The annual event will take place at the Harvard Club of New York City on April 3-4.
Year after year, industry veterans and professionals new to the space—allocators, asset managers, wholesalers, and distributors from banks, brokerage firms, insurance companies, mutual funds, and liquid alternative funds—convene at FRA’s Sub-Advised Funds Forum to learn the latest trends, opportunities, and strategies to be prepared for where the industry is headed.
Here’s an inside look at some of the industry experts and hot topics featured at this year’s event:
The impacts of rising interest rates
The forum will kick-off with the session, Don't Fight the Fed: Analyzing Impacts of Rising Interest Rates, led by Kevin Mahn, president and chief investment officer, Hennion & Walsh Asset Management, and Alwi Chan, senior vice president and deputy chief investment officer, AXA Equitable Funds Management Group. Throughout the session, Mahn and Chan will explore the price of time and money as it relates to the federal reserve's policy on interest rates, various macro-economic trends observed in FY 22, and the impact of rising rates on assets and liabilities.
The 60/40 portfolio in an era of inflation
Frederick Garland, portfolio strategist, Insight Investment, will moderate a discussion with panelists Dmitri Smolansky, portfolio manager, SECOR Asset Management; Kimberly Flynn, managing director, Alternative Investments, XAInvestments; and Joseph Graham, managing director, head of investment strategist group, Lord Abbett. The panel will discuss how inflation impacts allocation models, how the Federal Reserve may respond to current market conditions, and whether it is the right time to be invested in bonds.
Assessing risk in the active investment management space
The session, led by Matthew Tuttle, CEO, Tuttle Capital Management, and Benjamin Nye, chief investment officer, Narwhal Capital Management, will highlight the performance of active versus passive ETFs, the challenges tied to converting existing mutual funds to ETFs, and how volatility plays a significant role in the active ETF space.
Unfolding developments in private equity
Jamie Dunham, director of financial institutions & national accounts, William Blair, and York Lo, head of institutional and retirement product development, John Hancock Investment Management, will talk about different trends in private equity, including what macro-economic trends drive interest in private markets, the introduction of private equity into pension plans, and how inflation has impacted investment in the private equity space.
Unique opportunities in international markets
This session will explore the benefits of UCIT’s in terms of stability and liquidity, the viability of growth in international markets, and the risks associated with alternative investments. Stéphane Corsaletti, chief investment officer, Allfunds will moderate the discussion with panelists Deepinder Bhatia, chief investment officer, Bayard Asset Management, and Douglas Porter, portfolio manager, Acuitas Investments.
OCIOs and the need for foundations, endowments, and pension plans
The two-day forum will wrap with a discussion between Robert Boyda, retired head of global asset allocation, Manulife Asset Management, and Todd Copenhaver, principal deputy CIO and portfolio manager, Merganser Capital Management, on how the proliferation of the consultant role may impact your business, how OCIOs are searching and selecting sub-advisors, and how to capitalize on the current investment appetite of asset managers.
The 34th Sub-Advised Funds Forum will be held April 3-4 at the Harvard Club of New York City. Click here for the full agenda, roster of speakers, and information on how to register for the program.