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CONFERENCE DETAILS
SPS Annual Bond Investment Strategies for Pension Funds
January 11, 2022
The Dilly, London
Purpose
This conference will explore a variety of bond and credit investment strategies/solutions for pension funds,
examining the opportunities and challenges associated with each in a post-Brexit, post-pandemic economy.
With an eye on macroeconomic trends and policy, as well as pension funds’ long term funding objectives and
ESG requirements, we aim to include both public and private strategies ranging from those designed to
manage cashflows, volatility, interest rates or inflation to those intended to improve returns.
Programme
This will be a full day conference with approximate timings of:
09.00
Registration
09.30
Session One: Considering ESG in Bond Investing
Senior Portfolio Manager, Rates & Money Markets
Aegon Asset Management
Bringing Sustainable Investing to Sovereign Bonds
The past decade has seen the widespread integration of ESG factors in investment decision-making, particularly in equities, corporate bonds and real assets. Sustainability considerations, however, have often been considered too difficult to apply in government bonds, despite the importance of the asset class to long-term institutional investors such as pension funds and insurers. This talk will discuss how innovative solutions are changing that approach, offering an investment with strong capital-preservation characteristics and attractive yields.
Associate Portfolio Manager
Brandywine Global (A Franklin Templeton company)
Corporate Credit: ESG improvers or best in class? Which is more likely to drive long term returns in the transition to Net Zero
Is a strategy of investing in bonds with issuers whom have low ESG ratings which are likely to improve better than investing in issuers with higher ESG scores? This presentation will consider some empirical evidence and consider what the answer means for engagement, divestment and a portfolio’s carbon footprint.
10.40
Coffee Break
11.10
Session Two: Changes in Bond Investing
XPS Pensions Group
Head of Investment Grade Credit
Pictet Asset Management
Strategic Credit: Times have changed in fixed income, should your approach?
The investing landscape has changed in fixed income. Central bank and investor actions have distorted the playing field; downside risks have increased and mis-pricings are commonplace. This presentation will talk about the ‘very long in the tooth’ credit cycle, the outlook for central bank tapering, and why Modern Monetary Theory could be the last hope for policymakers.
Investment Director
Capital Group
Investing for Income in 2022; using higher yielding fixed income in the de-risking journey
In this session, this presentation will share views of the macro environment and how in this context UK DB pension schemes can enhance their portfolios to incorporate liquid, higher yielding fixed income, and how this can help to improve funding levels and cash flows to support continued de-risking.
12.35
Lunch
13.50
Session Three: Challenges of Fixed Income Investing for Pension Funds

Moderator:
Graham Bryant
Client Director
ITS Limited
Head of Emerging Markets Debt Fixed Income
HSBC Asset Management
Sustainable Emerging Markets Fixed Income
EMD managers are accelerating the integration of ESG factors and objectives into their investment strategies. But what is better, fundamental ESG research or quantitative implementations from ESG data providers? We will discuss the latest thinking on engagement with issuers for advanced ESG portfolios and how fundamental research affects ESG impact and outcomes
Chief Investment Officer, Fixed Income
Voya Investment Management
How to Survive Raising Rates as a Fixed Income Investor
With continued worries of inflation and central banks taking steps to be less accommodative, investors are looking to identify a path for navigating fixed income portfolios in a rising rate environment. This presentation will discuss;
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The path forward for interest rates and how high they could go
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The impact from central banks stepping away from quantitative easing
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The persistence of inflation in the global economy
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Where investors can find value in today’s fixed income markets
Independent Economist & Consultant
The Challenges for an Investment in Bonds over the Next Twelve Months
This presentation will look at the arguments of whether bonds actually have any role to play in a pension scheme for the foreseeable future. There are a few potentially interesting approaches, such as absolute return bond funds, or holding bonds to maturity, or playing some of the highest yielding markets. However, the arguments are gaining ground that, putting aside LDI matching, then the roles of bonds in terms of liquidity and cash flows, are being replaced by other assets in the alternatives space.
15.45
Summary and Close followed by drinks
Cost
The conference is by invitation only for pension funds and other institutional investors and we welcome new attendees from these investors. Therefore if you are not already receiving an invitation please contact us. A limited number of Complimentary invitations are available to genuine pension fund representatives (executives and trustees) and other approved institutional investors. However, to ensure we have room for as many funds as possible, we have to limit free places to 3 attendees per approved organisation thereafter a reduced rate fee is payable per delegate. Furthermore, SPS always reserves the right of admission (free or paid) and our decision is final.
Venue
The hotel is located on the north side of Piccadilly, close to Piccadilly Circus, only two minutes walk from Piccadilly Circus underground station.