Innovating for Emerging Markets

The study of emerging markets is generating great interest, particularly as more countries embark on the transition from a developing country to an emerging market by restructuring their economies along market-oriented lines to offer opportunities in trade, technology transfers, and foreign direct investment. Through the generosity of Marko Dimitrijevic, MBA ’85, Stanford GSB will be able to place even greater focus in this area with the establishment of the Emerging Markets Innovation Fund.

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Marko Dimitrijevic, MBA ’85

As the first alumnus to devote significant resources to this important priority at the school, Dimitrijevic hopes to stimulate activity among faculty and students who share his interests in emerging markets. The fund broadly supports a range of activities in this area, including faculty teaching and research, course and case development, executive education, student programs and clubs, and multidisciplinary or collaborative initiatives involving other university schools and programs.

As chief investment officer and founder of Everest Capital, a $2 billion investment advisory firm headquartered in Miami and with offices in Singapore, Shanghai, and Geneva, Dimitrijevic sees how fast-growing economies and their roles as regional economic powerhouses are increasingly important to world markets — particularly in consideration of the large populations, large resource bases, and large markets that these emerging markets represent.

Importantly, the fund provides the flexibility and resources necessary to pursue new opportunities for faculty collaborations and student programs, and positions the school to take advantage of new initiatives as they inevitably arise. It enables curricular expansion and research that build on courses such as Poverty, Entrepreneurship, and Development that explores global poverty and the potential role of entrepreneurship to address it; Growth and Stabilization in the Global Economy that looks at the effects of technological change, wage inequality, and macroeconomic consequences of the financial crisis; and Valuation in Emerging Markets that introduces students to corporate governance and transparency issues faced by managers and investors in emerging economies.

In addition, the fund supports student programs that encourage MBA students to delve into first-hand experiences in such regions, including the Stanford Management Internship Fund that supports MBA students who take summer employment with nonprofits, government agencies, and social-purpose businesses; Global Management Immersion Experiences; and the Stanford-Tsinghua Exchange Program.

In reflecting on his inspiration in making this commitment, Dimitrijevic notes, “I started investing in emerging markets over 20 years ago, a passion that has continued to this day. By encouraging and enhancing the study of emerging and frontier markets, Stanford GSB plays a leadership role on the global stage.”