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 Fiduciary Investors Symposium at Cambridge University brought together more than 70 asset owners from 15 countries to discuss asset owners responsibility to engage with policymakers, barriers to long term investing and risks including ESG, climate and cyber security. Brett Himbury, chief executive of IFM Investors revealed how an asset manager defines its behaviours and
Images from the Fiduciary Investors Symposium, Cambridge 2019, day three
An overwhelming number of delegates at the Fiduciary Investors Symposium said the funds management industry was not doing well in innovationMartin Gilbert, who started Aberdeen Standard Investments in 1983 and is now chair, said industry participants needed to innovate and disrupt themselves.
Institutional investors are navigating the different risks that can impact their portfolios in different ways, explained chief risk offers speaking at the Fiduciary Investors Symposium in Cambridge. Arjen Pasma, chief risk officer at Dutch asset manager PGGM noted how risks span investment risk, counterparty risk, liquidity risk and ESG risk. Measuring ESG risk in the manager’s large allocation to private markets where each deal is scored on ESG and climate risk is particularly important, he said.
Innovation is more important than ever given the uncertain and ambiguous times that lie ahead for institutional investors like climate change, political dysfunction and poor returns. “Returns can only come from an ecosystem that works and we need innovation to do this,” said Roger Urwin, global head of investment content, Willis Towers Watson speaking at the Fiduciary Investors Symposium at Cambridge University.
Images from the Fiduciary Investors Symposium, Cambridge 2019, day two
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