Oxford Risk launches course to help investors combat emotional bias

June 3, 2025

Oxford Risk has unveiled a new online course designed to help individual investors and financial advisers tackle emotional decision-making and improve long-term financial outcomes.

According to Finextra, developed in partnership with the professional learning platform 42Courses, The Art of Behavioural Investing draws on leading behavioural finance research and aims to equip learners with practical strategies for more confident investing.

The CPD-certified course is led by Dr Greg B Davies, head of behavioural finance at Oxford Risk, and offers 35 concise, actionable lessons. These modules focus on empowering investors to build emotional resilience, reduce reactivity during market volatility, and align decisions with long-term goals. It also provides financial institutions with a scalable and structured way to support clients’ behavioural development.

The programme introduces a range of behavioural tools, such as pre-commitment techniques, Play Pots, pause points, and portfolio framing. One of its standout features is the framework to help clients create an “Investing Constitution” – a personalised document that guides future decision-making in times of uncertainty.

The curriculum also includes interviews with high-profile experts such as Carl Richards and Daniel Crosby, adding depth and global insight to the course content. All content is built around four guiding principles: Create a Safety Net, Put the Rest to Work, Diversify, and Leave It Alone.

Oxford Risk sees this initiative as not only a tool for individual empowerment but also a contribution to broader regulatory and economic goals. The course supports the Consumer Duty agenda by enabling advisers to better engage clients, particularly those holding large amounts of uninvested cash. With an estimated £300bn sitting idle in UK cash savings, this course could be instrumental in re-engaging dormant investors and improving capital allocation across the economy.

Oxford Risk head of behavioural finance Dr Greg B Davies said, “Advisers are on the front line of Consumer Duty. This course gives them behavioural tools to help clients stay invested, build confidence, and avoid decisions they’ll regret later.”

The Art of Behavioural Investing is positioned as a valuable resource for adviser onboarding, enhancing client literacy, and reinforcing suitability frameworks in line with regulatory expectations.