09:00
WELCOME – PAUL CHAPMAN, H&B Chairperson
09:20
POSITION IMPOSSIBLE | DECODING GROWTH BEYOND THE OBVIOUS
Are we looking at global growth through rose-coloured glasses or reality-tinted specs? While most investors pile into familiar US tech darlings, compelling growth stories are quietly unfolding across global markets - if you know where to look.
This session cuts through today's positioning puzzle to reveal where smart money is placing its bets. We'll unpack stretched valuations and crowded trades while exploring how strategic diversification across regions like China and Japan can unlock differentiated opportunities. Why are recent market moves more than just noise, and what fundamental forces are quietly rewriting growth investment playbooks?
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SPEAKERS:
HUGH SELBY-SMITH, Co-Chief Investment Officer, Talaria Asset Management
PAWEL WROBLEWSKI, Portfolio Manager, Clearbridge Investments
JONATHAN TOLUB, Director, InvestSense
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10:25
MORNING TEA
10:55
THE LITTLE ENGINE THAT COULD | AUSTRALIAN EQUITY OPPORTUNITIES LARGE AND SMALL
Why settle for the obvious when Australia's equity landscape is teeming with overlooked opportunities? This session dives deep into the local market's best-kept secrets, from nimble small-cap growth stories to undervalued situations ripe for transformation.
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Discover how active management can unlock value across the market spectrum, with real-world examples of companies that have delivered outsized returns. We'll explore asymmetric opportunities where patient capital meets activist insight, revealing how differentiated approaches and strategic engagement can reshape corporate Australia.
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Through compelling company case studies and behind-the-scenes corporate storytelling, leave with a fresh perspective on building long-term Australian equity portfolios that look beyond the index.
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SPEAKERS:
MICHAEL HIGGINS, Portfolio Manager, Milford
JAMES HAWKINS, Partner | Head of Catalyst Fund, L1 Capital​​​​
JASON PETRAS, Director, Resonant Asset Management
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12:00
THE GREAT ESCAPE | PRIVATE EQUITY'S EXIT DILEMMA AND OPPORTUNITY PARADOX
Remember when private equity seemed perfectly aligned with easy exits and endless opportunities? Fast-forward to today's reality check, where IPO windows slam shut while privatization deals surge, creating a fascinating paradox in private markets.
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This session tackles the uncomfortable questions head-on: How do you create value when traditional exit routes are blocked? What happens when public companies flee to private havens while private companies can't find their way out? We'll dissect whether recent market dislocations have created genuine opportunities or simply masked underlying challenges.
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Building on familiar private equity myths and misconceptions, we'll explore how today's environment demands a complete rethink of value creation strategies. Leave understanding how this evolving landscape reshapes private asset allocation decisions.
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SPEAKER:
DAVID CHAN, Portfolio Manager | Private Equity, MLC Private Equity
12:50
LUNCH
13:50
YIELDING TO CHANGE | THE FUTURE OF US DOMINANCE
Is the US dollar's reign as the world's go-to currency truly unshakable? The bedrock of US exceptionalism and its bonds as the ultimate haven are now openly debated. This session dives straight into the core question: Is a fundamental shift in US economic dominance genuinely likely, and if so, how soon?
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Our speaker tackles the direct implications for your portfolio, guiding you through approaches for assessing and navigating this uncertain period. This session will evaluate the potential winners and losers amid market flux and demonstrate how to express these views through your portfolio allocation.
SPEAKER:
CHIA-WEN TEOH, Head Of Alternative Sales | Asia, PIMCO
14:40
AFTERNOON TEA
15:10
SECOND CHANCES | THE FULL SPECTRUM OF SECONDARY OPPORTUNITIES
What happens when prestigious US endowments suddenly need cash and can't wait for traditional exit timelines? The secondary market explodes with opportunity across every corner of private equity.
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This comprehensive session covers the entire secondary landscape - from nimble small and mid-market deals to massive mega-fund transactions. Discover how funding pressures, particularly affecting university endowments amid shifting political support, are creating unprecedented secondary deal flow.
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We'll explore how different market segments offer distinct advantages: the agility and relationship-driven nature of smaller secondaries versus the scale and diversification benefits of large-cap transactions. Leave understanding how to navigate secondary opportunities across the full spectrum and why today's market dislocations might be tomorrow's portfolio winners.
SPEAKERS:
JEFF MILLER, CIO | Global Head of Private Equity, Pantheon | Investment Manager Partner of Longreach
JOHN LEE, Partner | Hong Kong, Lexington Partners
16:10
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
17:15
DRINKS & CANAPÉS
18:30
SYMPOSIUM DINNER