From the Inside Flap
The world of modern finance presents a landscape of significant uncertainty, but also of rapid innovation and opportunity. Once-comfortable financial business face increased competition and lower profit margins. Time-tested investment and business strategies are being threatened by disruptive technologies and globalization. "Once-in-a-lifetime" financial crises seem to be occurring with an alarming regularity. More than ever before, success rests on the ability to make sense of the profound changes, link up seemingly unrelated phenomena, and understand the global forces at play. In "Financial Darwinism," author Leo Tilman analyzes the tectonic financial shift that has taken place over the past quarter century and then comprehensively explores the challenges facing financial institutions--as well as the entire universe of their potential responses.
"Financial Darwinism" explores why and how financial firms must continuously evolve amidst genuine complexity and uncertainty in order to survive and remain competitive. It analyzes the strategic, investment, regulatory, and public policy implications of a "future that has already happened" and identifies actionable ways of putting new ideas into practice in risk-focused manner.
This book starts by introducing Dynamic Finance--and evolutionary thesis about the origins, the drivers, and the implications of the ongoing financial revolution. After examining how financial institutions used to create economic value in the past, Tilman offers a concise new risk-based approach to thinking about economic performance. He then develops a practical decision-making framework he calls Financial Darwinism that is designed to help financial institutions navigate the dynamic new world. "Financial Darwinism"--a blend of business strategy, corporate finance, investment analysis, and risk management--gives financial executives and investors a menu of broad choices on how to create economic value. In the process, a new kind of strategic vision, the breadth of global perspective, and command of advanced financial tools are shown to be essential ingredients of success.
This book is about change, and change is always difficult, indeed wrenching--institutions must be redesigned, outdated paradigms discarded, and corporate cultures redefined. However, the alternative--the Darwinian failure to evolve--is far more painful, particularly when capital markets, clients, and competitors beat you to the punch and make difficult choices "for" you. "Financial Darwinism" is an invaluable road map to the new financial order and an essential guide to adapting and succeeding in it.
For more information, visit www.FinancialDarwinism.com
Leo M. Tilman (NY, NY) has been named Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum for his professional accomplishments, commitment to society and potential to contribute to shaping the world. As the Chief Institutional Strategist and Senior Managing Director at a leading investment firm, Tilman is known for providing institutional clients with advice and solutions regarding strategic decision making, corporate finance, investment strategy, product design, asset/liability management, and risk management. Tilman is also a lecturer in the financial engineering program on foundations of finance at Columbia University. He is co-author of Risk Management and editor of Asset/Liability Management of Financial Institutions, as well as contributing editor of The Journal of Risk Finance. He makes regular TV appearances and is often quoted in the financial media such as The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Forbes, Bloomberg, and Barron's among others. He earned his B.A. and M.A. degrees from Columbia University.
