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Speakers
Peter Anderton
Peter Anderton is Founder of Internal Alignment, a High-Performance Team Engineer. He is also a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD and Chartered Engineer.
Peter is an expert in guiding people to re-evaluate and strip back the noise and complexity that has buried leadership over the last few years.
He has immersed his life in transformation, from the stories he read as a child to his habit of buying houses in ever increasing states of disrepair in order to restore and transform them.
As a creator of events, masterclasses, programmes and reinventor of companies and leaders worldwide, Peter has a unique connection working with many globally renowned and inspirational companies.
His presentation will open your eyes and unlock the need to know strategies and secrets that will boost your results, providing insights into the principles that underpin successful teams, leaders and organisations.
"There are too many miserable leaders, too many organisations floundering and the honest conversations are taking place in the
corridor not in the boardroom. I can change that. That's what I do" - Peter Anderton
Paul Sinha
After turning to stand-up as a break from his studies whilst he was a junior doctor, Paul Sinha went on to become both a practising GP and an Edinburgh comedy award nominee. He continued to perform whilst working as a locum in the East End of London, at the same time his experiences on the NHS frontline became a great source of material.
Paul’s wonderfully relaxed, friendly story-telling style combines wry observations on life and the world with beautifully crafted one-liners, along with a fund of anecdotes from his experiences with patients and bureaucracy.
Having now forsaken doctoring, Paul is frequently heard on Radio 4 and 5Live displaying his knowledge, passion and wit on current affairs and sport - especially cricket and football - on everything from his own documentary features to The News Quiz, Just A Minute, The Now Show, Fighting Talk and Yes It’s The Ashes. He wrote and hosted his own documentary for Radio 4, The Sinha Test in which he looked at the intertwining of sport and nationality, a theme he revisited for the Olympics with The Sinha Games. He also presented his History Revision series which took on the more unusual, yet telling aspects of history, and appeared on QI, Would I Lie to You?, and ITV4’s sporting quiz Football Genius.
A quiz obsessive (and a regular fixture in the UK’s top 20 best quizzers) Paul realised a life-long dream by appearing on special editions of both University Challenge and Mastermind. He appears as a ‘chaser’ on ITV’s popular quiz show The Chase (where Paul is known as ‘The Sinnerman’). As well as participating in televised and pub quizzes, he writes and hosts them. He’s also a published writer with his first book The Real British Citizenship Test: What You Really Need to Know to be a UK Citizen taking a comic look at British identity and stereotypes. Paul made headlines when he offered Gordon Brown some tips on how to keep his jokes fresh.
Guest Speaker:
Jane Doe
Speakers
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Keith Boyes
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Nicola Ellis
Jennifer Ellis
Alasdair Walker
Karl Pemberton
Helen Howcroft
Saran Allott-Davey
Lewis Birch
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James Connor
Workshops
Workshops
Enhanced Index Strategies
The long-standing debate over active versus passive investing might be missing the point. Passive investing offers advantages such as competitive costs, diversification, and clarity, which have benefited many investors. Active investing, on the other hand, holds the potential for outperformance.
Enhanced Indexation bridges this divide by combining the strengths of both approaches. However, success depends on the execution. It requires common-sense investment principles paired with a disciplined, systematic approach.
Simply finding return generators is not enough; they must be integrated into a well-constructed portfolio that not only aligns with its strategy but also avoids unintended risks. As we all know, the world keeps turning, and the portfolio needs to continuously adapt to new insights and emerging risks.
This session illustrates the theory and process used to deal with these challenges to deliver equity portfolios that capture the benefits of active and passive.
Workshop Objectives:
1. Attendees will learn how we aim to enhance index returns using well established academic factors.
2. Attendees will learn how we integrate Portfolio Construction and Risk Management techniques into the process to achieve the investment objectives.
3. At the end of our presentation, you will understand how Enhanced Index strategies leverage the advantages of both passive and active investment to deliver consistent, repeatable long-term returns for investors at compelling fees.
Company Profile: abrdn Investments is a global specialist asset manager committed to helping investors achieve their financial goals in a changing world. With a presence in over 25 locations and managing £369bn in assets as of June 2024, we excel in Asia, emerging markets, specialist equities, real assets, and public and private credit.
Our solutions cater to insurers, pension providers, and include managed portfolios and enhanced index investing. We prioritise environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles, promoting sustainable practices through active ownership. Our strategy focuses on key themes: financial democratisation, aging populations, emerging markets, and climate change.
At abrdn Investments, we aim to create impactful investment opportunities for our clients today and in the future
Speakers
Nick Millington
Head of Systematic Indexation
Nick Millington is Head of Systematic Index Solutions within the Quantitative Index Solutions team at abrdn Investments. He joined the company in 2001 and is a founder member of the QIS team. His initial role was as a Quantitative Analyst before progressing to become Head of Portfolio Risk and then Co-Head of Quantitative Equities. Prior to this, he began his career at JP Morgan Investment Management in 1998 working in a number of roles including equity derivatives, FX and cash. Nick graduated with a BA (Hons) in Economics from the University of Strathclyde.
Representatives
Ben Tucker
Business Development Director
Ben is a Business Development Director for the UK Wholesale Team at abrdn. Based in London, he collaborates with wealth managers, family offices, and private banks. Ben holds a BA in Business Administration from Brighton University and brings 14 years of experience in the asset management industry. He joined abrdn in December 2024.
Rory Hardie
Associate Director of Business Development
Rory is an Associate Director of Business Development for the UK Wholesale team at abrdn. Rory joined abrdn in 2019 and following the graduate scheme spent over 3 years as an Equities Investment Specialist. Rory graduated with a first class MA (Hons) in History from the University of Aberdeen, holds an Investment Management Certificate (IMC) and has passed Level I of the CFA Program.
Mindful Markets: How the City has made it hard for anxious investors and the conversations that can help.
We have been working with advisers over the course of the last few years to build a set of tools to tackle the problems that anxiety causes when it comes to investing. Whether that is avoiding bubbles, systematic under-risking or over-allocating to particular asset classes, we have created a range of useful infographics to help advisers have more positive conversations with clients.
Workshop Objectives:
- Explore the role of anxiety in driving long-term investment outcomes
- Explore how to distinguish between risk aversion and anxiety
- Explore ways of communicating with clients to help reduce the behaviours associated with anxiety which can lead to worse long-term retirement outcomes.
- And explore some more of our favourite simple graphs to have better conversations about markets.
Company Profile: Albemarle Street Partners is a discretionary fund manager with a simple objective: To deliver well managed investment solutions, which demonstrate value for money, whilst not having to compromise on the quality of investment, or on the level of service we give our clients.
Speakers
Charlie Parker
Managing Director
Charlie is responsible for the overall strategy of Albemarle Street Partners. He was previously the head of portfolio management for Sanlam UK and a director of Neptune Investment Management. He began his career as an investment journalist and commentator for both the print and broadcast media.
Representatives
Ollie Vickers
Partnerships Manager
Ollie joined Albemarle Street Partners in early 2024. Prior to this, he held a position as Sales Manager for Liontrust Asset Management in the South West of England and Wales.
Eleanor Williams
Partnerships Director
Eleanor is responsible for Albemarle Street Partners' business development. She brings considerable expertise in marketing and client relationship management having held a range of senior commercial positions at Citywire.
Building a scalable CIP
Aspen explores the use of MPS as the building blocks for a complete CIP solution.
We go beyond the simple range of risk rated models to show how you can blend MPS to create tailored outcomes for clients.
We will talk through three typical clients:
- Accumulators/simple needs
- HNW/Complex needs
- Those in retirement (CRP)
And demonstrate, using Aspen’s intuitive technology, how we can cater for varying client goals using the building blocks of MPS, in an efficient and scalable manner.
Workshop Objectives: To better understand the MPS landscape and how to serve clients with varying goals.
Speakers
Andrew Spence
CEO
Andrew founded Aspen in 2019 – with the aim of transforming the MPS marketing, through a best-in-class digital experience for advisers. His background covers senior roles in Edinburgh and London, leading fund research and running model portfolios.
Representatives
Lewis Brasseaux
Head of Strategic Partnerships
Lewis is Head of Strategic Partnerships at Aspen. Coming from a background of working for some of the largest names in the industry, Lewis joined the Aspen team in 2023 with a shared vision to build and grow something completely unique that evolves financial planning. Using his business development skills, as well as his qualifications in financial planning, he is responsible for growing The Aspen brand and supporting partner firms.
Capital deployment and wealth creation in the real world.
Many investors talk about long-termism but few put it into practice. The savings and investment industry is rife with misalignments of horizon. Active management is about picking great companies and backing them with conviction. Very few companies drive the vast majority of stockmarket returns in the long term. Is finding them a needle-in-a-haystack impossibility? If you think so, invest in everything via a passive fund. We think differently: the hallmarks of companies that create meaningful long term wealth are continued investment in R&D, adaptable and aligned management teams, and large addressable markets. We believe that an original approach to research and a focus on creativity, imagination and engagement with management teams can tilt the odds in your favour.
Workshop Objectives: Prompting thinking on fundamental wealth creation, how stockmarkets have drifted from this purpose, and overcoming the short-termism that is responsible for so many poor investment decisions by both investors and companies.
Company Profile: Baillie Gifford’s sole business is investment management. Since the company was founded in 1908 it has been a partnership. Today it is owned by 58 partners all of whom work in the business.
We believe that the best investment ideas spring from thinking about future possibilities, not short-term probabilities. We set no barriers to the imagination of our investors, encouraging fresh perspectives and the use of diverse sources of information. We term ourselves Actual Investors.
We currently manage or advise some £219bn on behalf of clients worldwide. Whilst we are predominantly an institutional manager (circa 80% of FUM), we offer an extensive range of investment trusts and open-ended funds to UK wealth managers and intermediaries.
Speakers
Stuart Dunbar
Client Relationship Director, Partner
Stuart has been with Baillie Gifford for over 20 years and is a partner in the firm. He has overall responsibility for global business development and product strategy, working closely with investment teams and client groups to ensure the delivery of high quality services and suitable investment outcomes for clients. He is a member of the firm’s Strategic Leadership Group. Stuart often speaks publicly on the firm’s efforts to focus on real world wealth creation and capital deployment over stock market speculation, and is an architect of the ‘Actual Investors’ philosophy that underpins the firm’s investment approach. In recent times he has been working with multiple stakeholders to develop Baillie Gifford’s integration of responsible investing factors into investment processes, the goal being to take advantage of the growth opportunities and potential investment returns that are arising as the investment environment changes. Baillie Gifford currently invests around $300bn for clients in around 35 countries, including pension funds, sovereign wealth funds, wealth managers and other financial institutions worldwide.
Representatives
Megan Rooney
Client Relationship Manager
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Megan is a client relationship manager in the UK Intermediaries Team. She joined Baillie Gifford in 2016. Prior to joining the firm, Megan worked at Barclays, specialising in private client services. She graduated BSc (Hons) in Geography from the University of Glasgow in 2014.
David Rolland
Client Relationship Manager
David joined Baillie Gifford in 2022 with responsibility for intermediary client relationships (specifically UK Advisers) in the UK. He spent 12 years working on the ‘buy side’, joining Williams De Broe in 2010, which became Investec in 2012. David began his career as a portfolio manager, then as a discretionary fund manager for the next 8 years (4 of which were spent in the Channel Islands). David graduated from the University of Aberdeen, before completing a postgraduate degree at Edinburgh Napier University. He is a Chartered Wealth Manager and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment.
Opportunities and value in a changing advice market
Our profession is evolving at an unprecedented pace; increasing demand, growing cost of regulation, and evolving fee models: how can an advice business grow and thrive?
Achieving a balance between providing a great client experience, ensuring efficiency for advisers, growing a profitable business and meeting regulatory expectations is challenging. But what are the potential rewards for getting this right, and the risks of getting it wrong?
We’ll explore the dynamics of a shifting landscape, reveal insights from consumer research and share a framework for measuring the value of advice. We’ll also explore the role technology can play in enhancing both the adviser and client journey to help you stay ahead of the curve and future-proof your business in the years ahead.
Workshop Objectives:
1. Where are the opportunities in the advice market?
2. What is ‘value’ in a post-Consumer Duty world?
3. How do we use tech to measure and evidence our success?
Speakers
Lisa Jones
Head of Business Development
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Lisa has 20 years’ experience in financial services and joined Benchmark Capital in 2016 as Head of Strategic Relationships. She now heads Business Development, working with new firms to bring them into the Benchmark Capital ecosystem, to ensure a seamless transition to Benchmark solutions and streamline adviser processes. Lisa also works closely with existing clients, empowering their growth and consulting on their recruitment and acquisition strategies.
Representatives
Dan Fairweather
Senior Business Development Consultant, Benchmark
Dan has 23 years’ experience across the IFA, platform and investment sectors, working closely with business owners and other key stakeholders at high quality advice firms. He focusses on delivering measurable value by helping advisers to increase efficiencies, accelerate growth and plan their succession strategy. Having spent his career working with a wide variety of advice firms, he has significant insight into the industry and a keen eye for future developments.Dan holds the Diploma in Financial Planning and Investment Management Certificate.
William Andrew
Head of London & Home Counties, Advisory Sales, Schroders
Will works strategically with key intermediary clients across the London & Home Counties region, covering the full investment solutions and fund range. He joined Schroders in 2015 and has over 10 years’ experience in financial services working on both the buy and sell side. Before joining Schroders, Will was a foreign exchange derivatives Trader at Berkeley Futures. He holds a BSc Degree from the University of Nottingham and is a Chartered Wealth Manager.
In a world of change, take a new perspective
We appear to be undergoing seismic shifts in the global economic and geopolitical landscapes, as well as equity markets that have become increasingly difficult to navigate. But far from being phased by these conditions, as bottom-up investors we are excited about the diverse range of long-term opportunities that could emerge. Capital Group New Perspective is a global equity strategy that has been investing in change for over 50 years, looking to identify companies that we believe will benefit from shifts in global trade patterns as well as economic and political relationships.
Workshop Objectives:
- Reflect on the seismic changes that are currently impacting the global economy and financial markets.
- Gain insight into the megatrends we expect will shape the investment landscape in the years and decades ahead.
- How a time-tested, flexible approach could help to navigate whatever global equity markets have in store.
Company Profile: Capital Group is one of the oldest and largest asset management companies in the world, managing multi-asset, equity and fixed income investment strategies for different types of investors.
Since 1931, Capital Group has been singularly focused on delivering superior, consistent results for long-term investors using high conviction portfolios, rigorous research and individual accountability. Today, Capital Group works with financial intermediaries and institutions to manage more than US$2.8 trillion in long-term assets for investors around the world.
* As at 30 September 2024.
Speakers
John Lamb
Investment Specialist
John Lamb is an investment specialist at Capital Group. He has nine years of industry experience and has been with Capital Group for six years. Prior to joining Capital, John worked as a strategic product management associate at BlackRock. He holds a bachelor's degree in economics and management from the University of Oxford. He also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation. John is based in London.
Representatives
Representative Name
CEO, Barclays
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The Benefits of Investing in Real Assets
The presentation will outline the benefits of investing listed real assets, introduce a framework for allocating capital within the asset class, seeking to exploit three well entrenched themes which the team believes can serve as a robust asset allocation tool to discover companies which can deliver strong through-cycle cash flow growth.
Workshop Objectives:
• Highlight the benefits of investing in Listed Real Assets.
• Identify the key themes impacting the cash flow profile and potential growth of Listed Real Assets companies.
• Outline the decision-making process of the HSBC Asset Management’s Listed Real Assets team through existing strategy holdings.
Company Profile: HSBC Asset Management should be referred to either in full or as HSBC AM to avoid confusion with any other financial services firms.
HSBC Asset Management, the investment management business of the HSBC Group, invests on behalf of HSBC’s worldwide customer base of retail and private clients, intermediaries, corporates and institutions through both segregated accounts and pooled funds. HSBC Asset Management connects HSBC’s clients with investment opportunities around the world through an international network of offices in 22 countries and territories, delivering global capabilities with local market insight. As at 30 September 2024, HSBC Asset Management managed assets totalling US$765bn on behalf of its clients.
For more information see http://www.global.assetmanagement.hsbc.com/
HSBC Asset Management is the brand name for the asset management businesses of HSBC Holdings plc.
Speakers
Giuseppe Corona
Head of Listed Real Assets
Giuseppe Corona is the Head of Listed Real Assets at HSBC Asset Management, based in the London office. He joined the financial industry in 1999 and began portfolio management in 2008. Prior to joining HSBC, Mr Corona spent ten years in AMP Capital’s Global Listed Infrastructure Team where he was appointed Head of Global Listed Infrastructure in 2016. He has also spent time with Exane-BNP Paribas, Swan, and Bear Stearns.
Tom Carlton
Tom Carlton is based in HSBC Asset Management’s London office and is responsible for the analysis of global real estate. Mr Carlton has 18 years of property experience. Prior to joining HSBC, he spent time with Legal & General Investment Management and Property Market Analysis.
Representatives
Natasha Crosby
Director- UK Intermediary – London & Southeast
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Natasha joined the HSBC Global Asset Management sales team in 2019, and works with the advisory market and strategic partners, building relationships in London and the Southeast. Prior to this she held similar roles at Aviva Investors and, most recently, Seven Investment Management where she covered the North as a Business Development Executive.
Marcus Hartley
UK Intermediary, Director – Midlands & South West
Marcus joined the HSBC Asset Management sales team in 2019, and works with the advisory market and strategic partners, building relationships in the Midlands and the Southwest. Prior to this he was a Portfolio Manager at Coutts & Co, and most recently, Old Mutual Wealth / Quilter where he was a Business Development Manager as part of the Advisor Sales Team.
Tax effective use of Trusts and Onshore Bonds in Legacy Planning’
The Rysaffe principle can offer significant advantages for inheritance tax (IHT) planning. In this presentation we will show you how it can bring substantial benefits to clients using discretionary loan trusts and gifts trusts.
Workshop Objectives: To review the Rysaffe Principle in depth informing Advisers how this principle may have the potential to reduce IHT charges on Discretionary Trusts when they undertake lump sum investment planning
Company Profile: HSBC Life (UK) Limited is part of the HSBC Group, one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organisations.
HSBC Life (UK) Limited was founded in the UK in 1988 and offers insurance services to meet protection and investment management needs. Our services and solutions are available through HSBC banking channels and selected third parties, including financial advisers and aggregators. For more information on HSBC Life (UK) Limited range of services go to https://www.life.hsbc.co.uk/ and for more information on HSBC please go to https://www.hsbc.com
Speakers
Francesca Gandolfi
Francesca specialises in providing technical support to colleagues and advisers on trusts, tax, and estate planning. She regularly presents at industry events and webinars. Francesca’s career in financial services has spanned over 25 years. She was a qualified financial adviser specialising in care fees planning – helping clients maintain financial independence pre and post-retirement. She has also worked for a number of providers dealing with account management, platforms, investments, retirement and equity release.
Representatives
Rita Solanki
Senior Investment and Insurance Business Development Manager
Rita has over 30 years’ experience within the wealth management sector and has built quality relationships with Financial Advisers. She started her career at Sun Life and originally joined HSBC Life in 2010, before gaining experience at a boutique UK and International Wrap Platform, before re-joining HSBC Life in 2018.
Mark Lambert
Head of HSBC Life (UK) Investment Distribution
Mark’s career in financial services spans over 20 years, and he currently holds the Chartered Wealth Manager designation from the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment. In previous roles, he’s provided independent financial advice at American Express’s IFA business, delivered National Wrap Platform Sales, and distributed Private Banking Solutions into the IFA marketplace with UBS. Mark joined HSBC Life in 2017 and heads up the Onshore Investment Bond distribution team - supporting Financial Advisers across the UK.
Navigating Global Bond Markets: Opportunities Beyond US Challenges
In recent times, the bond market has faced numerous challenges, particularly in the US, driven by factors such as inflation and Federal Reserve policies. However, other regions present more favourable conditions for bonds.
The Marlborough Global Bond fund is positioned to seize these opportunities. Our active management and global reach enable us to harness the potential of the global bond market, effectively mitigating risks associated with the US market and enhancing a portfolio's overall performance.
Workshop Objectives:
• Understand the risks associated with the US bond market
• Discuss the opportunities in more favourable bond markets outside the US
• Understand how an actively managed fund, with a global reach, can influence the overall performance of portfolios
Company Profile: Marlborough is an award-winning independently owned investment management specialist. We have been managing money for more than 35 years and we are committed to making a difference for investors by helping them achieve their financial objectives.
We are the appointed investment manager for the 19 IFSL Marlborough funds and for the Marlborough Managed Portfolio Solutions (MPS) service.
Marlborough is part of the Marlborough Group, which also includes Investment Fund Services (IFS), a provider of expert fund governance services to enable financial advisers and investment managers to launch their own funds or unitise existing portfolios. IFS acts as the authorised corporate director (ACD), a role that includes taking ultimate responsibility for a fund’s compliance with Financial Conduct Authority regulations and ensuring it is managed in the best interests of its investors.
Speakers
James Athey
Fund Manager
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James has more than 20 years’ investment management experience. He joined Marlborough in May 2024 as a Fund Manager and co-manages our Global Bond and Bond Income funds with Niall McDermott. James began his career at Deutsche Asset Management in 2001 before joining what is today Abrdn when it acquired DeAM in 2005. Prior to joining Marlborough, he was a Senior Portfolio Manager in the team managing Abrdn’s European and global government bond funds. James studied at Loughborough University and holds a degree in business economics & finance and a master’s in information technology.
Niall McDermot
Fund Manager
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Niall graduated with a master’s degree in investment fund management from the University of Glasgow and joined Marlborough in 2016, as an Investment Analyst in the fixed interest team. He later became Assistant Fund Manager, before being appointed Fund Manager of the Global Bond and Bond Income funds.
Representatives
James Walkin
Business Development Manager
James joined Marlborough in 2023 and is part of the Wholesale & Institutional Distribution team covering the Midlands, North of England and Scotland. James has been in the investment industry for over 20 years and previously held roles at Natixis Investment Managers, GLG Partners and SWIP
Martin Jenkins
Business Development Manager
Martin joined Marlborough in 2024 and is part of the Wholesale & Institutional Distribution team covering the South of England. With nearly two decades of experience in the Asset management industry Martin has also held previous roles at Edentree IM, Liontrust and SWIP/Aberdeen Asset.
Kevin Addison
Head of Wholesale & Institutional Distribution
Kevin was appointed Marlborough’s Head of Wholesale & Institutional Distribution in May 2023. He joined from Downing Fund Managers, where he was Head of Sales & Distribution. Before that Kevin was Head of Funds Distribution at Brooks Macdonald.
Enhancing Client Outcomes: The Value of External Investment Experts
As the impact of the FCA’s Consumer Duty and other regulations continues to be grappled with, many advisers managing their investment propositions in-house are recognising the advantages of collaborating with external investment experts. This partnership can help build, shape, and manage Client Investment Propositions (CIPs) to mitigate risk and enhance client outcomes. This session will explore the rationale for engaging external investment experts and the key considerations for effective collaboration.
Workshop Objectives: To understand how external investment experts can enhance a CIP, the benefits they offer to clients, and the important factors to consider when working with external partners
Company Profile: Mercer, a business of Marsh McLennan (NYSE: MMC), is a global leader in helping clients realise their investment objectives, shape the future of work and enhance health and retirement outcomes for their people. Marsh McLennan is a global leader in risk, strategy and people, advising clients in 130 countries across four businesses: Marsh, Guy Carpenter, Mercer and Oliver Wyman. With annual revenue of $23 billion and more than 85,000 colleagues, Marsh McLennan helps build the confidence to thrive through the power of perspective. For more information, visit mercer.com, or follow on LinkedIn.
Speakers
Aniket Bhaduri
Lead Consultant, Wealth Management
Aniket is an Investment Director in Mercer having 20 years of experience in Consulting and Asset Management. He leads relationship of various private and public sector pension schemes, wealth managers and E&Fs. He provides specialist advice to large asset owners on a variety of risk management solutions. Aniket is currently a member of the Mercer Tactical Allocation Group (TAG), a regular contributor to Dynamic Asset Allocation (DAA) Committee.
Representatives
Sebastian Maciocia
Director Wealth Management Solutions
Sebastian is a Principal in Mercer’s Wealth Business and a senior member of the Financial Institutions Group. He joined Mercer in July 2023 to specifically build and grow Mercer’s commercial relationships with wealth managers in the UK. He brings over 16 years' industry experience. Prior to joining Mercer, Sebastian held senior relationship and business development roles at GAM, Winton Capital and BlackRock.
DOGE: Dependence On Great Expectations
In markets, great expectations have a tight relationship with great returns--if it's past returns you care about. If you're focused on the future, the reverse is true. When expectations are high, so is risk. As we look across markets today, we see all sorts of things that only make sense with great expectations: valuations in the US, crowding in stockmarkets, faith in low inflation, and concentrations in adviser portfolios, to name just a few.
Looking at individual assets provides a different perspective. While expectations are high in some areas, they are depressed in others. For independent-minded investors, the neglected parts of markets provide opportunities to improve diversification, reduce risk, and enhance long-term returns.
Workshop Objectives: Understand the types of expectations embedded in stockmarket prices.
Articulate the link between those expectations and future returns.
Explain the relationships between debt, inflation, and bond returns.
Distinguish between name diversification and fundamental diversification.
Company Profile: Orbis has been creating value for clients for more than 30 years.
We work to find opportunities others miss, but this means investing in unpopular areas of the market, which takes courage and patience. Our long-term approach is at the core of everything we do, from the way we invest, the company structure, and even the way we charge fees.
Our team of 60 investment professionals located around the world does comprehensive research evaluating businesses from the bottom up to identify businesses priced at less than they are worth with long-term prospects. Since it can take time for these companies to realise their true value, our business is structured to avoid pressure for short-term performance with no external shareholders. Our independence allows us to prioritise clients, make bold but considered decisions and to stand by them as long as we need to.
And our unique fee structure ensures we remain driven to deliver long-term returns.
Speakers
Rob Perrone
Investment Counsellor
Rob joined Orbis in 2011. He is a member of Orbis’ team of investment counsellors, with primary responsibility for covering the Global Balanced Strategy. Rob has a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts from Carnegie Mellon University, and is a CFA charterholder.
Nicola Dormehl
Investment Counsellor
Nicola joined Orbis in 2015, having spent three years as a business analyst at Orbis’ sister company, Allan Gray Proprietary Limited. She is a member of Orbis’ team of investment counsellors and a specialist on the Orbis Global Balanced and Global Cautious strategies. She has a Bachelor of Commerce in Economics (Cum Laude) and a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) in Financial Economics and Investment Management (Cum Laude) from University of the Free State.
Representatives
James Amy
Business Development Manager
James Amy, Bachelor of Arts, Economics and Geography. James joined Orbis in 2017 as Business Development Manager for the firm’s UK retail initiative, with responsibility for building the UK Intermediary client base through direct engagement. He was previously Head of International Business Development at Nedgroup Investments.
Fiona Child
Business Development Manager – UK Wholesale & Family Offices
Fiona Child, Bachelor of Commerce Honours in Financial Analysis and Portfolio Management and Bachelor of Business Science Honours in Marketing (both from the University of Cape Town). Fiona joined Orbis in 2017 and is the Business Development Manager for UK Wholesale and Family Offices. She previously worked at HSBC Global Asset Management and Prudential Portfolio Managers (South Africa), now M&G.
Budgeting for growth?
With a more favourable interest rate backdrop for economic growth, and much reduced valuations, we will discuss why investing in cash generative UK smaller companies is still attractive. Where next for AIM in the context of distractions of inflationary impacts from the UK budget as well as budgetary changes to IHT? We believe that investments in AIM remain an important discussion to be had with clients for reasons that will be covered in this session
Workshop Objectives:
• Summarise UK budget consequences on companies and the AIM market
• Explore how and why management teams can drive returns for shareholders
• Discuss the myriad of opportunities for growth available on AIM
Company Profile: From the outset, we have always had a clear and straight-forward ambition. To provide a home for individuals to invest their savings in a tax-efficient and effective way. And over the last decade, we’ve supported thousands of individuals work towards their long-term savings goals.
Puma Investments is part of the Puma Capital Group. Today, the Puma Capital Group comprises four businesses focused on delivering long-term sustainable growth for our investors and partners. Together, they manage more than £900 million in assets, have lent more than £1.5 billion of development funding, and have assisted dozens of businesses across the UK elevate and expand to deliver on their brilliant ideas.
Speakers
Dr. Stuart Rollason
Investment Director
Stuart’s responsible for the Puma AIM IHT Portfolio Service. Previously, Stuart led the AIM IHT service at Kestrel Partners LLP, managed a UK smaller company investment trust at Bluehone and £230m of UK smaller company pension assets at ISIS AM. He was formerly an Extel-rated Research Analyst in Medical Technology and Biotech at Beeson Gregory, Panmure Gordon and Nomura having begun his career as a medical doctor in the NHS.
Daniel Cane
Investment Director
Daniel has been analysing UK companies since 1995, before moving to Toscafund AM as a fund manager in 2008. There he engaged with management teams of prospective investments & stock picked based on critical analysis and screens seeking emerging growth, disruptors and recovery ideas. This included IPOs and fundraising.
Representatives
Karen Sullivan
Head of Strategic Partnerships
Karen joined Puma Investments as Head of Strategic Partnerships in 2019. She spent three years as Head of Strategic Partnerships at Time Investments having moved to TIME from Octopus Investments where she managed Strategic Partnership relationships as part of a wider team.
Prior to this, she spent 13 years with Canada Life however started working life on the management training programme with the John Lewis Partnership based in Oxford Street before she moved away from retail into the financial services sector.
Index Investing - Tackling Client Myths
In their presentation Timeline will walk through their philosophy on investing in today's MPS environment. This will include why index investing is in fact not just a suitable investment for a select few, but in fact an important tool in an adviser's arsenal.
Timeline will consider the underlying fundamentals supporting an index-based approach, tackle some common industry 'myths' and examine the principles of the approach through the lens of consumer duty.
Workshop Objectives:
- Understand the index investing landscape and why it can be effective in a post-consumer duty world.
Consider the commentary surrounding index investing - fact or fiction??
Company Profile: Timeline is the integrated ecosystem built for modern financial advisers. Our mission is to empower financial advisers to help millions of people plan, invest, and retire with confidence.
What sets Timeline apart is the seamless integration of critical advice tools, including Customisable Factfind, Risk Profiler, Cashflow, Investment Analytics, Modular Reporting, Digital Onboarding Suite (KYC/AML, Digital Letters-of-Authority) and Client Portal - with embedded Trading, Custody & Tax Wrappers.
This unified advice-tech significantly elevates the client experience, streamlines adviser workflow, and reduces costs by providing a truly integrated technology stack for financial planning, portfolio management, custody, and administration of client assets.
Speakers
Alex Crowther
Investment Analyst
Alex has a background within wealth management and was previously a financial adviser for St. James’s Place. She holds a degree in Psychology, and also a Diploma in Regulated Financial Planning from the CII.
Representatives
Lewis Roddy
Lewis is an experienced professional with a diverse background in Financial Services, Investment Platforms, and Asset Management. Passionate about building strong relationships with his advisers, he is dedicated to assisting with the integration of Timeline’s proposition into their processes.
Mark Hopcroft
Mark is Head of Strategic Partnerships at Timeline, having recently joined to work with key distributors, and collaborators. Mark has spent his entire career in Financial Services, predominantly in commercial roles and this includes time at Zurich International, Cofunds (where he was Head of both the institutional and retail key accounts teams), Embark Group as Commercial Director and Octopus as Area Sales Director.
High-yield like returns, investment grade risks
In an uncertain monetary, political and market environment achieving an attractive income and total return for your clients can be challenging.
In our session we will talk about how the T. Rowe Price Diversified Income Bond Fund can do so for you and your clients.
Find out how this “go anywhere” bond strategy aims to provide stability
and performance across various market environments.
Workshop Objectives:
- Explain the outlook for bond investing
- Find out how the T. Rowe Price Diversified Income Bond Fund can deliver an attractive income and total return for clients
- Discover how the fund is positioned in response to current market conditions
Company Profile: We are in the field and on the lookout. Our embedded experts in 17 markets worldwide access firsthand insights from companies, suppliers and regulators. This means we uncover opportunities that others might miss.
$1.63 trillion assets under management
With our time-tested investing approach and assets under management, we are one of the top 25 asset management firms in the world.
In turbulent markets, we have you covered
Our portfolio managers have navigated tough markets, including the tech bubble, the global financial crisis and the coronavirus crisis. That time-tested experience stays with the firm: 57% of our current managers worked in investment roles at T. Rowe Price during the global financial crisis.
Our active management approach takes us beyond the numbers. Over 525 of our investment professionals go out in the field around the world to help us get the answers we need.
Speakers
Amanda Stitt
Portfolio Specialist, Fixed Income
Amanda's investment experience began in 1994, and she has been with T. Rowe Price since 2021, when she joined the global fixed income team.
Prior to this, Amanda was employed by Franklin Templeton as an investment director and head of global fixed income product specialists. Amanda previously worked for Legg Mason, Citigroup, Westpac Asset Management, and AMP.
Amanda holds a B.S. in applied finance and international economics from the University of Technology, Sydney, and a graduate diploma in applied finance and investment from the Securities Institute of Australia.
Representatives
Lee Ryan
Relationship Manager – South East
Lee Ryan is a relationship manager on the UK Intermediary team. He is a vice president of T. Rowe Price International Ltd.
Lee’s investment experience began in 2001, and he has been with T. Rowe Price since 2017, beginning on the UK Intermediary sales ateam. Prior to this, Lee was employed by Neptune Investments in the area of UK intermediary sales. He also was employed by Standard Life and Zurich Assurance, focusing on investment and platform sales.
Tom Johnson
Relationship Manager – Central England
Tom Johnson is a Relationship Manager in the UK Sales Department working with Advisory and Discretionary clients based in The Midlands, The North and Scotland. He is also an Associate Vice President of T. Rowe Price International Ltd.
Tom’s Investment experience began over 7 years ago and he has been with T. Rowe Price since 2021, having previously worked in the Intermediary Sales team of Axa Investment Managers.
Steve McShane
Head of UK Solutions
Steve McShane is the head of UK Solutions for the UK Intermediary Distribution team. He is a vice president of T. Rowe Price International Ltd.
Steve’s investment experience began in 1993, and he has been with T. Rowe Price since 2017, within the UK Intermediary Distribution team. Prior to this, Steve was employed by Neptune Investment Management as a regional sales manager. He also was employed by Axa Wealth and Aviva as a business development director.
Steve has earned the Investment Management Certificate from the CFA Institute as well as the Diploma in Financial Planning from the Chartered Insurance Institute.