09:00
WELCOME – PAUL CHAPMAN, H&B Chairperson
09:20
BUILDING BRIDGES | WHEN THE FOUNDATION MEETS THE FUTURE
As interest rates decline, infrastructure investments are evolving beyond their historically defensive posture to showcase a blend of stability and growth. Traditional infrastructure assets like regulated utilities and monopolistic providers continue to offer dependable, low-volatility options, while newer opportunities in user-pays sectors, such as transport and communications, introduce growth potential. Geographic flexibility also plays a role, with some strategies emphasizing established markets and others exploring emerging regions.
In this session, our speaker will unpack the nuanced asset class infrastructure has become, capable of delivering both stability and strategic growth where an opportunity lies in discerning which assets align with your preference for stability or expansion within a shifting monetary environment.
SPEAKER:
SHANE HURST, Managing Director | Portfolio Manager, ClearBridge Investments
JASON PETRAS, Director, Resonant Asset Management
10:25
MORNING TEA
10:55
TREND-SETTERS & TREASURY-HUNTERS | MINING FOR QUALITY AMIDST MEGATRENDS
What truly separates exceptional investments from the ordinary, especially when eyeing the long horizon? In an era of accelerating change, this session delves deep into the fundamental attributes that define investment quality across sectors and geographies, with a sharp focus on megatrends and enduring opportunities.
Our speaker will forensically examine the DNA of top-tier businesses, exploring how rigorous analysis and informed judgment can reveal enduring value beyond fleeting trends. We'll unpack the nuanced characteristics that distinguish truly exceptional, long-term investment opportunities, from understanding sustainable competitive advantages driven by megatrends to identifying companies with robust balance sheets, innovative potential, and a commitment to strong corporate conduct.
This is a forensic exploration of quality – challenging conventional wisdom and offering a sophisticated lens for discerning investors seeking resilient, long-term value creation and opportunities to leverage profound structural shifts.
SPEAKER:
STEPHEN ARNOLD, Managing Director and CIO, Aoris Investment Management
12:00
BRICK BY BRICK | HIDDEN VALUE IN REAL ASSETS
In a dynamic real estate landscape, where can investors uncover true value and capitalize on opportunities that others overlook?
This session explores how current market dynamics, including strategic divestitures and assets trading significantly below their replacement costs, are creating compelling entry points for discerning investors. We examine how certain mispriced assets within this landscape offer significant unrealized performance potential, presenting unique opportunities for substantial value creation and asymmetric outcomes.
This discussion will test the idea of current property allocations and highlight how an underutilised asset class can act as a crucial diversifier, particularly relevant as we enter a rate-cutting cycle.
SPEAKERS:
CHRIS LOCK, Managing Director I Head of Core Real Estate, MA Financial Group
JULIAN BIGGINS, Joint Chief Executive Officer, MA Financial Group
13:00
LUNCH
14:00
YIELDING TO CHANGE | THE FUTURE OF U.S. DOMINANCE
As global power dynamics shift and financial markets recalibrate, how can investors strategically capture robust returns and navigate an uncertain future?
This session delves into profound global economic shifts, addressing the evolving role of traditional safe havens and the potential for a fundamental reordering of influence. We explore the direct implications of these macro forces for your portfolio, guiding you through approaches for navigating this period.
Amidst this dynamic backdrop, discover the resurgence of global income opportunities. With markets recalibrating and a rate cutting cycle approaching, certain fixed income areas are becoming particularly attractive for both yield and potential capital appreciation.
Understand how to express these views through portfolio allocation, identifying potential winners and leveraging diversified strategies for resilient income and enduring growth.
SPEAKERS:
AADITYA THAKUR, Portfolio Manager, PIMCO
JORAN LAIRD, Portfolio Specialist, T. Rowe Price
ANDREW YAP, Deputy Head of Portfolio Solutions, Zenith Investment Partners
15:10
AFTERNOON TEA
15:35
FUNDAMENTAL MEETS SYSTEMATIC | BLENDING INSIGHT AND ALGORITHM
In the complex world of global equities, what is the optimal path to consistent outperformance and robust portfolio construction? This session brings together two distinct yet powerful philosophies for navigating global equities: fundamental analysis and systematic strategies, the qualitative and quantitative approach.
Our speakers address how they approach the major investment themes of the market today and how both conviction and broad market access can help capture opportunities often missed by a singular focus.
SPEAKERS:
KURT LIVERMORE, Director & Portfolio Manager I Analyst, Lazard Asset Management
MATT REYNOLDS, Investment Director, Capital Group
JONATHAN RAMSAY, Partner | Portfolio Manager, InvestSense
16:30
POWER PLAY | EQUITY, TRADE, AND THE NEW WORLD ORDER
Australian investors have significantly increased their allocations to global equities in the past decade, which inevitably means 70 cents in each dollar is allocated to the US. Given that the US may no longer exhibit the same level of reliability it has since the GFC, what does that mean for global markets and Australians alike?
Specifically, we will examine how the intersection of technology, geopolitics, and trade is reshaping power dynamics and whether this could lead to a shift in the global economic centre away from the US towards other regions, such as Japan and the EU.
The session will take a geopolitical perspective, rather than a purely market-driven one, to analyse the key themes influencing the investment landscape. It will cover the current global climate and emphasize the crucial role of both financial and human capital in fostering robust economic relationships, particularly for service-based economies like Australia.
SPEAKER:
REBECCA SHRIMPTON, Australian Country Executive, The Asia Group
17:30
DRINKS & CANAPÉS
18:30
SYMPOSIUM DINNER – Rose Garden