The business school is tapping what it sees as demand for top-level training in this part of the investment management arena.

The Henley Business School has launched an executive hedge fund programme in Hong Kong, which is designed to improve expertise in the industry, ranging from understanding creation of new firms to management.

The programme has been developed with Steve Bernstein, chief executive of SinoPac Solutions and Services, and a veteran of the $2.8 trillion hedge fund industry.

The course has been established by the International Capital Markets Association Centre at Henley Business School. The programme will run for six months from 12 September 2015 to 21 February 2016 and is limited to 25 qualified participants. Registration is open to those that have at least three years' relevant experience, and places will be assigned on a first-come-first-served basis.

With the Asian hedge fund sector relatively young compared with that of the US, for example, there remains arguably a need to fill the talent gap and improve supply of skilled professionals in this area.

“The programme will involve the participants having a significant amount of time with key industry professionals based in Asia, who will deliver the latest industry thinking, and share cutting-edge information and practices,” the business school said.

The programme’s advisors and industry speakers include Bernstein as well as Anna Stephenson, chief operating officer of SinoPac Solutions and Services; Phil Tye, director, HFL Advisors; George Saffayeh, partner, financial services, Ernst & Young; Rex Chan, ex-Fidelity Investments and a Hong Kong-based portfolio manager; Stuart Somer, director of Complyport (HK), and Alan Leigh, managing director, Asia Pacific business controls executives, global banking and markets, Merrill Lynch (Asia Pacific).

The course will be assessed by a final group project in which participants will simulate setting up hedge fund and fund management companies. The projects will be presented to a panel of industry figures in Asia, including Paul Smith, president and CEO of the CFA Institute.