-  High Absolute Returns is the top reason investors allocate to hedge funds, and the primary criteria in selecting a hedge fund

- The current preferred strategy among investors is equity-related strategies

- In Manager Selection processes, investors rank Firm’s Stewardship last while for a fund manager it is at the top of the list

- More weight on risk management by investors than managers

- Traditional hedge fund clients are still the major sources of capital for small/mid-size hedge funds

- Pension Funds will be the driving force behind the future growth of hedge fund industry

- Investors think “Institutionalization of hedge funds” can boost investors’ confidence in the industry

- Investors are neutral on whether a new set of government regulations will increase their likelihood of investing in hedge funds in the near future

- Lack of access to appropriate capital distribution channel, rather than lack of attractive products, is credited as the top obstacle in raising capital by hedge fund managers

- APRIL 2010 -

• Catalyst Financial Partners organizes the Altnernative Investing Forum Spring 2010 on the 19 of April at the Harvard Club NY with 129 attendees. Read reviews here.

- DECEMBER 2009 -

• Catalyst Financial Partners organizes the Cap Intro: Emerging Markets Alternative Investing on the 7th of December at the Harvard Club NY with 28 attendees. Read reviews here.

- NOVEMBER 2009 -

• Excerpt from Research Report by Dr. Erik Benrud, CFA, FRM, CAIA at Drexel University being made available to Catalyst's readers. Find it here.

Some of the main findings of his study are:
  
- There is a strong increase in the use of managed accounts.

- There are recent declines in the size of intended allocations (from $35m in 2006-2008 to $16m in 2009).

- Conditions that make investors increase allocations to distressed debt also make them increase allocations to convertible arbitrage.

- Allocations to fixed income classes are generally negatively correlated with the allocations to the four classes: long/short strategy, global macro, multi-strategy, statistical arbitrage.

- A higher Baa interest rate seems to increase the percent of investors who will add to allocations to the distressed debt and convertible arbitrage styles and reduce that percent in the case of the other styles.

Dr. Benrud has spoken at Catalyst’s investor forums in the past.

- OCTOBER 2009 -

• Newsarticle about The Asset Allocation Forum in Alternatives 2009:

The Aftershock: Where Does the Next Investment Opportunity Lie?

By Susan Weerts, SeekingAlpha, published 30th October 2009

Download here or watch link here.

• Catalyst Financial Partners organizes the Asset Allocation Forum in Alternatives 2009 on the 5th of October at the Harvard Club NY with 120 attendees. Read reviews here.

- JULY 2009 -

• Catalyst Financial Partners organizes the Investors in Alternatives Exclusive Luncheon on the 1st of July at the Harvard Club NY with 26 attendees.

- APRIL 2009 -

• Catalyst Financial Partners organizes the Alternative Investing Forum 2009 on the 20th of April at the Harvard Club NY with 124 attendees. Read reviews here.

- NOVEMBER 2008 -

• Catalyst Financial Partners organizes the Asset Allocation Forum 2008 on the 5th of November at the Harvard Club NY with 104 attendees. Read reviews here.