Program Overview

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Strategic Wealth Manager Program

The Strategic Wealth Manager Program is designed to equip participants with the tools and frameworks to understand their clients' investment needs and develop value propositions customized to their risk profiles and investment goals.

Overview

In today's global financial landscape, the role of wealth management and investment professionals has expanded beyond portfolio diversification and asset management. Clients now need their advisors to have a strategic mindset and a deep understanding of all financial instruments to navigate and thrive in volatile challenges, such as overwhelming financial data, fintech disruption, and global banking.

The program enables participants to deepen their understanding of global financial markets, core areas of wealth management, diverse asset classes, and investment strategies. With key learnings from the program and access to renowned Columbia Business School faculty and a global network of peers, participants will be able to better leverage the markets to effectively deliver on client needs, better evaluate their risk profiles, and help them meet their investment goals.

Impact

The Strategic Wealth Manager Program will enable participants to:

• Deepen their understanding of capital markets, asset classes, pitfalls of leverage and shorting, and financial and economic databases
• Examine stock return predictability and analyze the correlation between bonds and stocks
• Combine their understanding of risk and return measurement in useful heuristics for portfolio formation
• Identify and apply a variety of methods to successfully develop their business and maintain client retention
• Develop a comprehensive capstone project that unifies and illustrates their knowledge of the program curriculum

Highlights

• Flexible learning journey: Balance learning with a busy work schedule by dedicating just three to five hours each week toward program sessions and learning activities.
• Global peer group: Interact with high-achieving peer executives from around the globe and build a network of leaders.
• Weekly live sessions: Experience live online sessions with the program leader as well as periodic guest lectures from faculty and industry leaders.
• Capstone project: Work on a capstone project to refine skills by applying program learnings to a challenge and drive immediate on-the-job impact in the organization.
• World-renowned faculty: Learn from preeminent Columbia Business School faculty who are recognized leaders in their fields, thought leaders, and industry practitioners to gain in-depth insights.
• Success coach: Craft the learning journey in line with career goals with a success coach assigned to the cohort.
• CIBE holder benefits: Upon completion of the program, participants will receive a certificate of participation from Columbia Business School Executive Education, which awards nine credits towards the Certificate in Business Excellence and grants select alumni and tuition benefits.

Program Structure

The Strategic Wealth Manager Program features three core modules:

• Investment Strategies
• Asset Allocation and Portfolio Management
• Trusted Client Advisory

Investment Strategies

As a wealth management advisor, clients will bank on the ability to understand and help achieve their investment needs. The modules in this section will take participants through various financial instruments and how they can be used to attain the client's investment goals.

• Introduction to Markets, Shorting, and Leverage
• Major Asset Classes and Historical Performance
• Measuring and Evaluating Investment Risk
• Fixed Income: Bonds and the Yield Curve
• Fixed Income 2: The Federal Reserve (Fed) and the Yield Curve
• Fixed Income 3: Interest Rate and Credit Risk
• Stock Valuation
• Interpreting Stock Valuations
• Market Risk Premium
• Stock Return Patterns – Part 1
• Stock Return Patterns – Part 2

Asset Allocation and Portfolio Management

Building unique and profitable portfolios requires an in-depth knowledge of the market. In this section, participants will learn how to examine and critique existing finance theories, assess risk, and consider various options to develop highly effective strategies that perform well in a volatile market.

• Market Efficiency and Behavioral Finance
• Portfolio Considerations
• Practical Portfolio Construction
• Options and Derivative Securities
• Alternative Asset Classes – Beyond Stocks and Bond

Trusted Client Advisory

Learn how to build trust and foster lasting relationships with clients based on excellent portfolio performance.

• Consultative Selling
• Converging Selling Model

Participant Profile

The Strategic Wealth Manager Program is designed for investment advisory professionals seeking career advancement as well as for consultants looking to advance their knowledge and expertise in wealth management. It is ideal for retail banking professionals seeking to build skills in wealth management and high-net-worth client advisory. It is also relevant for individuals interested in improving their own portfolio performance and better managing their wealth.

Participants should have:

• Fluency in written and spoken English
• International exposure (preferred)

Faculty

• Harry Mamaysky: Professor of Professional Practice in the Faculty of Business, Faculty Director, Program for Financial Studies
• Eric Baron: Adjunct Professor of Business

Certificate

Upon completion of this program, participants will earn credits towards a Certificate with select alumni and tuition benefits.