025 Investing successfully for the long-term, with Professor Elroy Dimson

Financial Planning

Apr 30

I was delighted to meet Professor Dimson at the Science of Retirement Conference earlier this year as I have had his book ‘The Triumph of the Optimists’ on bookshelf for many years.

Elroy Dimson is Emeritus Professor of Finance at the London Business School. His research focuses on investing for the long term, and he has become well known for their studies of the investment performance since 1900 of financial assets in 23 countries.

Professor Dimson discussed the dilemma for impending and current retirees. Your ideal retirement plan will see you spending your last penny in your last day on this planet. As we don’t know how long we’ll live, we need to plan to leave a bequest.

There may be undesired and unforeseen expenses. Sticking your money in the bank will mean you’ll have lower purchasing

power when you spend the money than when you saved it. So, you need to find a better return on your money.

Professor Elroy discusses which type of investments you could consider and why. Overall, Professor Dimson believes it’s best to create and stick to a long-term plan.

Professor Dimson chairs the Centre for Endowment Asset Management at Cambridge Judge Business School, and is Emeritus Professor of Finance at London Business School.

His research focuses on investing for the long term, and he and his co-authors have become well known for their studies of the investment performance since 1900 of financial assets in 23 countries and real assets such as wine, stamps, art and other collectibles.