Programme: IPE Real Assets Infrastructure & Natural Capital Global Conference & Awards 2026

Programme

Wednesday 16 September

4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

The IPE Real Assets Investor Forum creates an informal environment where investors can share investment strategy experiences and best practices with peers. We aim to bring together around 25-30 investors to keep the discussion as productive as possible and the meeting is held under the Chatham House Rules.

This session is for asset owners by invitation only. Please note that this is not a standalone session and you will be required to attend the IPE Real Assets Infrastructure & Natural Capital Conference & Awards to qualify. For more information, please contact Judith Langford.

Phoebe Smith - Head of Infrastructure Funds Management, Europe, PATRIZIA

Thursday 17 September

8:25 AM - 9:00 AM

Registration and Coffee

9:00 AM - 9:05 AM

Opening Remarks 

Chair's Introduction

Nils Kok - Professor in Real Estate Finance, Maastricht University
Richard Lowe - Editor in Chief, IPE Real Assets

9:05 AM - 9:30 AM

Keynote: Energy and Clean Tech Transitions in a Geopolitically Transforming World: Developments in China, the US, and the European Union

Miranda Schreurs - Professor of Environment and Climate Policy, Technical University of Munich

9:30 AM - 9:45 AM

Presentation: Powering Europe’s Energy Transition and Security

Graham Matthews - Chairman, Infrastructure, PATRIZIA

9:45 AM - 10:25 AM

Panel: Powering Europe’s Energy Transition and Security

Sebastian Carneiro - Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Solas Capital
Nick Langley - Head of Real Assets, Franklin Templeton
Igor Lukin - Managing Director, Allianz Global Investors
Robert Szatkowski - Senior Investment Director, Infrastructure, APG Asset Management

Moderator: Graham Matthews - Chairman, Infrastructure, PATRIZIA

10:25 AM - 11:05 AM

Panel: AI Infrastructure – A New Standalone Asset Class?

Nicolò Buffa di Castelalto - Partner, Co-Head of Infrastructure, Amundi Alpha Associates
Fernando Gomez Fortun - Senior Director, Strategy and Business Development, Azora
Robin Lutz - Senior Director Infrastructure, La Caisse
Roscoe Sun - Investment Director, USS

Moderator: Richard Lowe - Editor in Chief, IPE Real Assets

11:05 AM - 11:40 AM

Networking Coffee Break

11:40 AM - 11:55 AM

Presentation: Building Climate and Resilience Considerations into Infrastructure

Alexis de Pampelonne - Climate Risk Manager, Scientific Climate Ratings

11:55 AM - 12:35 PM

Panel: Building Climate and Resilience Considerations into Infrastructure

Alena Antonava - Senior Investment Manager, Real Assets, Railpen
Callum Fraser - Head of Private Markets Equity Investment Specialists, Aviva Investors
Benjamin Schmitt - Director, Senior Principal Infra Debt Investment, DWS

Moderator: Mariya Peykova - Sales Director, Scientific Climate Ratings

12:35 PM - 1:00 PM

Keynote: Critical Evolutions and Trends in Europe’s Infrastructure – the EIB perspective

Matthias Woitok - Head of Division, European Investment Bank

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Networking Lunch

2:00 PM - 2:25 PM

Keynote: Global Trade

Prof. Dr. Lisandra Flach - Director of ifo Center for Economic Research, Professor of Economics at LMU Munich, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the LMU Munich

2:25 PM - 3:05 PM

Panel: How Will Geopolitics and Global Trade Tensions Affect Transport Infrastructure?

Oliver Chan - Principal, Infrastructure, HOOPP
Lisa Kelvey - Global Head of Infrastructure & Transportation, KPMG
Kerron Lezama - Managing Director, Infrastructure Investments, CBRE Investment Management
Romain Py - Partner, Arjun Infrastructure

Moderator: Nils Kok – Professor in Real Estate Finance, Maastricht University

3:05 PM - 3:55 PM

Panel: Asset Allocation Trends

Includes the results of the IPE Real Assets Investor Survey on allocation

Alex Leonard - Head of Infrastructure and Timberland, Pension Protection Fund
Ahmed Mubashir - Managing Director, Head of Infrastructure EMEA & India, AIMCo
Katya Romashkan - Portfolio Manager, Infrastructure, Aware Super
Anish Butani - Managing Director, Private Markets (Infrastructure), bfinance

Moderator: Richard Lowe - Editor in Chief, IPE Real Assets

3:55 PM - 4:25 PM

Networking Coffee Break

4:25 PM - 4:45 PM

Investor Interview

In a conversation with Richard Lowe, Markus Smettan will share insights into the investment strategy behind one of Europe's most significant corporate pension programmes and discuss the opportunities and challenges facing investors allocating to infrastructure and energy transition assets.

Markus Smettan - Lead Global Pension Investments, Siemens Energy

Moderator: Richard Lowe - Editor in Chief, IPE

4:45 PM - 5:25 PM

Keynote: Critical minerals, geopolitics, energy transition

Ernest Scheyder - Journalist and Author: The War Below: Lithium, Copper, and The Global Battle to Power Our Lives,

5:25 PM - 5:30 PM

Chair’s Day 1 Wrap-Up

Nils Kok - Professor in Real Estate Finance, Maastricht University

6:15 PM - 7:30 PM

IPE Real Assets Infrastructure & Natural Capital Global Awards 2026 Drinks Reception

7:30 PM - 10:30 PM

IPE Real Assets Infrastructure & Natural Capital Global Awards 2026 Dinner & Ceremony