SPS Virtual:
Investment Strategies for Pension Funds

09.00

Sponsor Lounges open

09.15

Registration and Meet & Greet

09.30

Session One: Challenges in 2021, Asset Allocation & Dynamic Risk Management

Moderator:

Edward Levy

Pension Trustee Director

LawDeb

Ajeet Manjrekar

River & Mercantile 

Navigating the key issues facing Schemes in 2021

River and Mercantile has undertaken extensive research, in partnership with the PMI, to understand the key issues facing trustees in 2021. Ajeet Manjrekar will talk through the key findings and elaborate on what schemes can do to address these challenges. This will be a thought-provoking session that will provide you with clear direction on the challenges in 2021.

Tatjana Xenia Puhan

PhD, Managing Director, Deputy CIO

TOBAM

Asset Allocation thought out of the box: beyond the traditional paradigms of Asset Allocation

Traditionally, Asset Allocation is about defining a strategic asset allocation and deviating around tactically, which in practice turns both out to be extremely challenging. In this short presentation we propose a robust and out of the box conceptual framework to build a cross-asset portfolio where neither predictions nor top-down analysis are needed to select asset classes or single assets and assign weights to them. Adopted as the only goal of the portfolio construction process, diversification delivers the full risk premium of the market.

Russell Korgaonkar

Chief Investment Officer

Man AHL

Systematic Techniques to Navigate Uncertainty

- With an uncertain outlook for traditional asset classes, we will explore how investors can integrate dynamic risk management into their portfolios to position themselves for a variety of outcomes

- We will focus on three techniques - volatility targeting, and the use of active overlays for both momentum and correlation - and will show that when combined, these can be used to effectively reduce risk while preserving returns

10.45

Virtual Coffee Break and discussion room for speakers and all attendees

Sponsors Lounges Open

11.15

Session Two: A Look at Asset Classes & Pension Fund Case study

Moderator:

Ben Gold

Head of Investment

XPS Pensions Group

Darryl Murphy

Managing Director, Infrastructure

Aviva Investors

From COVID recovery to net zero – the future of infrastructure investment

We will not forget 2020 in a hurry. In time, it may be looked back on as a pivotal period when profound changes to society took hold; affecting the kinds of infrastructure required to deliver public services. The way we work, live and travel for business or pleasure – as well as our use of technology – could be radically altered. Two significant drivers are likely to have an immediate impact on infrastructure investment in the UK. Stimulating the post-COVID economy and the pathway to a lower-carbon future to deliver net zero. The presentation will consider how Government policy will influence the infrastructure market and how investor strategies will need to align to these opportunities.

Claire Lincoln

Head of Sales EMEA

World Gold Council

A golden allocation for pension funds

This presentation from the World Gold Council will demystify some of the most commonly

                  held misconceptions about gold including topics such as:

• Gold’s lack of yield makes it an unattractive investment

• Gold is nothing more than a doomsday asset

• The gold market isn’t very liquid

• Gold is no different to commodities

Conference participants will also learn about the global drivers behind gold demand and how an allocation to gold can help reduce a portfolio’s risk adjusted returns.

11.55

Pension Fund Case Study

Ian McKnight

Chief Investment Officer

Royal Mail Pension Trustees

12.20

Virtual break and discussion room for session 2 speakers and all attendees

Sponsor Lounges Open

13.00

Close of virtual conference

Cost

The conference is by invitation only for pension funds and other institutional investors. If you are not already receiving an invitation please contact us. A limited number of Complimentary invitations are usually available to genuine pension fund representatives (executives and trustees) and other approved institutional investors. SPS always reserves the right of admission (free or paid) and our decision is final.

Sponsors

RESOURCES

SPS Virtual

SPS Virtual will be hosted on a dedicated webpage so you won’t need to download any specific software.

Full login and password details will be sent to you after you register.