Author Howard Marks, founder and Chairman of Oaktree capital Management, LLC, met with students in the Investment Philosophies Critical Writing Seminar and peer tutors from the Marks Family Writing Center at the Kelly Writers House to discuss his writing process and book, The Most Important Thing: Uncommon Sense for the Common Investor.
Mr. Marks led a discussion about craft and process, citing The Most Important Thing as well as the world famous memos he writes for Oak Tree Capital Management. Students a series of insightful questions regarding how Mr. Marks moves from generating ideas to producing finished, coherent work.
Mr. Marks received a BS in Economics with a major in Finance from the Wharton School in 1967, and an MBA in Accounting and Marketing from the Graduate School of Business at the University of Chicago in 1970. He is a chartered Financial Analyst, a Chartered Investment Counselor, and a member of the Los Angeles Society of Financial Analysts. He also serves on the Investment Committee of the Edmund Safra Foundation.
In addition, Mr. Marks is the sponsor of the Marks Family Writing Center at Penn, an invaluable resource that has had a direct positive influence on countless Penn students.