H&B | INVESTMENT PERSPECTIVES FORUM 2024 | SYDNEY
AGENDA
08:45
REGISTRATION – The Langham
09:15
WELCOME – CHRIS CARRODUS, Head of Asset Consulting, Evidentia Group
09:35
REAL ASSETS THROUGH THE CYCLE
As many investors worry about interest rates and inflation, they have increased their defensive allocation and reweighted towards cash. However, as markets remain uncertain, how do advisers capture real returns for their clients? In this session, our speaker covers how real assets serve as a robust shield against the uncertainties of interest rates and inflation. The interaction of capturing inflation upside while contributing significantly to lowering portfolio volatility, offering stability both as standalone assets and within the broader portfolio context. Delving into thematic-based investing, we explore how real assets present opportunities linked to burgeoning sectors such as leisure and tourism.
SPEAKER:
ANTHONY O’HEA, Managing Director, MA Financial Group
10:20
MORNING TEA
10:40
GLOBAL EQUITIES | WILL THE NEXT DECADE BE DIFFERENT?
Market leadership is likely to change in the next decade and winners will become broader. What do the lessons of history teach us on playing offence in a new era of opportunity? As the macro backdrop creates choppier waters for economies and corporates, our speaker explores how to navigate the times and take advantage of megatrends in sectors such as biopharma & AI which provide opportunity against uncertainty. Attendees can expect to take away the key considerations for approaching a new and different decade for investors.
SPEAKER:
SAM RUIZ, Equity Portfolio Specialist, T. Rowe Price
11:25
RESETTING EXPECTATIONS | A LOOK AT THE YEAR AHEAD
After a year where most were convinced global economies would experience a widespread recession and we saw only a few sectors dominating the Australian market, the new year provides investors the opportunity to reset their thinking and reposition both portfolios and client propositions for the year ahead.
In this session our speaker covers the most important areas for investors, covering everything from market outlook, to inflation, to the effect of rates on Australian equity portfolios. Do we continue to see markets perform as well as it did in 2023? Will increased cash balances in client portfolios prove to generate superior outcomes? Our speaker will address these questions, dispel myths, and delve into the most interesting sectors in the ASX for 2024.
SPEAKER:
CRISPIN MURRAY, Head of Equities, Pendal Group
12:10
PANEL DISCUSSION
Tim Farrelly will host the speakers from this morning’s sessions for a panel discussion on a wide range of topics and fielding questions from our audience.
PANEL MODERATOR:
TIM FARRELLY, Principal, farrelly's Investment Strategy
SPEAKERS:
ANTHONY O’HEA, Managing Director, MA Financial Group
SAM RUIZ, Equity Portfolio Specialist, T. Rowe Price
CRISPIN MURRAY, Head of Equities, Pendal Group
12:40
LUNCH
13:40
BUILDING MOMENTUM FOR GREATER RETURNS | LOOKING AT DIFFERENT MARKET FACTORS
As rates have increased rapidly, the last 12 months have been informative in educating investors how different market factors drive returns. Does this greater understanding change how we approach portfolios and influence investors portfolio construction considerations?
In this session, the speaker will analyse the performance of growth, value, quality, and momentum factors in global equities and their relation to the market. We'll consider alternative approaches to portfolio construction, especially in extensive universes like global small caps with over 10,000 companies. Additionally, we'll examine the advantages of focusing on specific factors like momentum and discuss the practical implementation of factor tilts in portfolios.
SPEAKER:
TRAVIS PRENTICE, Portfolio Manager, EAM Global Small Companies Fund, SG Hiscock & Company
14.30
THE PRIVATE DEBT FRENZY | FEAR OR FORTUNE?
As the regulator forces the big-4 banks to hold more capital when lending for corporate and construction loans, our banking system has become disincentivised to provide capital to those traditionally considered strong borrowers. In the absence of banks providing capital to what are productive sectors within the Australian economy, the non-bank sector has boomed, providing opportunities for investors to provide capital to these unbanked borrowers. But as interest rates rise and the global economy slows, how should we think about allocating capital? In this session, our speaker will explore the pitfalls and benefits of the private debt frenzy.
SPEAKER:
ANDREW TREMAIN, Managing Partner, Metrics Credit Partners
15:15
AFTERNOON TEA
15:35
CAN AI DO IT BETTER | SYSTEMATIC VS. FUNDAMENTAL LONG-SHORT APPROACH
AI is being heralded as the next frontier in investment management, promising to improve operational efficiencies, pick portfolio winners (and losers?), and improve risk management capabilities. While the traditional approach to asset selection and management maintains its stronghold, there is a paradigm shift underway to leverage AI, Machine Learning (ML) and Large Language Models (LLM) in systematic strategies.
Are the potential use cases and benefits of AI in funds management hype or reality? Will this result in managers consistently adding alpha while adeptly navigating risk landscapes? Or is this simply noise and a distraction for delivering investor returns.
Our speaker in this session explores the use of AI in the investing process and the potential benefit when investing in long-short strategies. We look to answer the question: Amidst this transformation, one must ponder: Are fund managers adequately equipped for the impending future? Or is this their “Kodak moment”?
SPEAKER:
ZHE CHEN, Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager, Acadian Asset Management
16:25
PANEL DISCUSSION
Tim Farrelly will host the speakers from this afternoon’s sessions for a panel discussion on a wide range of topics and fielding questions from our audience.
PANEL MODERATOR:
TIM FARRELLY, Principal, farrelly's Investment Strategy
SPEAKERS:
TRAVIS PRENTICE, Portfolio Manager, EAM Global Small Companies Fund, SG Hiscock
ANDREW TREMAIN, Managing Partner, Metrics Credit Partners
ZHE CHEN, Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager, Acadian Asset
16:55
FROM SYDNEY TO THE GLOBE | A LOOK AT THE MAJOR DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS OF THE NEXT DECADE
Advisers need to think about investing through the market cycle which is generally thought of as a 7-10 year period. By taking a view on demographics we take a look at what is in store for various regions. Starting from Sydney to the rest of the world, we take a deep look at how demographics interplay with geopolitics.
With China’s contracting population, we ask the question, do they still need Australia for our food and energy? And with India booming, what does that mean for the middle class in both countries? We take a look at how immigration will play across different jurisdictions, from selective immigration into Australia to uncontrolled immigration into other regions due to wars and climate change. Our speaker unpacks these themes by taking a look at the decade ahead and the effect on global geopolitics through a demographic lens.
SPEAKER:
SIMON KUESTENMACHER, Director of Research, The Demographics Group
17:40
PRE-DINNER DRINKS & CANAPÉS
18:30
DINNER – The Langham Drawing Room
20:00
FORUM TO CONCLUDE