A Global Exchange

The growing interest among institutions and other fiduciaries in systematic approaches to investing is driving a global conversation about how to address complex investment challenges.

Dimensional was founded to help meet the needs of institutions. In the early 1980s, institutional investors held almost exclusively large cap stocks. Dimensional provided a solution for diversifying their portfolios by investing in small cap stocks. In the nearly 40 years since, Dimensional has expanded into a broad range of investment strategies and opened offices in major financial centers around the world.

Dimensional recently hosted a series of events in Hong Kong designed to bring together large global institutions with leading wealth management firms from across Asia. Dimensional added a symposium focused specifically on official institutions—large entities like sovereign wealth funds and central banks—to its popular Global Investment Forum.

“Official institutions are some of the world’s largest, most sophisticated asset owners and managers,” said Carlo Venes, Co-Head of Dimensional’s Global Client Group. “They demand universal solutions, a systematic approach, and exceptional client service.”

With Dimensional’s strong belief in markets, international presence, and long track record of applying rigorous academic research to live investment strategies, the firm is well positioned to foster dialogue around the world.

Symposium attendees had the opportunity to learn from two Nobel laureates in economic sciences—Robert Merton, who serves as Dimensional’s Resident Scientist, and Myron Scholes, who serves as an Independent Director of Dimensional’s US Mutual Funds. Participants also had a chance to exchange ideas with their peers at private networking events.

The daylong Global Investment Forum attracted an even broader community of investment professionals across Asia. It included presentations on the world economy, Asian equity markets, and technological innovation. Dimensional Founder and Chairman David Booth moderated a conversation with Nobel laureate Eugene Fama. And other Dimensional leaders—including Co-CEOs Dave Butler and Gerard O’Reilly—discussed Dimensional’s global outlook and approach to implementing the great ideas in finance.

Collectively, the events built on the momentum of a global gathering in Australia in April, when Sydney played host to the Dimensional Global Advisor Conference.

Venes sees a broad and growing enthusiasm among institutional investors for scientific approaches to wealth management that emphasize reliability, transparency, and scalability.

“Good ideas are universal,” Venes said. “I had the privilege of serving in institutional investment roles in Asia for more than a decade. The conversations wealth management leaders are having reflect global trends. More importantly, they reflect global opportunities for the people they serve.”

Dimensional has been working closely with institutions in Asia for more than 30 years. The firm set up full-time offices in Singapore and Tokyo in 2013 and opened its Hong Kong office in 2018. Dimensional’s Asia team includes employees originating from China, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand.