Alan Quasha Report

While it’s still summer, and it’s hard to think about sledding accidents, the Brain Trauma Foundation with President Alan Quasha, emphasizes the many dangers.  A new study has found that sledding accidents and injuries are more common than most people think - and these injuries can be quite severe.
As the researchers observed, “Traumatic brain injuries represented 9.2% of the the total, “which is cause for concern, given the serious nature of these injuries,” the researchers observed.”  This article sheds more light on the situation and may give parents something to think about as winter approaches.

Ruggero Magnoni was appointed non-executive director to the board of directors Compagnie Financiere Richemont SA, in June 2006.  As well, he chairs the Investment Banking for EMEA of Nomura Holdings Inc. and Nomura International plc. and a founding Investor in Sopaf SpA and Hanseatic Americas Limited.  Magnoni has done much work with Lehman Brothers, both as VC of Lehman Brothers Inc., co-head of Private Equity Europe for Lehman Brothers Merchant Banking Partners IV, L.P., Lehman Brothers Merchant Banking Partners III, L.P. As well as his business acumen, Magnoni engages in many charity works, including Fondazione Laureus Italia, Fondazione Oltre Onlus and Fondazione Dynamo.  Alan Quasha was appointed non-executive director to the board in 2000.

Recent research has shown that Chris Henry, who died during a domestic dispute in December 2009, was the first player to have died with trauma-induced brain damage while still active in the NFL.  It appears he developed “developed chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the progressive brain disease whose recent discovery in some retired N.F.L. players has raised questions of football’s long-term safety risks.” Alan Quasha is chairman of the American Brain Trauma Foundation.

In an article in Forbes.com, Alan Quasha, founder, president and CEO of Quadrant Management, shares his thoughts on the “Magic in Mistakes.” He explains how mistakes can actually help people in the business world, and why people should appreciate this chance to learn lessons.

As Alan Quasha explains,

“We first must acknowledge what should be obvious: Mistakes happen. And, in fact, contrary to popular perception, that’s a good thing. As the great UCLA baseball coach John Wooden once said, the team that makes the most mistakes wins.

Mistakes only become a problem when very smart people or institutions lack the humility to acknowledge the likelihood of mistakes; fail to adequately plan or measure downside risk; or dismiss information that challenges a decision in favor of data that reinforces initial beliefs.”

The new Senate Bill will have an impact on those involved in private funds, as well as companies such as Vanterra Capital (a global private equity firm), where Alan Quasha is a Partner.  It will have an effect on “the registration of private fund advisers and restrictions on the relationship and activities of banking organizations with private equity and hedge funds.”  As well, the Bill includes laws on “specific executive compensation and corporate governance practices at U.S. public companies generally and, accordingly, would affect a subset of the portfolio companies of private equity, venture capital and other private funds.”

When it comes to making an investment, “risk and time are the two variables” to be weighed ahead of time.  Of course, everyone will make a different decision vis-à-vis how much bonds and cash they will choose to add to their stock portfolio, but the rule is the same for everyone:  they need to “factor [in] time and risk tolerance to the amount of money [they] put into stocks.”

News at Richemont, of which Alan Quasha is director, is its “acquisition of shares in NET-A PORTER Limited.”  What this means is that the company will “hold an effective economic interest of more than 93 per cent in the issued ordinary capital of NET-A PORTER.”  This is somewhat impressive since NET-A-PORTER Limited (which owns NET-A-PORTER.COM, the “premier online luxury fashion retailer”) boasts fashion collections from more than 300 leading world designers.  Its customer service is top notch and it exports its fashions to more than 170 countries around the world.  The company’s latest milestone was its one millionth order.  As a result, the company is doing incredibly well financially, with an “unaudited turnover for the financial year which ended 31 January 2010 [being] approximately £120 million.”  This data spells great news for Alan Quasha and the staff at Richemont.

If you have a bit of extra cash lying around and you are looking to invest it wisely, you should first do your homework.  In his article entitled Sunday Morning Coffee, Roger Nusbaum (a.k.a. Random Roger as he likes to be known), provides some tips on investing in markets

Vanterra Capital, where Alan Quasha is a Partner, has two main components. They have fund investments where they focus on “best of class” lower-middle-market private equity funds. They look to invest in funds that show a specific competitive advantage over other funds.

In addition, they do direct investing where they invest directly in lower-middle-market companies. These investments include co-investments with their Fund Investments and investments that originated from the proprietary network of Vanterra and its affiliates.

Alan Quasha – who played on his university’s squash team while studying at Harvard University – would certainly be pleased at his old college’s latest sports news.  Harvard’s softball team recently played in a way that would have made Quasha – and all other Harvard sports supporters – very proud.  Harvard played against Cornell, beating the team 4-2.  It was senior Jen Francis who really pulled Harvard out to the top though, “blasting a three-run dinger to straightaway center.”  At some point in the game things weren’t looking all that rosy for the Harvard team.  But that was what made it exciting.  And when Harvard did get the edge, it made everyone on the team – as well as all the team’s supporters – smile.

Active Harvard Graduate Alan Quasha

When Alan Quasha himself studied at Harvard, he didn’t spend all his time buried in books.  Although he took his studies very seriously he also found himself on the squash and tennis teams.  To this day Quasha credits his youthful looks to his dedication to sports.  Everyone knows how important it is for the mind and body to stay in shape and Alan Quasha seems not to be an exception to this rule.