roll, 2008). Indeed, as by the end of 2011, the global investment fund industry was worth US $11.7 trillion which translates to 17 percent of primary securities holdings around the world. However, recent events in international financial markets and the prevailing global economic conditions have made the investment environment increasingly uncertain and more difficult to predict for fund investors. Since most investors are risk averse, this situation has impacted negatively on the flow of funds to investment schemes. On the other hand, the number of fund investors liquidating their

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