Investment Office

Managing the Portfolio

Brown’s investment program is implemented based on a sound, repeatable investment process, with a focus on ethical integrity.

Breadcrumb

Brown’s portfolio of investments is constructed to generate the highest risk-adjusted return over the long term under multiple economic scenarios. The portfolio is diversified geographically as well as across asset classes, including investments in stocks, bonds, private companies, real estate, and commodities.

The Investment Office hires and oversees external investment managers who manage portfolios of investments on behalf of the endowment. We select the external investment managers with whom the University will partner, with the goal of generating competitive investment returns for the endowment. We monitor the portfolio to ensure adequate liquidity for the University’s spending needs and to maintain compliance with investment policies at all times.

Ethical Integrity in Manager Selection

Our approach balances the risk-adjusted returns an investment manager is capable of generating with other critical factors. Among these considerations are the ethical integrity of the manager’s strategy and personnel, as well as Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) policies. We place a high value on considerations of ethics and sustainability when evaluating our managers.

Diversified Asset Allocation

The diversified portfolio resulting from investments across a variety of asset categories is evidenced in the chart below.

Public Equity:: Comprises all strategies focused exclusively on publicly-traded stocks, both actively-managed funds as well as index funds.

Real Assets:: Includes strategies focused on real estate as well as other tangible assets such as infrastructure, shipping or commodities.

Private Equity:: Strategies that involve the funding or purchase and subsequent management of private companies, particularly through buyouts and venture capital investments.

Absolute Return:: Describes a wide array of strategies that focus on generating positive returns regardless of the direction of the broader securities markets.