What does the future look like

[vc_empty_space height=”10px”]
Given the disruption and chaos currently facing the world, society and economies, this session looks at what an imagined future would look like and what the role of finance could be in a more informed and sustainable world.[vc_quotes layout=”accordion” quotes=”%5B%7B%22name%22%3A%22Stewart%20Brentnall%22%2C%22job_role%22%3A%22Chief%20investment%20officer%2C%20TCorp%20(Australia)%22%2C%22content%22%3A%22Stewart%20Brentnall%20joined%20TCorp%20as%20its%20first%20Chief%20Investment%20Officer%20in%20March%202017.%20The%20position%20was%20created%20following%20a%20merger%20between%20TCorp%20and%20two%20other%20NSW%20funds%20(State%20Super%20and%20iCare%2C%20formerly%20NSW%20WorkCover).%20He%20oversees%20TCorp%E2%80%99s%20end%20to%20end%20investment%20process.%20In%20this%20position%2C%20Mr%20Brentnall%20is%20responsible%20for%20running%20an%20aggregate%20portfolio%20of%20%24110bn%2C%20representing%20defined%20benefit%20pension%20assets%2C%20insurance%20reserves%2C%20an%20infrastructure%20recycling%20fund%20and%20an%20intergenerational%20sovereign%20wealth%20fund.%20%20Mr%20Brentnall%20has%20led%20the%20evolution%20of%20TCorp%E2%80%99s%20investment%20model%20to%20a%20risk%20based%20Total%20Portfolio%20Approach.%5CnFrom%202010-2017%2C%20Mr.%20Brentnall%20was%20Chief%20Investment%20Officer%20for%20ANZ%2C%20one%20of%20the%20large%20Australian%20banks.%20In%202009%2C%20ANZ%20bought%20out%20its%20joint%20venture%20with%20ING%20to%20strengthen%20its%20position%20in%20wealth%20management.%20He%20was%20brought%20in%20to%20oversee%20the%20transition%2C%20and%20to%20design%20and%20implement%20its%20asset%20management%20strategy.%5CnMr.%20Brentnall%20was%20previously%20Head%20of%20Investment%20Solutions%20at%20BT%20Financial%20Group%2C%20a%20newly%20created%20business%20unit%20to%20manage%20external%20funds.%20He%20also%20held%20various%20leadership%20roles%20in%20asset%20management%20at%20Queensland%20Investment%20Corporation%20(QIC)%2C%20Goldman%20Sachs%20and%20Schroders.%20He%20began%20his%20career%20as%20an%20auditor%20with%20Deloitte.%5Cn%22%2C%22image%22%3A%2231895%22%2C%22linkedin%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fstewart-brentnall%2F%22%7D%2C%7B%22name%22%3A%22Angela%20Roddell%22%2C%22job_role%22%3A%22Chief%20executive%2C%20Alaska%20Permanent%20Fund%20(United%20States)%22%2C%22content%22%3A%22Angela%20M.%20Rodell%20serves%20as%20the%20chief%20executive%20%2F%20executive%20director%20of%20the%20Alaska%20Permanent%20Fund%20Corporation%2C%20having%20been%20selected%20in%20October%20of%202015%20by%20the%20board%20of%20trustees.%20The%20APFC%20is%20a%20state-owned%20corporation%2C%20based%20in%20Juneau%2C%20Alaska%2C%20that%20manages%20and%20invests%20the%20assets%20of%20the%20%2455%20billion%20Alaska%20Permanent%20Fund%20and%20other%20funds%20designated%20by%20law.%20As%20the%20chief%20executive%20Rodell%20is%20leading%20the%20APFC%20at%20a%20pivotal%20time%20in%20history%20as%20it%20continues%20to%20emerge%20as%20a%20revenue%20generating%20center%20for%20the%20State%20of%20Alaska.%5CnRodell%20also%20served%20on%20the%20APFC%E2%80%99s%20board%20of%20trustees%20as%20a%20cabinet%20member%2C%20having%20been%20appointed%20commissioner%20of%20the%20department%20of%20revenue%20in%20August%2C%202013%20by%20Governor%20Sean%20Parnell.%20In%20addition%20to%20serving%20as%20a%20trustee%2C%20Rodell%20enjoyed%20the%20oversight%20role%20in%20working%20with%20the%20divisions%20and%20900%20employees%20within%20revenue%2C%20and%20participated%20as%20a%20member%20of%20several%20boards%2C%20including%20the%20Alaska%20Retirement%20Management%20Board%2C%20the%20Alaska%20Housing%20Finance%20Corporation%20Board%2C%20the%20Alaska%20State%20Bond%20Committee%20and%20the%20Alaska%20Industrial%20Development%20and%20Export%20Authority%2C%20among%20others.%5CnRodell%20first%20joined%20the%20State%20of%20Alaska%20in%20September%2C%202011%2C%20as%20State%20Treasurer%20and%20deputy%20commissioner%20over%20Revenue’s%20Treasury%20Division%2C%20Permanent%20Fund%20Dividend%20Division%20and%20the%20Child%20Support%20Services%20Division.%20Formerly%2C%20Rodell%20served%20as%20financial%20advisor%20to%20more%20than%20%2430%20billion%20of%20transactions%20for%20state%20and%20state%20authorities%20in%20more%20than%20nine%20states%2C%20including%20Alaska.%20Transactions%20included%20general%20obligation%2C%20pension%20obligation%2C%20public%20power%2C%20tobacco%20securitisation%2C%20affordable%20housing%2C%20and%20toll%20road%20and%20transportation%20financing.%20Prior%20to%20becoming%20a%20financial%20advisor%2C%20Rodell%20served%20as%20the%20finance%20officer%20to%20Kentucky%20Housing%20Corporation.%5CnRodell%20has%20a%20Bachelor%20of%20Arts%20degree%20from%20Marquette%20University%20in%20Milwaukee%2C%20Wisconsin%20and%20a%20Masters%20in%20Public%20Administration%20from%20the%20University%20of%20Kentucky%20in%20Lexington%2C%20Kentucky.%5Cn%22%2C%22image%22%3A%2231896%22%2C%22linkedin%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fangela-rodell-a3b5597%2F%22%7D%2C%7B%22name%22%3A%22Geoffrey%20Rubin%22%2C%22job_role%22%3A%22Chief%20investment%20strategist%2C%20CPP%20Investments%20(Canada)%22%2C%22content%22%3A%22Geoff%20Rubin%20is%20responsible%20for%20overall%20fund-level%20investment%20strategy%20and%20heads%20the%20total%20portfolio%20management%20(TPM)%20department%20%E2%80%93%20the%20operational%20arm%20of%20CPP%20Investments%E2%80%99%20investment%20planning%20committee%2C%20with%20overall%20management%20accountability%20for%20the%20oversight%20and%20management%20of%20the%20fund%E2%80%99s%20investment%20portfolio.%5CnHe%20joined%20CPP%20Investments%20in%202011%2C%20with%20the%20inception%20of%20TPM%2C%20and%20has%20helped%20shape%20its%20growth%20and%20evolution%2C%20and%20to%20define%20and%20execute%20CPP%20Investments%E2%80%99%20total%20portfolio%20approach.%5CnPreviously%2C%20he%20held%20finance%20roles%20with%20Fannie%20Mae%20and%20Capital%20One%20Financial%20where%20he%20managed%20the%20global%20balance%20sheet.%20Rubin%20also%20ran%20a%20consulting%20practice%20and%20was%20Adjunct%20Professor%20at%20American%20University%E2%80%99s%20Kogod%20School%20of%20Business%20in%20Washington%2C%20DC.%5CnHe%20holds%20a%20BA%20in%20Economics%20from%20the%20University%20of%20Virginia%20and%20a%20PhD%20in%20Economics%20from%20Princeton%20University.%5Cn%22%2C%22image%22%3A%2231897%22%2C%22linkedin%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fgeoffrey-rubin-43713814%2F%22%7D%5D” title=”Speakers” el_class=””][vc_quotes layout=”accordion” quotes=”%5B%7B%22name%22%3A%22Amanda%20White%22%2C%22job_role%22%3A%22Director%20of%20institutional%20content%2C%20Conexus%20Financial%20(Australia)%22%2C%22content%22%3A%22Amanda%20White%20is%20responsible%20for%20the%20content%20across%20all%20Conexus%20Financial%E2%80%99s%20institutional%20media%20and%20events.%20In%20addition%20to%20being%20the%20editor%20of%20Top1000funds.com%2C%20she%20is%20responsible%20for%20directing%20the%20global%20bi-annual%20Fiduciary%20Investors%20Symposium%20which%20challenges%20global%20investors%20on%20investment%20best%20practice%20and%20aims%20to%20place%20the%20responsibilities%20of%20investors%20in%20wider%20societal%2C%20and%20political%20contexts.%20She%20holds%20a%20Bachelor%20of%20Economics%20and%20a%20Masters%20of%20Art%20in%20Journalism%20and%20has%20been%20an%20investment%20journalist%20for%20more%20than%2025%20years.%20She%20is%20currently%20a%20fellow%20in%20the%20Finance%20Leaders%20Fellowship%20at%20the%20Aspen%20Institute.%20The%20two-year%20program%20seeks%20to%20develop%20the%20next%20generation%20of%20responsible%2C%20community-spirited%20leaders%20in%20the%20global%20finance%20industry.%22%2C%22image%22%3A%2231861%22%2C%22linkedin%22%3A%22https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Famanda-white-101a7515%2F%22%7D%5D” title=”Moderator” el_class=””][vc_empty_space height=”10px”]

Key takeaways

Stewart
  • The future is about risk allocation, not asset allocation. COVID-19 makes the distinction clearer between mature and less mature economies.
  • In the future we should approach benchmarks with caution as they will look very different.
  • Supply chains will be more spread across countries to reduce geographic concentration risk.
  • The future will see an acceleration of sustainability investing and a rising heat around the demand for social justice. Questions around mission and governance will arise with a greater resolve to implement greater horizon strategies.
  • A true long horizon portfolio may move away from 60/40 or 70/30 and move much closer to 100/0.
 Angela
  •  The future looks brighter if we invest in technological infrastructure such as broadband.
  • The future will see greater investment in the smaller cities.
  • Perhaps moving forward we will think very differently about investing in commodities or cryptocurrencies, or risk being left behind.
 Geoff
  • Reassuringly, in the long-term the future growth trajectory will look a lot like the past; the combination of labour, capital and technology has been an incredibly resilient and consistent engine of growth and has survived World Wars and pandemics.

Sponsored Content

Leave a Comment

Florida: Opportunities in a crisis

Florida: Opportunities in a crisis

The Florida State Board of Administration has made some strategic moves to take advantage of opportunities in the dislocation, including in private equity, distressed debt and active listed equities.. But CIO, Ash Williams, is concerned about the underlying real economy.

Sort content by

FIS 2020: Global Policy Response

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.

Society isn’t working: Larry Summers

Former Treasury Secretary, Larry Summers, questioned the successful functioning of US democracy and America’s continued ability to “lead the world”.

FIS 2020: Positioning portfolios

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.

FIS 2020: The policy response

FIS 2020 will discuss how the unprecedented government stimulus in response to the pandemic could affect investor returns and specific allocations. Areas of concern include a sharp rise in zombie companies kept afloat by government support.

The vaccine

This session looks at the development of a vaccine for COVID-19 and what cooperation is needed to fight the virus.

Ways to change the world

In conversation with the current recipient of the Nobel Prize in Economics, Esther Duflo, this session looks at the phenomenon of inequality and the way in which economics and finance can help meet the challenge for a better, more equal, world.

Previous