David Swensen Interview – Reiterates Diversified Asset Allocation

Dividend Tree 28 September 2009 Commentary

Email This Post

Print This Post

Over last weekend, I came across few video clips of David Swensen over at YouTube. It appears to be an interview with some business magazine. I believe any long term investor cannot skip this writing and thoughts about asset allocation, diversification, and alternative asset class. Furthermore, how can one miss his dislike of mutual fund industry and the joker at Mad Money. Mr. Swensen calls mutual funds industry as a marketing industry. After Warren Buffett, its David Swesen whom I admire the most. Both of them have one strikingly similar advice for individual investors, and that is, invest in index funds. At the same time, the significant difference between the two is that Swensen’s thoughts appear to be more pragmatic (on relative basis) for individual investors while Buffett’s skill still continues to remain more of an art.

Below are three video clips that will time well spent listening. Few important aspects that you want to focus on are (1) distinction between liquid and ill-liquid assets; (2) his explanation of diversification and that it does not fail over a period of time; (3) his thoughts on stimulus can how its success or failure will affect inflation or deflation; and (4) diversify in assets such as TIPS and emerging markets.