H&B | INVESTMENT PERSPECTIVES FORUM 2026 | SYDNEY
AGENDA
08:30
REGISTRATION – The Lands by Capella Ballroom
09:00
WELCOME – James Dakin, Chairperson
09:15
UNLIST AND PROSPER | CAPTURING GROWTH BEYOND PUBLIC MARKETS
Private equity is offering new avenues for growth and diversification from public equity markets. While the broader industry is seeing traditional exits delayed, innovation and sector focus are accelerating within private markets. This session dissects how AI-driven strategies, operational value-add, and targeted small-to-mid market buyouts are reshaping portfolio construction.
SPEAKER:
SPENCER KUBIN, Portfolio Manager | Private Equity Group, J.P. Morgan Asset Management
10:05
WHERE CONVEXITY LIVES | MAXIMISING YOUR MOST REWARDING RISK DECISION
Equities represent the most convex part of your portfolio allocation. They drive the majority of portfolio volatility, which makes them your most consequential risk decision but also your most rewarding one. So where should your active management budget actually go?
This session challenges the assumption that scale equals opportunity. Our speaker explores which equity markets genuinely reward active management and where you're simply paying fees for beta. From crowded consensus to structural inefficiencies, the conversation cuts to a practical question. How do you build conviction in your equity allocation that actually generates alpha instead of just paying for it?
SPEAKER:
JOEL FLEMING, Portfolio Manager | Microcap Equities, Yarra Capital Management
11:00
MORNING TEA
11:25
REAL ASSETS | STABILITY IN AN UNSTABLE WORLD
Inflation persists, public opportunities are shrinking, and the case for owning real assets has shifted from cyclical to structural.
This session explores infrastructure income not just as a diversification tool, but as a core portfolio component. We look past the traditional narratives to the practical mechanics of capital protection. Our speaker examines how to position portfolios for a world where purchasing power has been constrained, focusing on the power of compounding stable cash flows rather than chasing short-term gains.
SPEAKER:
CHLOE BERRY, Managing Partner, Infrastructure, Brookfield
12:15
MEDIA VS REALITY | ALTERNATIVE CREDIT AND INCOME BEYOND THE HEADLINES
Join us as we cut through the headlines for a practical and insightful discussion on what’s really happening in alternative credit markets. We’ll separate media narratives from market realities by discussing the state of private credit markets and the continuing evolution of the much-talked about AI CAPEX cycle. We’ll discuss the importance of a global multi sector approach to diversification, when liability management exercises are warranted, and where tensions are rising between sponsors, borrowers, and lenders. Leave with actionable strategies for portfolio resilience and steady income amid a diverse and growing opportunity set.
GUEST MODERATOR:
MICHAEL KARAGIANIS, Principal Consultant, JANA Investment Advisers
SPEAKER:
ADAM NANKERVIS, Portfolio Manager & Partner, Oak Hill Advisors
13:15
LUNCH
14:15
THE STRUCTURAL DISCOUNT | FINDING VALUE IN THE PLUMBING
While the broader market fixates on originating new private debt, a more efficient trade is emerging. The credit secondaries market remains surprisingly undercapitalised, creating a window to acquire performing loan portfolios at a discount.
This session unpacks the mechanics of a relatively unknown asset class, as closed ended funds seek paths to liquidity for their investors, secondary buyers are quietly stepping in to facilitate the transition. Our speaker details how to capture discount reversal, enhanced yield, and pull to par as distinct return drivers. We explore how providing this structural liquidity offers a distinct advantage over primary origination.
SPEAKER:
VICTOR MAYER, Partner, Pantheon
15:15
CHEAP STOCKS DON'T STAY CHEAP
Short-term news flow can be distracting at best and at worst perilous when making investment decisions. 2026 has so far been a year of headline whiplash, with geopolitics, elections and tariffs all competing for attention. While it can be prudent to stay aware of broader developments, long-term returns are more often shaped by fundamentals and valuations. This session explores how valuations tend to evolve, why the price you pay shapes long-term outcomes, and where investors may find compelling opportunities in parts of the market that rarely make the headlines.
SPEAKER:
ERIC MARAIS, Investment Specialist, Orbis Investments
16:10
AFTERNOON TEA
16:40
ARE YOU MISSING THE POINT?
How did you learn to build and manage client relationships? Are you like the average financial advisers in your approach with clients or are you truly exceptional and are happy to rewrite the rules?
In this session we will tear apart traditional approach and expose the brutal truth: clients don't care about your credentials or your polished pitch. They want someone who understands their world, challenges their thinking, and delivers results that actually matter. Learn how to transform from a forgettable service provider to the professional clients naturally discuss - not because they're rehearsing a sales pitch, but because you've fundamentally changed their perspective on what's possible.
Dive into strategies that go beyond demographic data and superficial customization. We'll dissect how to create a practice so distinctive that clients don't just recommend you - they become your most powerful advocates. This session is about cutting through the noise, challenging conventional wisdom, and building a practice that stands out in a sea of mediocrity.
SPEAKER:
AMANDA STEVENS, Consumer Futurist
17:45
DRINKS & CANAPES – The Lands by Capella
19:30
FORUM TO CONCLUDE