In their article, “Prioritizing an ESG Mindset as an Operating Strategy in Private Equity,” p. 57, Jacob Zodikoff and Haley Beck emphasize the importance of putting people and values first when shaping an investment and operations strategy. They opine that getting the right team aboard is the first step in the success of any business. They also emphasize the need for environmental, social and governance strategies to ensure high employee engagement and low turnover.
In my experience, working in a supportive environment is also important to the success of any company. I’m lucky to have a team of editors on Trusts & Estates who care as much as I do about things like the proper placement of a comma or the difference between “which” and “that.” When recruiting for editorial staff, I look for someone whose eyes light up when discussing the use of “AP Style.” Others may scoff, but we all take these issues very seriously, and I’m sure this communal attention to detail ultimately benefits the success of Trusts & Estates.
The other two articles in our Investments Committee Report, “Positioning Portfolios for a Rising Rate Environment,” p. 45, by Elizabeth K. Miller and Andrew N. King, and “Positioning Portfolios for the Eventual Bear Market,” p. 52, by Gregory D. Singer, represent two sides of the same coin. The former article assumes that interest rates will eventually rise and suggests a recipe for success with the help of the yield curve, while the latter considers the opposite scenario: The strong economic growth that leads to rising rates will inevitably be followed by a recession and a period of falling rates. So, your clients need to be prepared for that eventuality as well.
Finally, we’d like to congratulate our Investments Committee chair, Edward J. Finley II, on starting his own company, Arrow Wealth Advisory LLC, advising families on sustaining their wealth, values and legacy from generation to generation.