Omega Financial’s Chief Strategist, Dylan Minor, Appointed Adjunct Professor at Columbia University
Minor has developed new course on ESG & Corporate Political Strategy
(September 2023) Santa Barbara, CA – Omega Financial Group, a leading Santa Barbara-based investment firm, is pleased to announce that its Chief Strategist and Chief Investment Officer, Dylan Minor, has been appointed as an Adjunct Professor of International and Public Affairs at Columbia
University. In addition to this role, he will also serve as the Brandmeyer Fellow for Impact and Sustainable Investing.
Beginning this fall, Dr. Minor will teach an innovative course that he was asked to develop surrounding environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing, titled “ESG & Corporate Political Strategy,” which will provide graduate students with a deep understanding of the intersection of politics,
sustainability and ethics, and financial performance. This course comes at a time when these factors have become increasingly vital in shaping the financial landscape of today’s world.
“Today’s financial world necessitates understanding ESG within investment strategies, especially since it is now so often misunderstood. Our students will gain invaluable insights into how politics, sustainability, and ethics intricately influence financial performance, empowering them to drive positive change and elevate organizational success,” shared Dylan Minor, Chief Strategist and CIO of Omega Financial.
The course “ESG & Corporate Political Strategy” will equip graduate students with the knowledge and tools to enhance decision-making and drive organizational performance by taking into account environmental, social, and governance considerations along with political factors. The course will delve
into real-world case studies, providing students with practical insights into navigating recent European regulations on artificial intelligence, the Inflation Reduction Act, and Hollywood’s intellectual property disputes. By analyzing these real-world opportunities, students will gain a comprehensive understanding of how politics and sustainability intersect with financial decision-making.
“My hope is that this course will help cultivate future leaders, and prepare them to navigate the ever- evolving financial landscape, while instigating positive impacts both within their organizations and society at large,” shared Minor.
Omega Financial has long been a champion of socially responsible investing and has demonstrated its commitment to integrating ESG factors into its investment approach. Recently, Minor spearheaded the development of the Argos AlphaEsg Index™ , a stock index that uniquely combines financial performance with environmental, social, and governance considerations. This innovative index identifies a carefully selected basket of US stocks that have the potential to not only outperform the broader market but also contribute to creating positive social change.
As a leader in sustainable investing, Omega Financial is pleased to support Dr. Minor’s academic endeavors at Columbia University among his other recent teaching positions, including Harvard Business School, the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, and UCLA’s Anderson School of Management. His appointment as an Adjunct Professor and Brandmeyer Fellow underscores the firm’s
dedication to promoting knowledge and practices that drive meaningful change in the financial sector.
About Omega Financial Group
Omega Financial Group is an independent Santa Barbara wealth management firm that serves families around the globe by integrating their financial and social goals through sophisticated and innovative financial consulting and wealth management services. Dylan Minor is chief strategist and co-founder of Omega Financial group, as well as current faculty at UCLA and Columbia University. He previously held professorships at Harvard Business School and Northwestern University.