How has the ‘new normal’ we expect from a post-COVID world impacted the investment landscape and asset allocation strategies? Hear how investment leaders are navigating new complexities as they strive to defend, diversify and drive growth in portfolios.

The emerging market debt universe has grown substantially over the past 20 years. With over 70 countries in the investment universe, the asset class offers a notable opportunity for portfolio diversification while also delivering compelling returns. This session will discuss the growth of the emerging market debt universe. Addressing the expansion of sustainable bonds, and why the current macroeconomic backdrop is set to be supportive for the asset class going forward. 
The session will provide participants with an understanding of the growth divergences being witnessed in emerging market economies and how active management is necessary in order to capitalise on these investment opportunities.

Private markets offer high return and low risk of losses but require patient investors. This creates friction in asset allocation and can result in significant opportunity cost for some conservative pension funds. Examine the process of allocating to private markets and explore the cost of unused capital with practical insights, solutions and recommendations.

An informal and informed discussion on all things private markets. What is the outlook for different asset classes? What is driving risks and opportunities in each? What role can private markets play in a pension portfolio and what are key considerations for pension schemes allocating to private markets?

An opportunity to stretch and strengthen your private market and real assets muscles. Hear leading investment specialists share the latest research, insights and analyses from across the spectrum of private markets and real assets and what they may mean for different investors.

Examine the market dynamics that investors should consider when allocating to private lending in the U.S. lower middle-market. The presentation will touch upon the retrenchment of banks and the rise of private lending in the U.S as well as the salient differences between non-sponsor and sponsor-backed lending.

Opening remarks followed by economic keynote address

What is top of the agenda of pension boardroom discussions? Examine how pension executives plan to build resilience to uncertainty, adapt to changing members’ needs and navigate uncertainty and opportunities in the near and long term.

An opportunity to stretch and strengthen your ESG muscles. Hear leading investment specialists share the latest research, insights and analyses from across the spectrum of ESG and what they may mean for different investors.

Receive an overview of the latest findings regarding the actions needed to transition to a net zero economy. This session will highlight a net-zero investment framework and provide insights into how to integrate climate considerations into both core equity and bond allocation.

Rising flows into ESG ETFs show passive investors are increasingly ready to make a sizeable 'active bet' against their reference benchmark. This session deep dives into the main pillars of an ESG index and their impact on a benchmark equity portfolio, both structurally and quantitatively.

How natural capital presents an attractive investment opportunity while delivering meaningful impact towards a net-zero climate resilient future and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Keynote Interview
The neglected middle child of E,S, and G is coming into its own in a new incarnation as ‘stakeholders’. What does this mean for the role of investors? Hear cutting-edge research that explores stewardship as the main point of competition in passive funds. Examine return expectations of the ‘S’ pillar and the correlation between how companies treat employees and their ability to respond to other shocks.

Are we clear on the distinction between social, impact and sustainability bonds? Who are the issuers and other stakeholders and how is this changing? Take a deep dive into where social bonds can add value and explore evolutions in pricing, projects, monitoring and credit risk.

What has the 2021 AGM season taught us about shareholder voting in the age of stakeholder capitalism? How is it being used as a tool for effective stewardship and a driver of enhanced operational and financial performance? Which proposals passed and how should investors prioritise resolutions that can deliver on climate and social issues? What are the implications for asset owners who delegate their stewardship to asset managers?

The pandemic offers the chance to reset priorities and for the industry to restate its stewardship function, particularly within the context of ESG. While investing was thought to be based on balancing risk and returns, more and more investors now consider risk, return and impact. A talking heads discussion between the CFA Institute and IPE.