Our speakers will cover every major asset class and region, giving you a comprehensive overview of the latest news in the world's major markets.
Our moderator for the day is Dominic O'Connell. Dominic is the business presenter of the Radio 4 Today Programme. He was formerly Business Editor of The Sunday Times, since 2010, and joined the paper in 2001. Before that, he was part of the launch team of Sunday Business. Under his editorship, the paper broke a series of big business stories including the news of BHS's pending administration, and previously the Pfizer bid for Astra Zeneca, the largest ever attempted takeover of a British company. As well as his role on the Today Programme, Dominic also appears regularly on Business Live on BBC World News and the News Channel, on World Service Radio business output, and contributes to the online business pages.
Ajay Dayal joined Franklin Templeton as an Investment Director in August 2020 from Legg Mason Global Asset Management, following its acquisition by Franklin Templeton. Prior to this, he was a Managing Director, Head of Equity Product Specialist Group at Legg Mason, and has been with the overall business for over 13 years. He represents the equity and multi-asset capabilities at Specialist Investment Managers within Franklin Templeton to articulate and shape their investment solutions and ensure their technical insights and value propositions are clearly communicated with internal and external clients. His team has a clear focus on client-centric engagement across multiple mediums and client channels globally to help accelerate the sales process and effect client retention. Ajay has 20 years of professional investment experience, and has previously worked at ABN AMRO Asset Management, M&G Investments and Barings. He has a BA (Hons) in Economics from Durham University, England and holds the Chartered Financial Analysts (CFA) designation and is a regular member of the CFA Society of the UK.
Akanksha is a client portfolio manager for Goldman Sachs Asset Management’s Fundamental Equity team with a focus on the global developed market equity, ESG and thematic equity strategies. Akanksha joined the client portfolio management team at GSAM as an analyst in May 2016. Prior to joining the firm, she worked as a product specialist within the retail broking division at the leading Indian financial services company, Edelweiss. Akanksha has received her Bachelor in Business Administration in Finance (BBA Finance) from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, India (NMIMS), her Master in Business Administration specializing in Finance (MBA Finance) from Symbiosis International University, India (SCMHRD) and was awarded the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation in 2022.
Andrzej is a fund manager in the Multi-Asset Funds team. His responsibilities cover the portfolio management and ongoing development of both institutional and retail multi-asset funds and he leads on the management of the award-winning L&G Multi-Index fund range. Prior to joining LGIM in July 2014, he was a fund manager at Aviva Investors. He is a CFA charterholder and completed the MSc programme in Finance at Bocconi University in Milan. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and social science from Utrecht University. An ESG advocate, Andrzej holds GARP’s Sustainability and Climate Risk (SCR®) Certificate and lectures at Queen Mary University of London on Portfolio Construction and Asset Allocation.
Ariel Bezalel started his career at Jupiter and has been a member of the fixed income team since 1998 and a fund manager since 2000. He is currently an Investment Manager in the Fixed Income team and manages the Jupiter Strategic Bond Fund (Unit Trust) and the Jupiter Dynamic Bond fund (SICAV). Ariel has a degree in economics from Middlesex University.
Charles de Quinsonas is an emerging market corporate bond specialist and has been working as co-fund manager and deputy fund manager for a series of emerging markets corporate bond funds domiciled in London and Luxembourg since 2015. He has more than a decade of emerging market corporate bond experience, with a deep knowledge of high yield credit. Prior to joining M&G in 2014, he worked at Spread Research in Lyon and New York, where he spent four years analysing a variety of high yield and emerging market industrial credits. Charles holds a B.B.A. from ESSEC Business School and a MSc in Corporate Finance from iaelyon School of Management.
David joined Artemis in February 2019 from Kames Capital, where he was Head of High Yield. Prior to this he was Head of European High Yield at Standard Life Investments and previously a high yield portfolio manager at Old Mutual Asset Managers in London. David began his career in leveraged finance with roles in banking in Sydney with NAB, and in London with RBS and CIBC. He graduated from the Australian National University with a degree in Political Science and Economics in 2001 and is a CFA charterholder. He co-manages Artemis‘ ‘global high yield‘ strategies, the bonds component of Artemis‘ ‘monthly distribution‘ strategy and Artemis‘ ‘high income‘ strategy.
George started his career as an Investment Manager at Walter Scott in 2008, having previously lived and worked in both China and London. His first few years at the firm were spent focusing purely on research, this included covering companies in the US and Europe as well as introducing Google (now Alphabet) to portfolios in 2010. In late 2011, George took on the additional responsibility of looking after the firm’s distribution partner relationships in Canada and the Far East. Having spent a number of years playing an important role building up Walter Scott’s presence in Canada, George was asked in 2018 to assume responsibility for growing the business in Europe, the Middle-East and Africa. Based in Edinburgh, he remains a part of the broader investment team. George holds a BSc (hons) in Financial Economics from the University of St. Andrews and became a CFA charterholder in 2010.
James co-manages the JOHCM UK Equity Income Fund, alongside Clive Beagles. James is a qualified Chartered Accountant and joined Newton Investment Management in 1998 as a member of their Research Department. James holds a first class degree in Economics from the University of Exeter and is an associate member of the Institute of Investment Management and Research.
Jason is a portfolio manager in the Multi-Asset team at Ninety One. He is co-portfolio manager of the Multi-Asset Income strategies and his research responsibilities include equities. He joined the firm in 2015 to work on the income strategy as an analyst with responsibility for its equity exposure. Prior to this he worked for Pan Asset Capital Management as an assistant fund manager on multi-asset portfolios. Previously, Jason worked for BlackRock as an analyst. Jason studied Law at Oxford University. He holds an Investment Management Certificate and is a CFA® charterholder.
Karen Ward, managing director, is the Chief Market Strategist for EMEA at J.P. Morgan Asset Management. Karen has considerable experience in both public policymaking, and economic and financial analysis. Before joining the team in 2017, she was Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers for the Chancellor of the Exchequer. In this role she advised the Chancellor on macroeconomic issues including fiscal strategy and Brexit. Prior to this she worked for a decade at HSBC’s investment bank in a number of roles, including Senior Global Economist where her work included "The World in 2050 – An Analysis of the Structural Changes Affecting the Global Economy and the Rise of the Emerging Economies." She was Chief European Economist before leaving to work for the Chancellor in 2016. She started her career at the Bank of England providing supporting analysis for the Monetary Policy Committee. Karen has a Masters with Distinction in Economics from University College London.
Keith Balmer is a Director and Portfolio Manager within the Multi-Asset Investment team. He joined the company in 2016. Previously he was a Director at BlackRock within their multi-asset division and Man Group working with AHL the systematic managed futures manager. Keith graduated from Exeter University with a BSc (Hons.) in Mathematics with European Studies.
Martin is Head of the Henley-based UK Equities team and manages the Invesco UK Opportunities Fund (UK) and the Invesco UK Equity Fund (Lux). Martin began his investment career in 1997 after previous experience as an investment analyst with BWD Rensburg. Martin joined Invesco in 1999 as a junior fund manager and has developed his career within the Henley-based UK Equities team, managing UK equity portfolios since 2003. He has managed the Invesco UK Opportunities Fund (UK) since 2008 and was appointed Head of the UK Equities Team in May 2020. Martin holds a BA in Financial Economics from Liverpool University and has also attained the Securities Institute Diploma
Nicolas is a Senior Portfolio Manager and forms part of the Investment Grade Credit team within our global Active Fixed Income platform. He is responsible for managing both global and sterling credit portfolios. He is the lead portfolio manager of the AXA Sterling Credit Short Duration Bond Fund, the AXA Global Short Duration Bond Fund and AXA WF Global Short Duration Bonds Fund. In addition to his portfolio management responsibilities, Nicolas heads the Sterling Credit Alpha Group during the Fixed Income Department’s quarterly Forecasting Forum and is responsible for providing relative value coverage of various sectors within AXA IM’s Portfolio Manager Analyst credit research organisation. Nicolas initially joined AXA IM in 2006. Prior to his appointment within the investment team, he was a fixed income product specialist responsible for the development of the UK, US and high yield product ranges. Nicolas holds two Master’s degrees, one in Diplomacy and International Strategy from the London School of Economics and one in IT Engineering from Telecom Sud Paris. He is also a CFA Charterholder. In August 2017, Nicolas was among 25 European investment professionals named a “Rising Star of Asset Management” by the Financial News.
Philip is a investment specialist manager in the Balanced Team. He joined Baillie Gifford in 2014 on the investment operations graduate programme and moved to the Clients Department after a brief spell with the firm’s Performance Analysis Team. Philip graduated MA (Hons) in Business and Finance from Heriot-Watt University in 2014.
Rory Stokes is a Portfolio Manager on the European Equities Team at Janus Henderson Investors, a position he has held since 2015. Rory joined Henderson in 2013 as a European equity analyst. He worked for Liberum Capital Limited in small- and mid-cap equity sales from 2007 and prior to that held several roles at Credit Suisse. He began his career at HOLT Value Associates as a research analyst in 2001. Rory graduated with a degree in philosophy, politics, and economics from Oxford University. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is FCA registered. He has 23 years of financial industry experience.
Rosanna Burcheri joined Fidelity International in September 2021 as lead portfolio manager of Fidelity Funds America Fund and Fidelity American Special Situations Fund. She is a seasoned investor with 25 years’ experience. Rosanna graduated in economics from Bocconi University in 1996, and started her career as junior fund manager at Paribas Asset Management, before joining M&G as a fund manager and director responsible for pan-European equity portfolios. In 2004, Rosanna was appointed Senior European Portfolio Manager at Shell Pension Management Service with assets of £710m. She later became partner and pan-European fund manager for FrontPoint Management, before joining Artemis in 2011. Rosanna managed the Artemis Global Select Fund, MidWynd International Investment Trust as well as other segregated mandates, before joining Fidelity to manage US Value funds in 2021. Rosanna has a wealth of US market experience having managed global funds for over a decade. The US market makes up c. 60% of the global universe.
Ross is the senior investment specialist for the abrdn equity fund range, and is responsible for the commercialisation and development of the equity asset class. He works alongside the equity investment team and his primary role is to ensure that clients and consultants have clarity on the philosophy, process and investment positioning of this growing asset class. By understanding the changing needs of different groups of investors, he is responsible for developing new equity strategies and customised investment solutions for wholesale and institutional clients globally. He has recently been involved in the development of the global equity franchise as well as the smaller companies business. Ross joined the company in 2000 working in the Business Development team. Previously, Ross worked as the Head of Research at Scottish Life.
Shalin Shah joined Royal London Asset Management's Fixed Income team in 2008. Shalin is an experienced senior fund manager responsible for managing corporate bond portfolios, including RL Corporate Bond Fund, Sustainable Managed Income, Sustainable Managed Growth and Duration Hedged Credit funds. Since joining he has been involved in the development and management of RLAM’s Buy & Maintain proposition, and remains responsible for managing a range of buy & maintain and active portfolios. Prior to joining RLAM, Shah worked at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP where he was involved in advising clients on a variety of investment solutions, including LDI and strategic asset allocation. Shalin holds a BSc in MORSE (Mathematics, Operational Research, Statistics and Economics) from the University of Warwick and is a qualified actuary.
Sunil heads the team which manages long-only multi-asset funds and mandates.He is also a member of the Multi-Assets leadership group and a contributor to the AIMS investment process. Prior to joining Aviva Investors, Sunil was a Senior Multi-Asset Portfolio Manager at Santander Asset Management, having been Head of Global Asset Allocation at Hermes Investment Management and Head of Market Strategy at the British Telecom Pension Scheme. He also spent 10 years at BlackRock Investment Management in a number of roles including portfolio management, research and strategy.
Vincent McEntegart, Investment Manager, is a member of the Multi-Asset Group. Prior to his current role, Vincent worked for Goodhart Partners (an MBO of the multi-manager business of WestLB Mellon Asset Management) where he was a partner responsible for client relationships and new business. Prior to this, Vincent was Co-Head of Investment Manager Research at Hymans Robertson and a senior member of the investment consulting practice. Vincent has also worked for Alexander Clay Consulting (now part of Aon) and Clerical Medical Investment Group. He has been in the industry since 1987 and started with the firm in 2013. Vincent has a BSc in Mathematical Sciences from the University of Strathclyde and a Diploma in Actuarial Techniques from the Institute of Actuaries.
Yoram Lustig is the head of Multi-Asset Solutions, EMEA and Latin America, in the Multi-Asset Division. He is also a portfolio manager and the chair of the UK and European Investment Committees.
Yoram’s investment experience began in 2002, and he has been with T. Rowe Price since 2017, beginning in the Multi-Asset Division. Prior to this, Yoram was the head of Multi-Asset Investments UK at AXA Investment Managers, the head of Multi-Asset Funds at Aviva Investors, and the head of Portfolio Construction EMEA at Merrill Lynch. He began his career in 1998 as a lawyer.
Yoram earned a law degree from Tel Aviv University and an M.B.A. from London Business School. Yoram also earned the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation, the Professional Risk Manager designation, and a diploma in retirement provision from the Pensions Management Institute. He is a published author.