With economic growth slowing in developed markets, innovation is increasingly seen as the key to prosperity. Yet the market leaders of today are rarely the source of radical innovation in their sectors: it is entrepreneurs who devise the disruptive technologies of the future which fundamentally change ways of doing business. That is why many governments seek to promote entrepreneurship through [...]

As recently as the 1990s, the world of commodity trading was little known and attracted relatively small amounts of investment. Today, investors are pouring into commodities, diversifying their portfolios in search of higher yields and a hedge against inflation as countries struggle to return to growth after the financial crisis. Meanwhile, commodity trading houses have [...]

Managing performance successfully over the long term—in business and in wealth management—requires many different skills. That is why in so many walks of life, boards are created to bring together the range of talents needed to achieve optimal performance. This issue of Pictet Report looks at the role of boards and how they can contribute [...]

As the pace of change in the global economy continues to accelerate, new solutions to some of the world’s most intractable problems are emerging. One important trend is the evolution of philanthropy, which used to largely take the form of passive donations to charities and foundations. Today, a new generation of entrepreneurs in both the [...]

It has never been easier to become an entrepreneur, and young people today are in many ways ideally qualified to start and run businesses. Yet the retirement of the baby-boomer generation is raising troubling questions for many established owner-managed companies and older family businesses. They are finding that the next generation often remains to be [...]

This issue of the Pictet Report is based on our conference on Alternatives held in Zurich in late September. As in 2009 and 2010 we have brought together some of the leading experts and practitioners from the hedge fund and private equity industries. Their two days of debate took place against a backdrop of unprecedented [...]

This Pictet Report, based on our conference in The Hague, concentrates on investment opportunities in a post-crisis world. The sub-prime crisis blew up in mid-2008, but it was only when it exploded that—rather like nuclear power— some investors discovered exactly what they had bought. When Greece ran into trouble in February 2010, we no longer [...]

The events of the last few years have provided a salutary reminder of the importance of performance in business and investment. As the global economy recovers from the financial crisis, it is clear that short-term performance in both fields is no longer enough. The challenge is to create sustainable performance in a world where the [...]

It is a great pleasure to introduce this fifth Pictet Report, which draws on our second Alternatives conference held in Zurich in mid-September 2010. Now, as in 2009, we brought together a wide range of experts–both asset managers and investors–for two days of lively discussions and debate which are summarised in the following pages. The [...]

This report is about entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship. This unique group of business leaders employs millions of people and generates a substantial proportion of the world’s wealth. Entrepreneurs create successful companies that continue to grow and get passed down through the generations, often then becoming family-owned businesses. While having distinct advantages over public corporations, they are [...]