OppenheimerFunds Launches CEO Advisor Institute to Help Financial Advisors Manage Growing Complexity and Commoditization

NEW YORK, Oct. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- OppenheimerFunds, Inc., a leading investment manager, today announced the launch of the CEO Advisor Institute, a cutting-edge business management and personal development structure. This name reflects the dual responsibilities of financial advisors to manage their practices like a world class CEO and deliver meaningful and insightful guidance as a trusted advisor.

The Institute, led by 25-year industry veteran Paul Blease, was developed in collaboration with Duke Corporate Education.  Mr. Blease joined OppenheimerFunds in December 2011 as Director of the CEO Advisor Institute.

"The single greatest challenge facing financial advisors today can be captured in a single word, complexity. In the last two decades we've seen an explosion of new investment products and services, a proliferation of new technologies, and an unprecedented confluence of political, economic and financial challenges," said Mr. Blease.  "The CEO Advisor Institute helps advisers manage their sophisticated practices, and deliver meaningful advice and extraordinary service in order to separate themselves from the competition."

The CEO Advisor Institute offers a unique combination of business management, personal and professional development content and investment thought leadership.  The curriculum is designed to enhance the ability of financial advisors and their teams to address the complex challenges facing their wealthiest clients. According to a 2011 study conducted by Cerulli Associates¹, practice management was the second most requested resource from financial advisors. The program combines right brain creativity with left brain analytics – skills world class CEOs regularly deploy. 

"OppenheimerFunds is committed to delivering a consultative platform to help advisors achieve their business goals," said John McDonough, Director of National Sales. "To demonstrate that commitment, we have changed the formal titles of our sales force to Senior Advisor Consultants and Regional Advisor Consultants."

The program consists of three components:  keynote presentational content, a multimedia web-based support structure and more than 100 OppenheimerFunds consultants trained by Mr. Blease and Duke Corporate Education². Our current library consists of the following three modules:

• Compelling Conversations – designed to help financial advisors with nine critical "recurring conversations" that they have regularly with clients and prospects. Each conversation is designed to crystallize the value the advisor brings to clients and help them take the appropriate actions necessary to pursue their financial goals.
• Building a Professional Practice – delivers an architectural framework to help financial advisors build world-class professional practices. The framework is built on the twin foundations of a comprehensive wealth management approach and an exceptional client service platform.
• Building a Life on Purpose – too often financial advisors are pressured to choose from a productive career or a fulfilling life. This presentation teaches a financial advisor how to architect a life that can provide both.

OppenheimerFunds' field force has been immersed in CEO Solution, the internal component of the CEO Advisor Institute, for more than two years, in preparation for delivering a consultative platform for advisors while continuing to provide excellent product and investment insight.  CEO Solution received a "2011 Learning in Practice" award from Chief Learning Officer³ magazine.

"Internally, the CEO Solution has taught OppenheimerFunds to leverage whole-brain skills and competencies to deepen relationships with advisors, provide significantly greater value to clients and deliver OppenheimerFunds' promise of high-conviction, active investment management and sophisticated distribution and service," said Mr. McDonough.

For additional information about the CEO Advisor Institute, visit the Financial Advisor Center on OppenheimerFunds website. 

About OppenheimerFunds, Inc.
OppenheimerFunds, Inc. is one of the nation's largest and most respected investment management companies. As of September 30, 2012, OppenheimerFunds, Inc., including subsidiaries, managed more than $186.4 billion in assets.  The Company and its divisions and subsidiaries offer a broad range of products and services to individuals, corporations and institutions, including mutual funds, separately managed accounts, qualified retirement plans and sub-advisory investment management services.

These views represent the opinions of OppenheimerFunds, Inc. and are not intended as investment advice or to predict or depict the performance of any investment. These views are as of the date of this presentation and are subject to change based on subsequent developments.

Shares of mutual funds are not deposits or obligations of any bank, are not guaranteed by any bank, are not insured by the FDIC or any other agency, and involve investment risks, including the possible loss of the principal amount invested.

Before investing in any of the Oppenheimer funds, investors should carefully consider a fund's investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses. Fund prospectuses and summary prospectuses contain this and other information about the funds, and may be obtained by asking your financial advisor, visiting oppenheimerfunds.com, or calling 1.800.525.7048. Read prospectuses and summary prospectuses carefully before investing.

Oppenheimer funds are distributed by OppenheimerFunds Distributor, Inc. Two World Financial Center, 225 Liberty Street, New York, NY, 10281

© 2012 OppenheimerFunds Distributor, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.

¹ "Most Effective Types of Marketing to Use with Advisors, 2011," Cerulli Associates, in partnerships with Sequoia and the Investment Management Consultants Association, 2011. 
²  Duke Corporate Education is a global provider of corporate learning and development services. OppenheimerFunds is not affiliated with Duke Corporate Education.
³ Chief Learning Officer magazine is directed to senior-level corporate learning officers and executives responsible for the ongoing education and job-skills initiatives for the enterprise. Covers training and education impact on corporate productivity, providing information and resources to officers and executives directly involved in the development, implementation and funding of corporate training initiatives.

SOURCE OppenheimerFunds, Inc.