De Lavenere Lussan, J: FT Guide to Investing in Funds

1. Introduction 2. The Manager 3. The Fund 4. The Prospectus 5. Governance 6. Service Providers 7. Front and Back Office Operations 8. Investment Process and Products 9. Risk Management 10. Compliance 11. Background Checks 12. Conclusion

Jerome de Lavenere Lussan is the founder and managing director of Laven Partners -- and investment management consultant whose specialism is operational due diligence on investment companies. Laven Partners has recently won the 'Best Regulatory Advisory Firm 2009', awarded by Hedge Fund Manager magazine. Jerome trained as a lawyer and worked at Jones Day before running a hedge fund: this has given him the detailed understanding of how an investment management business works. Jerome has taught on courses for Financial Times Knowledge and Euromoney. He also participates in in-house training for FT journalists, known as 'FT Business Masterclass'. He's frequently interviewed for market comments and recently appeared on Bloomberg TV.

This book highlights the many pitfalls that investors often overlook or do not understand when investing. This includes a range of investment vehicles ranging from offshore hedge funds through to onshore regulated vehicles. Far too often, investors place too much reliance on brand names or regulators to protect themselves or to defend an investment decision. Jerome Lussan has been able to provide thought provoking insight, especially with respect to operational investment issues. A must-have tool in your investment kit! Marc de Kloe, Senior Product Specialist, Head of Hedge Funds, ABN AMRO Private Banking This book is a timely and valuable guide for fund investors. I very much enjoyed reading it. By building on his practical experience and a range of excellent case studies Jerome Lussan successfully highlights the importance of taking a comprehensive approach to fund evaluation in order to make successful investments. Professor Robert Kosowski, Director of Risk Management Lab and Centre for Hedge Fund Research, Imperial College London With his deep knowledge of the industry and his pragmatic approach, Lussan gives not only an exhaustive overview of the organization, structure and service providers involved in investment funds but he also covers comprehensively actual developments in the industry, such as risk management or compliance and offers to the reader some insightful case studies. Accessible and understandable but at the same time thorough and critical. Paolo Vinciarelli, Head of Investment Funds, BCEE Luxembourg Investors are invariably seduced by return patterns. They might do better and follow the Bard's advice to "Let every eye negotiate for itself and trust no agent". This helpful book suggests the best ways investors might improve their eye for better managed funds and hopefully better returns. Edmund Bellord,Asset Allocation Portfolio Strategist,GMO LLC Hedge fund investing requires a blend of art and science which Lussan understands well and this