Merrill Lynch/CapGemini: Wealth How the World's High-Net-Worth Grow, Sustain and Manage Their Fortunes

The rich do, on average, get richer--and do so faster than other investors--because their purchasing power and their access to the best thinking and innovative products gives them an advantage, an advantage that we hope to confer through the knowledge embodied in this book.From the Foreword, by Robert J. McCann and Bertrand LavayssièreOn Globalization:Globalization has been the transformational theme of the past six years in investing.Larry Fink, CEO BlackRockThe risk is that there will be globalization of markets without a globalization of democracy and regulations... What's the value of the Internet if you're the only one on it?Jacques Attali, President PlaNet FinanceOn Asset Allocation:Most HNWIs have become wealthy thanks to one or two success stories--not asset allocation...But once you have accumulated a certain amount of wealth you need to stop worrying about enhancing it, and start worrying about protecting it.James Rothenberg, Chairman and Principal Executive Officer, Capital Research and ManagementOn Alternative Investments:A majority of investors don't find the expected return-versus-risk ratio in the public stock and bond markets all that compelling...They see alternative investments as a way to preserve wealth through absolute returns -- which means seeking positive returns in both bull and bear markets while not being tied down to traditional performance benchmarks like the S&P 500 Index.Ralph Schlosstein, Co-founder, BlackRock.On Financial Technology:Because financial markets are entirely information-based, technology will drive the future of financial markets.Charles Simonyi, CEO Intentional Software, Former Head of Microsoft's Application Software Group, International Space TouristOn Philanthropy:As recently as thirty years ago, too many philanthropists were content to simply write a check and be done with it...[But] today's philanthropists are able to take a long-term view...they have been able to plan and act with an efficiency, agility and attention to issues of accountability that the state has either overlooked, or been unwilling or incapable of addressing.The Duke of Westminster KG OBE TD DLwww.wealththebook.com