DETAILED OUTLINE
8.30am
REGISTRATION OPEN
Heritage Ballroom, The Fullerton Hotel, Sydney
9.00am
WELCOME
Tim Townsend
Partner & Private Wealth Adviser, Townsend Cobain Partners
9.15am
THE END OF MACRO AND THE LAST ECONOMIST
The Role of Macroeconomics in Our Post-Pandemic World
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, markets experienced a period of ‘Great Moderation,’ where, from the mid-1980s onward, investors benefited from low inflation, favourable demographic trends, stable geopolitics, and the globalisation of trade. During this time, macroeconomic analysis took a backseat as markets thrived under these positive conditions. For many, it seemed like the end of the need for economists.
However, in our post-pandemic world, the landscape has shifted. The question now arises: is macroeconomics back in play? While there’s a renewed focus on macroeconomic factors, the mixed signals we’re currently seeing from traditional economic indicators challenge their practical application for investors seeking clear guidance.
In this opening session, our speakers will explore the relevance of macroeconomic analysis and forecasting in today’s market. They will share their perspectives on the most valuable inputs for asset allocation in this evolving environment, helping investors navigate the complexities of our new economic era.
​
THOUGHT LEADERS:
Chris Mackay
MD & Portfolio Manager, MFF Capital Investments
Christopher Joye
Chief Investment Officer, Coolabah Capital Investments
IDEA EXCHANGE - Table Discussion
-
Do you believe that macroeconomic factors will play a more significant role in future market performance? Why or why not?
-
How do you think investor behaviour is influenced by macroeconomic trends in the post-pandemic world?
-
What approaches or tools do you use as top-down inputs to your investment process?
10.15am
MORNING TEA
10.35am
ALTERNATIVE THINKING
Perspectives on Integrating Alternatives into Portfolios
While alternatives are often perceived by many investors as expensive, complex, and opaque, they remain integral to some of the world's most successful investment programs. These investments provide essential diversification that mitigates risks and enhances returns. For advisers, while there are challenges in accessing these investments effectively, various approaches are now becoming available to build a sophisticated allocation.
This session will explore the methods and strategies of investors who have successfully integrated alternative investments into their portfolios. Our speakers will delve into the challenges of implementation, sharing their insights and key considerations when evaluating the benefits and costs of different approaches to accessing alternatives. They will also discuss why the current environment warrants an allocation to alternatives and offer guidance on making informed manager selection decisions.
THOUGHT LEADERS:
Ashmi Mehrotra
Portfolio Manager, J.P. Morgan Asset Management
Kyle Lidbury
Head of Investment Research, Perpetual Private
IDEA EXCHANGE - Table Discussion
-
What are the most significant barriers you've encountered when trying to integrate alternatives into portfolios, and how have you addressed them?
-
How do you evaluate the trade-off between the potential returns of alternatives and the challenges of understanding their underlying structures?
-
In the current market environment, what specific alternative strategies or asset classes are you finding most compelling?
11.40am
PASSING THE BATON
How Growth and Return Drivers Will Change Over the Next Cycle
While mega-caps such as Nvidia and Microsoft have propelled markets during the current cycle, investors are now actively seeking tomorrow's winners. Interestingly, these emerging leaders currently account for relatively small portions of mainstream benchmark indices, which means investors need to make active allocation decisions to target these opportunities more directly.
This session will explore the evolving landscape of growth drivers and the changing dynamics that will influence future market leadership. Our speakers will discuss how these trends are likely to reshape the investment landscape and where the next generation of market leaders might emerge.
THOUGHT LEADERS:
Kieran Moore
Partner & Portfolio Manager, Munro Partners
Cameron Robson
Portfolio Manager / Analyst, Northcape Capital
IDEA EXCHANGE - Table Discussion
-
What criteria or indicators do you consider most important when evaluating high growth investments?
-
How do you see the broadening impact of Artificial Intelligence adoption influencing your portfolios?
-
With the shift in growth drivers away from China, which emerging markets do you believe hold the most promise for future returns and how you accessing these opportunities?
12.40pm
1.45pm
LUNCH
BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER
New Ideas in Portfolio Construction
The expanding range of investments available to advisers - across listed and unlisted markets, domestic and global, and spanning various asset classes and investment styles, creates opportunities to build more resilient portfolios that can perform well across varied market environments.
As we look ahead to the coming year, and drawing on ideas shared in previous sessions, our speakers will offer their perspectives on the key risks and imbalances currently present in portfolios. They will also highlight the asset classes, themes, and emerging opportunities that should be on our radar to achieve outperformance in the year ahead.
THOUGHT LEADERS:
Chad Hitzeman
Head of Institutional, Global X ETFs
Christopher Demasi
Portfolio Manager, Montaka Global Investments
Tim Farrelly
Principal, Farrelly's Investment Strategy
IDEA EXCHANGE - Table Discussion
-
How do you evaluate and select new asset classes or themes to include in your portfolios?
-
What challenges do you face when trying to implement innovative approaches in your portfolio construction process?
-
As you look ahead to the coming year, which asset classes or investment themes are you most optimistic about?
2.50pm
BEYOND THE HORIZON
Structuring Investments for Longer Term Goals
Due to the nature of markets and the constant daily news flow, we are often drawn into shorter-term considerations in our discussions with clients. While macro and market factors remain important, the changing regulatory landscape carries implications for how investments should be structured. As advisers, is it sufficient to continue with strategies from the past, or do new innovations present opportunities to better support our clients and enhance investment outcomes?
PART A – The Benefits of Deferred Gratification
In the first part of this strategy-focused session our speaker will discuss the growing role of annuities in customised client strategies, tailored to meet long-term goals and objectives. Can modern annuities provide us with the tools to offer clients greater peace of mind in their financial planning?
THOUGHT LEADER:
Mark Lapedus
Head of Product, Allianz Retire+
IDEA EXCHANGE - Table Discussion
-
What specific challenges do you see in achieving longer-term financial objectives, and how can these be effectively mitigated through use of insurance bonds and guaranteed income products?
-
Can high net worth clients maximise their outcomes through consideration of different investment structures?
-
Why/why should we consider structured products and what benefits do they bring?
PART B – Addressing the Certainty of (More) Taxes
The second part of this session will delve into the rising potential of insurance bonds within client portfolios as a means to optimise tax outcomes. With the expansion of investment options supporting this tax-efficient structure, it’s time to reassess the benefits insurance bonds offer—especially in today’s landscape of heightened regulatory risks around superannuation and the growing need to diversify across multiple structures to maximise their advantages.
THOUGHT LEADER:
John Laver
Head of Investments, Generation Life
3.55pm
AFTERNOON TEA
4.15pm
INNOVATE OR STAGNATE?
Strategies For Future-Proofing Your Practice
In an era where new technologies dramatically reshape our industry and client expectations continue to escalate, the key to sustained practice growth lies in our adaptability and commitment to innovation. This session will dissect the trends poised to accelerate and those expected to remain constant, analysing their implications for our strategic planning and operating models.
Drawing on the ideas from firms at the forefront of innovation, especially in the application of AI and Machine Learning, our speaker will present actionable takeaways and key areas of focus.
In a competitive landscape that increasingly rewards innovators and may sideline the less adaptable, this session is designed to arm you with the strategies needed to ensure your practice doesn't just survive but truly thrives.
​
THOUGHT LEADER:
Andrew Inwood
Founder, CoreData Group
Presentation to be directly followed by open Q&A