Sales and investment professional Donald Sanya has worked with a variety of client types over the years across fixed income, equity, and alternative investment strategies. Donald Sanya graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Gordon College, Wenham, Massachusetts. In his current role, he spends a considerable proportion of his time on institutional sales activities on behalf of his organization.
Investment firms and major mutual funds rely on institutional sales professionals to help them grow their business across different client types. An institutional sale is often complex and depends on the client's objectives and business model. For example, a not-for-profit organization may be looking for solutions that consider climate change, health, environmental conservation, affordable housing, poverty alleviation, and food insecurity. Thus, their solutions might be investments in solar and wind energy, housing, hospitals, small businesses, and so forth.
As a result, an institutional sale requires thorough research and a proper understanding of the client's portfolio and investment objectives. The large amount of money involved in these transactions significantly increases the due diligence requirements as institutions seek to identify potential investment areas. This involves understanding the risk profile using quantitative data as well as qualitative research on the investment process and the risk-reward trade-offs. All through the process, regardless of the returns, firms must always prioritize the client objectives as well as other unique values that influence the decision-making process.
