Paul Craven is world-renowned expert in Behavioral Economics. He retired from Goldman Sachs Asset Management in 2013 after six years as a managing director with the rm and latterly was head of European Institutional Business. Paul worked for four years at PIMCO Europe, where he was head of UK Business Development, and for 17 years at Schroders as a portfolio manager and later head of UK Institutional Sales. Paul is a Freeman of the City of London and is on the advisory council to the CFA in the UK. He is currently partner in a specialist coaching rm, Salomon Partners.

Masterclass overview
This masterclass is focused around Behavioral Economics, shining a light on the psychology of decision-making, both individually and as part of a group or crowd. In business broadly, it explores how choices are made and decisions reached, often subconsciously, from the highest executive boards to ordinary consumers. In the investment world it seeks to understand how markets can be distorted or made inefficient due to the influential biases of its participants. Understanding key aspects of social psychology is an important defense against what is often referred to as ‘Groupthink’.

Value and expected outcomes

  • Increase individual and collective decision-making capabilities
  • Improve processes for defining the correct decision frames, improving confidence in potential business outcomes
  • Manage and reduce common biases to boost decision-making effectiveness

What is covered?

  • A deep dive into the psychology of human decision-making, with a focus on persuasion and influence techniques
  • Why human beings have hardwired biases and often make ‘mental shortcuts’
  • What can we do about these biases? And, equally important, how can we turn them to our advantage in our business and personal lives?
  • How can individuals in a decision-making body use behavioral economics to increase self-awareness with particular self-discipline techniques – for instance checklists and the use of devil’s advocates.
  • How can teams avoid ‘Groupthink’ and improve their decision- making process?
  • Individual and group exercises to master self-awareness, communication and self-discipline techniques

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