Tag Archives: advocacy

Impact investing conference welcomed by AAA

Alternative investment advocacy group, AAA, has announced its support for an impact investing conference coming to Hawaii later this year.

Boston, MA, January 18, 2012 – Alternative investment advocacy group, Alternative Asset Analysis (AAA), has announced its support for an impact investing conference coming to Hawaii on February 9.

The conference, focused entirely on impact investing, is to take place in Hawaii in an attempt to raise more awareness and interest in socially and environmentally responsible investing in the island nation.

Chenoa Farnsworth, a local venture capitalist, has organised the event at the Honolulu Centre, aimed firmly at philanthropists, as well as at traditional investors, entrepreneurs and those simply interested in diversifying their portfolios to include an ethical, alternative option.

Impact investing is increasingly attractive to those who may not have thought of themselves as philanthropists or even alternative investors, Anthony Johnson, AAA’s analysis partner has claimed. “Ms Farnsworth is an example of those who are seeing the light as a result of the economic crisis and the greed and ignorance that led banks down such a disastrous route,” added Johnson.

Farnsworth explained, “About a year and a half ago, I became interested in impact investments, which is looking for both financial returns and social and economic benefit.”

She added, “Hawaii has a tremendous growing climate and conditions and several crop-related companies are starting or moving here to test their crop viability. These include biofuels feedstock and petroleum-based ingredients substitutes such as algae.”

Growing sustainable crops and forests are central to AAA’s support for impact investing in developing countries, where generating foreign investment in sustainable forestry projects can help reduce deforestation while providing healthy returns. “Projects like the plantation schemes run by Greenwood Management in Brazil offer the chance of strong, reliable returns through timber price increases and natural growth, while helping to safeguard the future of the sustainable Brazilian forestry industry for generations to come,” explained Mr Johnson.

Representatives from several Hawaii-based impact investing schemes will be attending and speaking at the event.

Contact:
Anthony Johnson
Alternative Asset Analysis
71 Commercial St
Boston, MA 02109-1320
617-939-9596
info@alternativeassetanalysis.com
http://www.alternativeassetanalysis.com

AAA Reports On Growing Appetite for Wine Investment

More evidence that wine may be the new favourite among alternative investors has been unearthed, according to Alternative Asset Analysis (AAA).

Boston, MA, December 12, 2011 – More evidence that wine may be the new favourite among alternative investors has been unearthed, according to Alternative Asset Analysis (AAA).

The Alternative investment advocacy and research group claims that Investment guru Michael Spencer’s purchase of a minority stake in “the Goldman Sachs of the wine market”, the Bordeaux Index, further demonstrates the asset class’s popularity.

“The fact that many alternative asset classes have become extremely pricey in recent months has meant that the more alternative of alternative assets are now becoming a more valid option for those looking to invest,” stated AAA’s analysis partner, Anthony Johnson.

He added “Although wine is still seen as somewhat of a niche investment market, this is changing rapidly and with high profile moves like this one, involving Mr Spencer, more investors could follow this lead.”

This is not just to do with the relative affordability, however. It is arguably more to do with the fact that wine has performed very well while other more traditional assets have taken a hit. The founder of Bordeaux Index, Gary Boom, said, “If you take wine from when we started measuring in 1983 it has outperformed all the stock exchanges out there. Not by masses, but by one or two per cent a year. The only commodity that has stood up to that is gold.”

Wine investment is also an effective diversifier for investment portfolios as it is much less likely to follow the same patterns as equity markets and has a low correlation with general economic trends. One of the major drivers in the wine market at the moment is the increasing demand from China where the population’s increasingly sophisticated tastes are leading to a boom in the market for all things luxurious. Hong Kong has also seen a rise in demand, helped along by the removal of a duty that was previously charged on wine.

Mr Johnson added, “alternative investors can also look at other more alternative alternatives for lower cost options, such as forestry investment products like those offered by Greenwood Management in Brazil. This firm offers people the chance to invest in their own piece of forest from around EUR 10,000.”

Contact:
Anthony Johnson
Alternative Asset Analysis
71 Commercial St
Boston, MA 02109-1320
617-939-9596
info@alternativeassetanalysis.com
http://www.alternativeassetanalysis.com