H&B | INVESTMENT PERSPECTIVES FORUM 2026 | SYDNEY
AGENDA
08:30
REGISTRATION – The Lands by Capella Ballroom
09:00
WELCOME – James Dakin, Chairperson
09:15
THE LIQUIDITY PARADOX | STAYING PRIVATE IN A REBOUNDING MARKET
We are told private equity is rebounding and asset sales are unlocking supply. Yet, the defining characteristic of this cycle is that high-growth technology companies are choosing to stay private longer than ever before. How do you reconcile a rebound with a lack of traditional exits?
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This session dissects the new mechanics of private market growth. If the IPO is delayed, the opportunity shifts to the secondary market and co-investment structures. We explore why the smart money is moving away from broad capital concentration and drilling down into small-to-mid market deals where bottom up portfolio construction is the only hedge against macro shocks.
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?
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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?
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SPEAKER:
JOEL FLEMING, Microcaps Portfolio Manager, Yarra Capital Management
11:00
MORNING TEA
11:25
REAL THINGS IN UNCERTAIN TIMES | BUILDING RETURNS OUTSIDE COMPOUNDERS AND YIELD
Inflation is rising again. Listed infrastructure opportunities are disappearing as assets get privatised. And as currencies face structural debasement pressures, the case for owning real, productive assets has shifted from cyclical to structural.
This session explores infrastructure not as a diversification play, but as a fundamental portfolio requirement. Where equities chase compounders and fixed income hunts yield, real assets occupy a different return source altogether.
Our speaker examines how to think about infrastructure allocation in an environment of persistent inflation, currency uncertainty, and shrinking public market access. The conversation moves beyond traditional real asset narratives to practical questions about asset protection, real return generation, and how to position portfolios for a world where the purchasing power of capital cannot be assumed.
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12:15
FIXED INCOME EVOLVED | 60/40 IS DEAD, LONG LIVE INCOME
With the landscape of interest rates and credit markets changing and bond allocations no where near as dominant in investor portfolios today, how can investors move beyond traditional allocations to enhance portfolio yield and resilience?
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This session delves into the current sweet spot for income-focused investors, examining how to capture robust returns without simply taking on outsized risk. We will explore the art of flexing credit exposure across the spectrum, from undervalued investment grade and high yield public markets to the compelling opportunities found within private credit.
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13:15
LUNCH
14:15
THE PLATFORM PLAY | OWNING ATTENTION
While many investors focus on picking winners within a sector, a different strategy involves acquiring the sector itself. The evolution of private equity is moving toward the ownership of entire ecosystems, sporting leagues, entertainment rights and global media platforms.
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This session explores the mega cap playbook where acquiring unique, monopolistic assets where scarcity is the ultimate moat. Our speaker discusses the operational reality of commercialising passion of how to apply rigorous operational levers to heritage rights-holders and global leagues to unlock value that public markets cannot access. A deep dive into why owning the platform beats owning the participant.
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15:10
THE QUALITY TRAP | WHEN COMPOUNDERS STOP COMPOUNDING
For a decade, the "buy quality and hold" mantra was the only rule that mattered. But what happens when the most crowded trade in global equities begins to unwind? We are witnessing a rare deflation of the "Quality Bubble," where paying any price for earnings stability is no longer a viable strategy.
This session confronts the uncomfortable reality of concentration risk. Our speakers dissect the mechanics of a market where yesterday's compounders are facing structural headwinds and valuation compression. We explore why the "defensive" allocation of the last cycle may be the source of the next drawdown, and where to find genuine resilience when the index itself is your biggest risk.
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16:05
AFTERNOON TEA
16:35
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?
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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.
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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.
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​​SPEAKER:
AMANDA STEVENS, Consumer Futurist
17:35
DRINKS & CANAPES – The Lands by Capella
19:30
FORUM TO CONCLUDE