The multi asset class Yale Model has long been hailed in the US as representing the very best that portfolio theory has to offer, placing Yale consistently in the top percentile for investment performance. Yet it has not been widely adopted, and outside the US remains largely unrecognised.
"Multi Asset Class Investment Strategy" shows how unthinking mistrust of so-called 'alternative' assets, and an inability validly to compare results across asset classes on any traditional risk-adjusted basis, has led to institutional investors, particularly pension funds, missing out on the out-performance which a multi asset class approach can offer.

Guy Fraser-Sampson demonstrates how the returns of different assets classes (hedge funds, private equity, property, etc) may validly be compared with those of quoted equity markets. He argues for an adoption of MAC investing (his own multi asset class investment model), and demonstrates how this can improve investment performance across a range of portfolios. He gives guidance on each asset class, including historic performance figures (many of which have not previously been publicly available). The book also offers the author's own unique approach to many issues for institutional investors, including risk, liquidity and Total Funding.

The book explains that instead of asset allocation being set in an isolated and arbitrary fashion, it is in fact the way in which specific hurdle investment returns can be targeted, and that this approach is already in use in the US (and has been for many years). It involves extended and detailed financial analysis of various asset class returns and proposes a five-asset class approach for future use.

Opening with a study of the historic asset allocation practice of UK pension funds, the book shows how the current approach has led to the present funding crisis. It goes on to compare and contrast the UK approach with that of the US and to propose a new approach to UK asset allocation: the five asset class approach ("MAC Investing").

The book reviews and analyses different asset classes based on historic returns, examines risk, and concludes with a suggestion of the five asset classes to use; Quoted equities (both Domestic and foreign), hedge funds, private equity and property. This boo