Insurance & Pensions Europe (IPE) is a publication that reports on the investment activities of insurance companies and pension funds, in Europe.

In a recent report, they focused on the increasing popularity of investing in what has come to be called Real Assets.  The “real” is as opposed to Financial Assets.

Since the early 1970s, our stewards of perpetual capital have been investing almost exclusively in Wall Street, buying and selling financial assets in an effort to generate the cash flows they need to keep their pools of society’s savings full and flowing towards prosperity, in retirement, in education and in philanthropy.  They have been trying to manage a system that is purpose-built not to be managed.

It is time to consider something new. Real Estate shows us the way.  Real Assets are a stepping stone. Real Business is the end game.