As artificial intelligence models become more sophisticated, asset owners and managers are rethinking portfolio construction as an activity sitting at the nexus of human and machine, which means gaining an edge over the market increasingly needs investors to tap into the wisdom from both sources.
The global economy is increasingly bifurcated between the US, Europe and Asia and how the growth projections and geopolitical risks between these regions plays out is of increasing interest to institutional investors. The Fiduciary Investors Symposium in Singapore will look at the return and impact opportunities in the region, and the importance of Asia in the global economy.
It will examine the global economy in the context of the west adapting to a rising Asia; technology decoupling between the US and China; the impact of COVID-19 on Asian economies; the leading role of Asia in technology, smart cities, digitalisation and fintech; ESG risks and opportunities; and portfolio resilience to different macro-economic regimes.
The conference enables asset owners from around the world to explore investment themes, risks and opportunities with their global peers, and explore cutting edge approaches to risk management, liquidity management and portfolio construction.
Real estate is one of the asset classes hardest hit by the pandemic. Although FIS 2020 experts warn that some companies may never return to the office, opportunities are already appearing in smaller, regional hubs while listed real estate will recover quicker than private investments.
CEO of Franklin Templeton, Jenny Johnson, said asset managers need to do more, particularly in boosting diversity and inclusion in the underlying companies they own. She said the industry needed to do more to ensure capital is available to black-run and female-run businesses.
Current fiscal and monetary policies are taking the world down a necessary, but dangerous path, according to co-CIO of Bridgewater Greg Jensen. He told investors asset allocations should focus on diversification, and assets that benefit from fiscal and monetary policy moving together.
Two ex-central bankers, Randy Kroszner and Lucrezia Reichlin, said that central banks were doing everything they could to ensure markets continue to function. They said inflation was unlikely.
Former Treasury Secretary, Larry Summers, questioned the successful functioning of US democracy and America’s continued ability to “lead the world”.
For some investors, plunging equity valuations in March were an opportunity to ‘get back in’ at reasonable prices. More recently the rapid recovery has been a cause to position conservatively once again.
This event looks at the challenges long-term investors face in an environment of disruption including ongoing geopolitical risk and shifts in global economic dynamics. By accessing faculty of Harvard’s esteemed university, this event will leave investors empowered to tackle disruption in their portfolios and working lives.
The Fiduciary Investors Symposium at Stanford University celebrates the fast-moving change taking place in economies and communities and will examine the impact of innovation on our lives, workplaces and investments.
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