David Frederick Swensen (January 26, 1954 – May 5, 2021) was an American investor and the chief investment officer at Yale University from 1985 until his death. He transformed Yale's endowment from $1 billion to over $31 billion, achieving an average annual return of 13.7% over his tenure. Swensen pioneered the "Yale Model" of institutional investing, which emphasizes diversification across...
"Invest with managers whose interests are aligned with yours. Look for significant personal investment by managers, reasonable fee structures, and transparent communication."
Invest with aligned managers who have significant personal capital at stake.
Read Full Analysis →"The principles that make you a great investor — patience, discipline, humility, and continuous learning — are the same principles that lead to a great life."
Investment principles apply to life too.
Read Full Analysis →"The best investors never stop learning. Read voraciously, study history, learn from mistakes, and stay curious about the world. Knowledge compounds like interest."
Knowledge compounds like interest for investors.
Read Full Analysis →David Swensen has 3 key principles on life wisdom. The most important one is "Alignment of Interests" — Invest with managers whose interests are aligned with yours.
David Swensen applies life wisdom through several key principles including "Alignment of Interests" and "Wisdom for Investing and Life". These principles guide practical investment decisions and have been tested across decades of market cycles.
David Swensen's approach to life wisdom is distinguished by a focus on long-term thinking and fundamental analysis. With 3 specific principles in this area, David Swensen provides a comprehensive framework that investors at any level can study and apply to improve their decision-making.
