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.
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.
Alessandro is a Portfolio Manager within the Value team at Ninety One. Since April 2020 he assumed co-portfolio management of the UK Value strategies in addition to the Global Value Equity strategies that he has been managing since 2016. In 2011, Alessandro joined the firm as an analyst in the Value team. Previously he worked at J.P. Morgan Chase & Co as a fixed income derivatives salesperson in London. He graduated from UCL in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science (Hons) degree in Economics and holds a Masters degree in Finance from the London Business School. He has passed Level III of the CFA® Programme.
Angus Sandison is an Investment Analyst at FSSA Investment Managers, part of First Sentier Investors. He joined FSSA in 2019 and is responsible for providing research support to the portfolio managers, covering Asia pacific equities. Angus holds a Master of Arts degree in Politics from the University of Edinburgh.
Bhavin joined Newton in June 2011 as a Portfolio Manager in the mixed assets and charities team. Prior to joining Newton, he worked at SG Hambros for seven years where he was responsible for managing client portfolios focused on absolute return and multi-asset strategies. Bhavin is Co-Lead Manager on numerous multi-asset accounts at Newton. In addition to portfolio management responsibilities, Bhavin is a member of the multi-asset Investment Risk Oversight Group.
Jacob has managed Artemis’ global income strategies since July 2010. He also co-manages the equities element of Artemis’ ‘monthly distribution’ multi-asset strategy, which launched in May 2012. Having joined Artemis in 2005, he managed a UK equity strategy from January 2006 until June 2010. Jacob began his career in 1998 at BankInvest, one of Scandinavia’s largest independent fund managers. In 2002 he joined Merrill Lynch as vice-president of pan-European equity strategy. Jacob holds a BA and an MSc in economics from the University of Copenhagen; and an MBA from the Stern School of Business at New York University (NYU).
James is a fund manager for the UK & European Equities team, managing multiple portfolios across the team’s UK Income & Growth and Pan European Equities strategies. Prior to joining Invesco in August 2012, James was co-head of pan-European sales at Banco Espirito Santo in London. James began his career in pan-European equity sales at Credit Lyonnais in 2001 and went on, via HSBC and Dresdner Kleinwort, to specialise in UK equity sales.
Before joining Jupiter in 2015, Jason worked at Newton, where he headed the Asian equities team and managed a number of funds, including an Asian equity income fund from 2005 until 2015. Prior to this, Jason was responsible for stock selection and asset allocation in the Asia ex-Japan region for the BP Pension Fund. Jason began his investment career investing in the Asia Pacific (excluding Japan) region in 1993 at Henderson.
Justin Jones is a Senior Investment Manager on the Multi-Manager Strategies team. He is the co-manager of the MyFolio Market, Index and Sustainable Index range of Funds alongside the MyPortfolio suite of MPS models and a number of institutional mandates. Additional to his PM responsibilities, Justin also covers manager selection within Global Emerging Markets, Emerging Market Debt, Asian Equity, Global Reits and Passive sectors. Justin has over 25 years financial services experience having previously worked in corporate banking in a variety of systems and analytical roles at both NatWest and the Royal Bank of Scotland.
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.
Kotaro Miyata is an investment director, providing support for M&G’s equity income fund range which includes the M&G Global Dividend Fund, as well as the M&G Global Listed Infrastructure Fund and the M&G (Lux) Global Listed Infrastructure Fund which were launched in October 2017. Prior to joining M&G in 2006, he was a fund manager at Invesco Asset Management, where he was responsible for European and UK equities within the Global Equities team. Kotaro holds the Securities Institute Diploma and graduated from Oxford University in 1994 with a degree in classics.
Matthew was appointed Head of Global Bond Strategies in September 2019. Prior to this he was co-head of the Euro credit portfolio management team, and joined Legal & General in March 2009. Prior to this Matthew spent three years as a Partner at Banquo Credit Management (a multibillion euro absolute return investment manager) and has worked at UBS, Merrill Lynch and the rating agency Fitch IBCA. Matthew has more than 25 years’ experience in financial services and qualified as a chartered accountant with Coopers & Lybrand in 1996.
Chief Investment Officer (CIO), Michael oversees all our investment teams and provides insight and leadership on strategic initiatives. He has over 30 years of experience at the highest level in Investment Management and shares his expertise through clear and insightful conversations. Before joining in 2010, Michael worked for BZW Investment Management and Chase Asset Management, where he launched their first hedge fund. In 2001 he moved to Sofaer Capital where he founded a successful and award-winning equity long-short fund.
Mike is Head of Sustainable Investments and co-fund manager of the RL Sustainable Leaders, RL World and RL Diversified trusts as well as the RL Global Sustainable Equity Fund. He has managed Sustainable Leaders since November 2003. Mike originally trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant with Ernst & Young. Mike has spent the majority of his career assessing environmental, social and governance issues and how they influence investment decisions. He is a specialist in sustainable investing and one of the few fund managers in this area with such long tenure.
Nicolas is a Senior Portfolio Manager within the Active Credit team. He is responsible for managing both global and sterling credit portfolios and provides relative value coverage of various sectors within AXA IM’s credit research organisation. He was named Fund Manager of the Year in the Sterling Corporate Bond category at the Investment Week Awards in 2024 after being finalist in 2023 and was also awarded the FE Fundinfo Alpha Manager rating in 2024. In August 2017, he was amongst 25 European investment professionals named a “Rising Star of Asset Management” by the Financial News. He holds two Masters 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.
Peter leads our global Multi-asset & Macro investment team and is responsible for the team’s strategic direction. Additionally, he is a portfolio manager on the AIMS Target Return Fund. Peter began his career at Old Mutual in 1995 before joining BNP Wealth Management’s Multi-asset team. He has extensive international experience having worked in Asia, Latin America and Europe. Peter holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from Trinity College Dublin and a Bachelors Degree in European Studies from the University of Cork. He is also a CFA® Charterholder.
Robert Secker is a portfolio specialist representing the firm's Asian and Chinese equity strategies to institutional clients, consultants, and prospects in the Equity Division. He is a vice president of T. Rowe Price International Ltd. Robert's investment experience began in 1997. He was with T. Rowe Price from 2000 to 2010, beginning as a portfolio specialist in the Equity Division, and returned in 2021. Prior to returning to the firm, Robert was head of the equity investment specialist team at M&G and the investment director for its emerging market equity strategies. Robert earned a B.A., with honors, in financial services from the University of Portsmouth. He also has earned the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation. CFA® and Chartered Financial Analyst® are registered trademarks owned by CFA Institute.
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.
Steven joined Baillie Gifford in 2004 and is Head of the Income Research Team. Prior to joining Baillie Gifford, Steven was a Fixed Income Investment Manager with Scottish Widows. His experience includes seven years undertaking analysis and research for the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee, and involvement in managing the UK’s foreign exchange reserves. Steven graduated BAcc (Hons) in Economics and Accountancy from the University of Glasgow in 1992 and MSc in Economics from the University of Warwick in 1993.
Suney Hindocha is a Associate Portfolio Manager on the Global Sustainable Equities Team at Janus Henderson Investors, a position he has held since 2025. Before that, he was a research analyst from 2023. Prior to joining the firm, Suney was a long-only equity analyst at Veritas Asset Management from 2019. Previously, he served as a global emerging markets long-only equity analyst at Somerset Capital Management from 2017. He worked as a private equity associate for Macquarie from 2013 and as an analyst in Nomura’s equity division from 2011. Suney began his career as an investment banking analyst at JPMorgan in 2009.
Thomas Hanson, Head of Europe High Yield, is a member of the Global Leveraged Finance team. Prior to his current role, Thomas worked for Janus Henderson Investors, where he was manager of a number of high yield bond funds. Before that, Thomas worked for Aerion and Lazard Asset Management in a variety of analysis and portfolio management roles. He has been in the industry since 2000 and started with the firm in 2019. Thomas has a BA (Joint Hons) in French and Management Studies from the University of Reading. He is a CFA charterholder.