Investment professionals from pension funds, endowments and family offices in the UK and Europe were brought together for an investment think-tank with leading academics from London Business School and Cambridge University to discuss the latest investment thinking and application to institutional investors’ portfolios.
The academics presented to the investors who then discussed the outtakes and the implications of the lectures with their peers via roundtable discussion.
The highly interactive format, expertly facilitated by Conexus Financial and conexust1f.flywheelstaging.com with sponsorship support from Winton, allowed for the fusion of academic thinking and investment best practice, giving investors an edge in their decision making.
The presentations were:
• Investing in financial assets for the long term, presented by Elroy Dimson
• Hedge fund factors and extracting absolute returns, presented by Narayan Naik
• Incorporating lessons of financial history into investment practice, presented by David Chambers
Asset Classes
London investment think-tank
Private Credit
Mid-market, asset-backed private credit shines for growing Asian allocators
Asia's growing investors, including university endowments and family offices, are hunting for returns in lower-middle market and asset-backed private credit. In an interview with Top1000funds.com, head of Asian clients at the $92 billion OCIO Cambridge Associates, Prabhat Ojha, talks manager selection and Asian allocators' rising appetite for alternatives.
Darcy SongAugust 11, 2025
Equities
Rebalancing at UTIMCO: Why investors should worry about corporate earnings
In a recent board meeting, University of Texas Investment Management Co's head Rich Hall explained why he is concerned about corporate earnings' impact on equity returns. He also warned that as consumer and company spending slows, a recession can become self-fulfilling until new facts emerge to break the pattern.
Sarah RundellJuly 16, 2025
Infrastructure
Temasek chases core-plus infra, creates private credit offshoot
The $338 billion Singapore state investor Temasek is contemplating allocating more capital to core-plus infrastructure projects, especially those related to data centres, energy transition and ageing facilities. The fund also spun out a standalone private credit platform called Aranda from its in-house credit team last fiscal year.
Darcy SongJuly 11, 2025
Digital assets
North Carolina opens the door to bitcoin but state treasurer remains wary
North Carolina state treasurer Brad Briner tells Top1000funds.com in an interview that bitcoin will need to be less volatile for it to attract state investment, and points to a longer-term worry in digital assets that could have “a profoundly negative implication for our country”.
Sarah RundellJune 26, 2025
Private Credit
WSIB edges towards standalone private credit, eyeing best GPs
Unlike many other US institutional investors, Washington State Investment Board has not built out a large private credit allocation. This autumn the board will decide on the size and shape of a standalone allocation in which partnering with top quartile GPs will be essential.
Sarah RundellJune 17, 2025
Investor Profile
Dutch insurer NN flags loose lending and copious capital in private credit
Marieke van Kamp, head of private markets at Dutch insurer NN, flags growing risks in private credit. In an interview with Top1000funds.com, she also outlines NN's partnership model with managers and argues the case for sustainable real estate.
Sarah RundellJune 5, 2025
FIS Harvard 2025
Long-term investors can help break VC’s short-term trap
The short-term investment focus of venture capital investors and the withdrawal of government funding are opening the door to asset owners as providers of patient, long-term capital to fill an investment void, the Top1000funds.com Fiduciary Investors Symposium has heard.
Darcy SongMay 28, 2025
