June 16, 2022
17:02
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Roland Van der Elst, emeritus professor of investment theory and author of several stock exchange books, took his first steps on the stock market in 1958. ‘I bought shares of Union Minière, later that became Union Misère’, he says in our weekly investment podcast ‘De Beursvoyeurs’.
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With emeritus professor Roland Van der Elst as a guest, ‘De Beursvoyeurs’ is a trip down memory lane† ‘This catapults me back to my student days when I was taught by professor Van der Elst. That was always very pleasant. Then I got even more eager to invest’, says Frank De Mol, editor of De Belegger. Serge Mampaey, journalist for De Tijd: ‘He taught his people to invest, and above all to invest qualitatively in reliable companies with a good cash flow.’
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Van der Elst sometimes feels homesick for the past. ‘It is a pity that the briefcase and physical shares no longer exist. For example, years ago I forgot that I had D’Ieteren shares, they were at the bottom of the suitcase under a pile of paper. I finally found them a few years later. It was like a treasure, spectacular to discover. Then you kept stocks for a longer period of time, now you are encouraged to trade faster.’
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From grain trade to Tesla
‘My interest in the stock exchange started in 1958. I started trading grain at the trade fair in Antwerp. There I came into contact with a stockbroker and that is how I made my first investments. It was all much simpler then. The statement was handwritten and stamps were affixed to it. It was a different time than now via the iPad’, says Van der Elst.
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Times have changed and so has the stock market. Van der Elst moves with the times. ‘What I’m mainly interested in now is technology. That seems strange, but that interest came from my grandson who is a fan of Tesla. Another grandson works at Nokia and informs me about the developments in those sectors. Technology is the sector of the future.’
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I invest for the long term, but the stock market is also a hobby for me. The game element remains important.
Roland Van der Elst
Emeritus Professor Investment Studies
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The interest in the fair is in the genes of the Van der Elst family. ‘Investing really runs in our family. My children already had their first shares when they were six years old. The most important lesson I have taught my children and grandchildren is to be patient and invest for the long term. And do it with money that you can spare for several years. I myself invest in the long term, but the stock market is also a hobby for me. The game element remains important.’
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With his many years on the stock exchange, the professor has already been through a lot of difficult times. ‘It is always difficult on the stock market, but at the moment we live in a very special situation. For example, the lockdowns in China continue, so that the markets are still disrupted. I compare it to the 80s. I think we will be in trouble for a long time, but that does not prevent us from playing on the stock market now. There are certainly still stocks that can give a decent return and are successful.’
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Curious about more investment tips from Roland Van der Elst? Listen to the new episode of De Beursvoyeurs above , met Serge Mampaey (De Tijd) and Frank De Mol (The Investor).
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