COURSE NUMBER: MBA237.1

COURSE TITLE: Hedge Funds

UNITS OF CREDIT: 2.0

INSTRUCTOR: Sam Olesky

E-MAIL ADDRESS: olesky@haas.berkeley.edu

CLASS WEB PAGE: http://bspace.berkeley.edu

MEETING DAY(S)/TIME: Tuesdays 4:00 – 6:00 PM

PREREQUISITE(S): MBA 203

CLASS FORMAT: Lectures, discussion, cases, and outside speakers.

REQUIRED READINGS: articles from financial and industry publications

BASIS FOR FINAL GRADE: Class participation 40%, project 30%, and final paper 30%.

ABSTRACT OF COURSE'S CONTENT AND OBJECTIVES: The course will comprehensively study the hedge fund industry. We will learn several hedge fund strategies and talk with managers of a range of hedge funds. Investing in hedge funds and performance evaluation will also be covered. We will hear from a fund of hedge funds manager and an institutional, hedge fund investment consultant. We will also have presentations from hedge fund specialized legal, accounting/audit, and brokerage firms.

This course should benefit students interested in working in a hedge fund or a capacity that supports hedge funds – prime brokers, marketers, consultants, attorneys, or accountants. Students that are pursuing a career in investing for pensions, endowments, investment advisors, or family offices should find this course valuable. The course will be advantageous to students interested in creative and sophisticated investment and trading across a wide variety of asset types. The course should be entertaining to students that would like to know the reality about this modern and influential aspect of global finance.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH:

Sam Olesky is the Managing Member of Olesky Capital Management, LLC an independent investment advisory firm that conducts principal investing and trading, manages a hedge fund, and separately managed accounts for trusts, partnerships, individuals, endowments, and foundations. Prior to founding the Olesky Capital in 1998, Mr. Olesky was employed with TD Waterhouse, Inc. where he was First Vice President over a large group of areas, including Client Services, Electronic Brokerage, Banking Services, Corporate Actions, Retirement Plans and Regulatory Response and Quality Assurance. Mr. Olesky joined TD Waterhouse in 1989.