An Overview of Asset Management

Asset Management Primer

This primer is created by Primerli to help professionals with no prior industry experience learn the basics of the asset management industry in under an hour.

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Learning about the asset management industry can be intimidating, especially if you do not have a finance background. It is a complicated world with lots of jargon. This primer will cover the fundamentals.

Course: 7 Chapters

Est. time: 45 mins

What's Covered In This Primer?

Introduction

Products and Services

Business Model

Customers

Ecosystem

Organization

Trends

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Chapter 1 Breakdown

Why do asset management firms exist?

Chapter 2 Breakdown

What do asset management firms sell?
What are securities and what are funds?

Chapter 3 Breakdown

How do asset management firms generate revenue?
What is the so-called "2 and 20" fee structure?

Chapter 4 Breakdown

Who are the customers of asset management firms?
Who are retail investors?
What types of institutional investors are there?

Chapter 5 Breakdown

Which other companies do asset managers interact with?
Who are capital market agents and what role do they play?
What is buy side vs sell side?

Chapter 6 Breakdown

How are asset management firms organized?

Chapter 7 Breakdown

What are the key trends shaping the asset management industry?

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Asset Management Trends

Shift from active to passive funds

The success of passive funds in recent decades, pioneered by the top 4 asset management companies, has spurred an industry wide shift toward passive investing.

Increasing fee pressure

Fees charged by asset management firms have been declining. Average expense ratio for equity mutual funds dropped from ~1% in 1990 to 0.4% in 2023.

Shift to retail investors

There has been a shift from institutional to retail investors, driven by an underlying shift in the types of assets. This results in more defined contribution and fewer defined benefits plans.

How Our Asset Management Primer Can Help

Build A Foundation

Go from newbie to knowledgeable in under an hour! Our primers break down the essentials of an entire industry - products, trends, terminology, and more - into a concise, easy-to-digest format. Gain the knowledge you need quickly, so you can hit the ground running with confidence and clarity.

Boost Your Credibility & Confidence

Stand out when it counts! Our primers are packed with industry insights, allowing you to navigate professional conversations with greater confidence and leave a lasting impression. With a solid foundation in industry knowledge, you'll feel prepared for any client conversation that comes your way.

Gain Competitive Edge

Nothing beats knowing! Our primers are concise but we never skimp on insights. Staying up-to-date on industry challenges, opportunities, and trends empowers business leaders to make informed strategic decisions and maintain a competitive edge.

Primed for Success

Trustworthy insights, sourced from subject matter experts

Organized and streamlined into digestible lessons

Presented in binge-worthy videos that learners love

Testimonials

The sessions were crisp, sharp, clear, informative and also fun to watch.

- Management Consultant

Clear and easy to understand, even for those who know nothing about finance.

- Consultant

Great content & animation. Easy to follow along and the questions required an appropriate amount of critical thinking and knowledge application.

- SaaS Sales Professional

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a primer?

Think of a primer as your quick-start guide to understanding the landscape of an industry (such as Investment Banking, Renewable Energy, Retail, etc.).

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Industry information is readily available but Googling can lead you down a rabbit hole of scattered, inconsistent and text-heavy resources - leaving a fragmented picture of the industry. And this content can miss the mark: they’re either too long and full of extraneous details, making it tough for beginners to find what they need, or too short, leaving out critical detail.

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Primerli is changing this! All our primers are presented in a concise, engaging format, covering everything you need to know in binge-worthy videos.

Who are the primers intended for?

Primers are perfect for anyone looking to understand an industry, fast. Whether you’re a consultant preparing for a case in telecom; a salesperson hoping to make headway with a big pharmaceutical customer, or a student preparing for their first job interview, primers are the prep step that enables success.

How long does it take to complete a primer?

A full primer takes less than an hour. We pack tons of insights into each primer collection of bite-sized, binge-worthy videos that you can watch anytime, anywhere. Perfect for busy schedules - because learning shouldn’t take forever.

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And for industry aficionados, our primers are split into sections so you can bypass the introductory info and stay up-to-date on trends or brush up on terminology in less than 10 minutes.

What topics does the primer cover?

Each industry primer covers the essentials: key trends, terminology, value chain, economics, and products & services. But some of our technology and functional topic primers include additional sections to make sure all the critical information is covered and each primer is comprehensive.

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