There are major dynamics buffeting markets today and secular trends that will impact for decades. From current volatility in inflation, central bank policy, and impacts of the war in Ukraine, to structural shifts in globalisation, changing demographics, transformational technological advancements, transition to net zero carbon and world political multipolarity with the rise of China. In this session, our panel will discuss what we see as the key issues for economies and markets in the short-term and over the long-term, and how investors should be thinking about investment strategy in this environment.

In this session, our speakers will provide an update on how they are seeing current global market developments, and how this flows through to the Australian economy and implications for investor portfolios.

Our panel will discuss the recent outperformance of hedge funds versus traditional assets, different hedge fund strategies, multi-strategy hedge funds, diversification and resilience, fees, Your Future Your Super, hedge fund considerations in Australia and the outlook for 2023 and onwards.

Net zero carbon targets are becoming increasingly crucial, with some aiming to achieve them as early as 2030. However, numerous challenges impede progress towards these targets, such as outdated buildings falling short of legislative requirements, tenant resistance, and the need to greenify power grids. In this session, we explore a range of Contech, Proptech, Fintech and Climtech solutions being trialled in the US, backed by the support of major international investors.

Accurate currency positioning data is hard to find and this is problematic for an asset class where the devil is in the detail. In this session we will review recent trends in foreign currency exposure across Australian institutions and review the implementation approaches commonly observed across passive management; customised passive used for tailored foreign currency strategies; and active currency programs which have gained in popularity of late.

Our equities team recently visited the US for two weeks. These trips help us monitor our rated managers and generate new investment ideas. They also give us insights into challenges and opportunities for Australian and offshore asset owners. In this session, we will discuss important topics from the trip, such as ESG issues, the Inflation Reduction Act, geopolitics, investing in China, big tech and portfolio construction trends.

While hydrogen continues to make global headlines as the clean fuel of choice to enable wide-scale industrial decarbonisation, some questions remain. Does a hydrogen-enabled ecosystem provide attractive investment opportunities for investors? Does Australia offer the right policy settings, economic incentives and sufficient projects to propel investments and fuel another golden age for Australian infrastructure? We explore these topics and much more with a panel of respected Australian leaders in hydrogen.

Valuations regulation has changed, and scrutiny is heightened – what makes a strong governance framework? There are various factors driving heightened governance risk associated with unlisted investments, due to increasing regulation, direct ownership of illiquid assets, internalised asset class teams and public scrutiny.

This session will take a closer look at the rapid pace of change in ESG development in bond markets and considers the differences in ESG approaches between credit and sovereign issuers and ESG strategy developments across global liquid bond markets.

Over the past year, the topic of greenwashing has rapidly gained the attention of investors, regulators and the media. Particularly within the context of climate change, the intentions driving regulators to act on greenwashing and protect consumers appear reasonable. However, our panel will dive deeper into the topic to explore the wider ramifications of how greenwashing in the investment industry is currently being addressed including the material risks facing asset owners and third-party verifiers, and whether this trend is helping or hindering better practice on ESG.

In a comprehensive conversation with Carol, we will delve into her career insights and perspectives as a business and community leader. We will discuss various topics including superannuation, family offices, leadership and governance, gender equality and representation and the impact of climate change.