09:00
WELCOME – GLEN HOLDER, H&B Chairperson
09:20
CONFLICT, CRUDE & COMPUTE | READING THE NEW MARKET MATRIX
Today’s allocators are forced to navigate a matrix of conflicting signals. On one hand, the threat of geopolitical escalation & shifting oil dynamics and on the other, the exponential, economy altering growth of AI.
To open the forum, we bring together a panel of leading advisers to discuss what is genuinely driving their decisions today. This session unpacks the tensions at the forefront of asset allocation, examining how to weigh raw geopolitical risk against unprecedented technological opportunity. How do these massive themes translate into actual portfolio weightings, tactical pivots, and structural opportunities for the year ahead?
SPEAKERS:
ADVISER PANEL
10:25
MORNING TEA
10:55
CONSTRUCTING RESILIENCE | IMPLEMENTING THE MACRO MATRIX
Volatility from crude oil spikes to tech breakouts is the new baseline and as traditional diversification levers falter and historical correlations break down, the strategies of the past are rendered insufficient.
Following our allocator panel, this session shifts from forming a market view to expressing these views in a portfolio. Our speakers explore how a multi-sector approach weaves diverse asset strengths into a robust framework. We explore how to build portfolios that can absorb short-term geopolitical shocks while still capturing the upside of long-term secular trends like AI.
We look beyond standard boundaries to uncover where genuine risk premiums hide today, aa practical guide to rethinking liquidity, managing downside risk, and executing capital allocation without excuses.
SPEAKER:
ADAM KIBBLE, Portfolio Manager, Schroders, Australia
11:50
THE QUALITY ANOMALY | WHEN EXCEPTIONAL BUSINESSES GO ON SALE
Can you own the world's most resilient businesses without paying a premium for them?
A session exploring a unique window in global equities where rigorous quality meets strict valuation discipline. When macro noise and narrow market leadership distract the crowd, genuine compounders are left trading at highly attractive multiples. Our speaker examines this fractured opportunity set, detailing how to navigate the current environment to acquire highly profitable assets without overpaying. We explore the global themes creating these mispricing’s and why today’s market rewards patience and price-consciousness over momentum.
SPEAKER:
STEPHEN ARNOLD, Chief Investment Officer, Aoris Investment Management
13:00
LUNCH
14:00
ASSET-BASED FINANCE | PRIVATE CREDIT’S NEXT FRONTIER
Private credit markets are under pressure from tighter spreads and growing competition in direct lending. Asset-based finance represents an interesting solution, offering income stability and downside protection amid regulatory shifts and emerging risks. Our speaker in this session will explore what is required to succeed in today’s fast evolving asset-based market.
SPEAKER:
CHIA-WEN TEOH, Head of Alternative Sales | Asia, PIMCO
15:00
AFTERNOON TEA
15.30
THE DISPERSION DIVIDEND | HUNTING ALPHA IN A CONCENTRATED WORLD
As market leadership narrows, the risk of holding the benchmark has never been higher. Yet beneath the surface, global equity dispersion is creating massive opportunities for those willing to look outside index concentration.
This panel brings together two distinct vantage points, a fundamental approach and a dedicated Asian specialist lens to map the new frontiers of alpha. We explore how to navigate away from crowded US exposures without sacrificing quality or growth.
Our speakers discuss where active management is currently being rewarded, whether it's unearthing overlooked global compounders, capturing the dynamism of Asian markets, or finding the idiosyncratic companies driving the next phase of global economic growth.
SPEAKERS:
MATT REYNOLDS, Equity Investment Director, Capital Group
GARY MONAGHAN, Investment Director, Fidelity International
16:30
DEMOGRAPHICS AS DESTINY
As Australia evolves from a regional outpost to a genuine middle power, the Great Australian Dream seems to be changing. This session examines the demographic forces driving our maturation, from infrastructure booms to shifting global trade. We move beyond macro trends to address two defining anxieties: how your kids can buy their first property in a surging market and whether AI is going to replace all their jobs.
SPEAKER:
SIMON KUESTENMACHER, Director of Research, The Demographics Group
17:30
SYMPOSIUM DAY 1 CONCLUDES
18:15
SYMPOSIUM CRUISING DINNER – Catalina Noosa