Asia’s funds industry gets together on April 24-26 for this year’s FundForum Asia conference, a chance to discuss and debate the issues facing the industry.
Returning once again to the JW Marriott hotel in Hong Kong, FundForum Asia offers a platform for asset managers, custody banks, fund administrators and all the auxiliary firms that support the industry to meet, make connections and share information.
As always, the conference organisers have put together a comprehensive three-day agenda that covers a range of issues affecting those who buy and sell funds.
China will be widely discussed. A special one-day forum on the first day of the conference will see panellists debate the best strategies for raising assets in mainland China, why and how to establish a wholly foreign-owned entity there, the investment behaviour of Chinese private bank clients, and the possibility that China’s increasingly liberalised capital markets will become a meaningful part of global benchmarks.
Another one-day forum will examine the future of fund distribution. Will robo-advisers displace the traditional channels through which funds are sold in Asia? Does a growing distrust of the commission-based model signal a shift in how asset managers must interact with distributors? The conference will not shy from answering the tricky, conceptual questions either – delegates will be asked to consider if the line between asset and wealth managers, and the distinction between portfolio managers and relationship managers, is blurring.
Below, Funds Global Asia has made a shortlist of the most interesting sessions that are due to take place over the three days. For the full agenda, please visit the FundForum Asia website.
MONDAY, APRIL 24
Asset management mavericks in conversation: rethinking the model for Asian asset management and aligning interests for a more sustainable future08:40 – 09:25
Grand Plenary
Participants: Andy Brown, investment director, Prudential Portfolio Management Group; Jason Hsu, chairman & CEO, Rayliant Global Advisors; Saker Nusseibeh, CEO, Hermes Investment Management; Andy Agathangelou, founding chair, The Transparency Task Force; JB Beckett (moderator), UK lead, APFI Finding success in mainland China: a how-to guide for asset managers
11:00 – 11:40
China Forum
Participants: Ko Tseng, board director, BOB Scotia International Asset Management; David Zhang, head of global asset allocation, HNW Family Office; Jelle Vervroon, CEO, HFT Investment Management; Richard Tang, CEO, ICBC Credit Suisse Asset Management; Albert Teoh, managing director of China business, Value Partners, Michael Wittich (moderator), Greater China and NE Asia head, investors, Standard Chartered Shifting nature of advisory: discussing regulatory changes, a growing distrust of the commission-based model and how tech is enabling a new form of wealth management
11:40 – 12:20
Next Gen Distribution Forum
Participants: Julian Schillinger, co-founder and CTO, Prive Managers; Marc Lansonneur, managing director, Head of Managed Solutions and Investment Governance, DBS; Richard Lepere, CEO, Fund Channel; Arjan de Boer (moderator), private banking expert Cracking the China conundrum: what does is take for a global firm to be successful in China and identifying the most suitable access solution for your business
12:20 – 13:00
China Forum
Participants: Jung Ho Rhee, president & CEO, Mirae Asset Global Investments (HK); Amy Cho, CEO Asia-Pacific, Pictet Asset Management; Scott McLaren (moderator), head of Hong Kong, Brown Brothers Harriman Let’s talk selection: implementing real change in the selection process, what that will mean for the end-user and is robo the answer?
15:40 – 16:30
Next Gen Distribution Forum
Participants: JB Beckett, UK lead, APFI; Steven Seow, principal and head of wealth management, Asia Investments, Mercer; Alex Ypsilanti, CEO and co-founder, Quantifeed; Matthias Weber, CIO, iFund Services TUESDAY, APRIL 25 A view from the regulator: ensuring the industry’s integrity whilst allowing innovation to thrive
08:30 – 08:55
Grand Plenary
Participant: Christina Choi, executive director of investment products, Securities and Futures Commission Seeking profit: can fund managers build attractive Asian business?
10:20 – 11:00
Leaders’ Business Forum
Participants: Daniel Celeghin, managing director, Deloitte; Lennie Lim, managing director and regional head, Asia, Legg Mason Global Asset Management; Ajai Kaul, CEO Asia Pacific, AllianceBerstein; Andrew Lo, senior managing director and CEO, Invesco Asia Pacific; Eric Mogelof, managing director, PIMCO Asia Pacific; Rene Buehlman, head of Asia, UBS Asset Management; Alan Isenberg, head of strategy and business management, Asia-Pacific, Pimco; Eugenie Shen (moderator), managing director, head of asset management group, ASIFMA ESG/SRI - a new theme for Asia? Will Asian investors adopt a more ethical approach to investing, what are the returns predictions and do asset managers ignore this trend at their peril?
14:00 – 14:40
Investment Strategy Forum
Participants: Sébastien Cabanel, head of sales Asia Pacific, BNP Paribas Investment Partners Singapore; Karine Hirn, partner, East Capital Group; Giles Gunesekera, CEO, Global Impact Initiative; Iryna Drobysheva, director and ESG specialist, Asia, RBC Wealth Management The future shape of pension planning in Asia: assessing the opportunity for asset managers as government schemes shift from DB to DC
14:40 – 15:20
Leaders’ Business Forum
Participants: Peng Chen, CEO, Dimensional Fund Advisers; Jeff Chang, chairman, Cathay Securities Investment Trust; Dan Waters (moderator), managing director, ICI Global WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26 Global economic perspective: a new US administration, Brexit, the Fed – what’s the global picture?
09:30 – 10:00
Grand Plenary
Participants: Andy Xie, economist Beyond Asia – a practical guide: what should Asian asset managers consider when setting up in Europe in the light of changing regulation and political upheaval?
14:15 – 14:45
Leaders’ Business Forum
Participants: Stuart Alexander, co-founder and CEO, Gemini Investment Management Levelling the playing field: can technology serve as the great leveller in an increasingly polarised financial services industry?
12:40 – 13:15
Future Finance Forum
Participants: Steve Monaghan, regional director, AIA; Janos Barberis, founder, FinTech HK & SuperCharger; Charles d’Haussy, head of fintech, Invest Hong Kong; Graham Chan (moderator), investment and insurance expert ©2017 funds global asia
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Ross Dilkes, fixed income portfolio manager at Wellington Management, examines the opportunities and risks for bond investors presented by the region’s decarbonisation agenda.
Shareholders in Japan no longer accept below-par corporate governance standards. Changes are taking place, but there are still areas for improvement, says Tetsuro Takase at SuMi Trust.
Robert St Clair, head of investment strategy at Fullerton Fund Management, explores the reasons investors should be paying attention to the rising demand for healthcare in China.
