Billionaire investor Ray Dalio will make a $25 million grant to Singapore’s Wealth Management Institute to launch a program focused on sustainable investing.

The Dalio Sustainable Market Principles Program will focus on «universal principles of market behavior», according to a statement, targeting investment professionals and policymakers.

The grant was issued by Dalio, co-Chairman and co-chief investment officer of Bridgewater Associates, through Dalio Philanthropies.

Dalio Sustainable Market Principles Program

According to the statement, the program aims to «combines knowledge and practical capability, hone acute market awareness, and encourage inquisitiveness and the desire to continually review assumptions and ensure a solid understanding of a fast-evolving environment».

Coverage areas span across economic fundamentals, market fundamentals, portfolio construction and risk management, and case studies.

An advisory board will be set up to guide the program with members including Dalio, Ng Kok Song, WMI chairman emeritus and other industry leaders. The program is expected to kick off in 2021. 

Singapore Veteran

Dalio himself is no strange to the city-state having acted as an adviser to its sovereign wealth funds since the 1990s.

«I have known Singapore for many decades and have had the privilege of seeing this country develop into a globally-admired example of wise governance and management of public investments,» Dalio said.

«Through this initiative with WMI, my family and I hope we can contribute to Singapore’s continued development and enhance the level of investment knowledge and expertise throughout the region.»

Macro Know-How

Bridgewater Associates was founded in 1975 out of a two-bedroom apartment in Manhattan with a focus on global macro investing. Since then, it has grown to over $130 billion in assets under management with institutional clients globally from pension funds, endowments, foundations, foreign governments, and central banks.

«The Dalio Sustainable Market Principles Program has every promise of being truly transformative,» said Monetary Authority of Singapore’s (MAS) managing director Ravi Menon.

«The keen insights and deep expertise that [Dalio] brings will help to raise Singapore’s suite of education programs in wealth management towards the highest international standards. This resonates with the high priority MAS places on deepening the skills and capabilities of our financial industry workforce.»