Agenda
The Bodhi Research Group Annual Symposium 2024 has curated top-notch speakers to share their insights in different facets of alternative investments, asset management, and the economy. This special one-day Symposium will be content-rich featuring ideas that are top-of-mind.
Event Information
8:00 AM
Breakfast + Brainstorm
Enjoy a delicious breakfast and network with Symposium delegates.
Masters of Ceremonies:
Matt Tambellini, Operational Advisor, Bodhi Research Group
Dr. Davide Sabatini, OD, Solutions Engineer, Bodhi Research Group
Global China and Political Risks in the Year of the Dragon
VIP Session (Limited Seating)
China’s economy is in a slump with falling consumer prices and high youth unemployment rates. Although Xi Jinping has argued against the notion of “Peak China,” it is clear that Beijing is worried and is actively courting foreign investors to reinvigorate the economy. This lecture unpacks how the Chinese Communist Party maintains control over domestic and foreign firms. By explaining the transition from a partial to a global power, it highlights the political risks for foreign firms enticed by Beijing’s overture to invest in China.
Speaker:
Dr. Diana Fu, PhD, Professor at Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy and Dept of Political Science, University of Toronto
8:50 AM
Welcome
Speaker:
Dr. Ranjan Bhaduri, PhD, CFA, CAIA, Founder and CEO of Bodhi Research Group
9:00 AM
Brave New World: Market and Macro Outlook
We are living in a brave new world with growing uncertainty regarding interest rates, inflation, geopolitical tensions, and market valuations. This panel of experts discusses how these factors may affect the markets and the macroeconomic landscape in the second half of 2024.
Speakers:
Shael Soberano, CFA, CIO, Sharno Group
Elizabeth Burton, CAIA, Managing Director, Goldman Sachs
Marc-André Soublière, CFA, Senior Vice-President, Fixed Income and Absolute Return, Trans-Canada Capital
Pablo Calderini, President and CIO of Graham Capital Management, L.P.
9:30 AM
The Credit Chronicles: Creditor Rights or the Right Credits?
This is a wide-ranging discussion on global credit markets. Is this really the ‘golden age’ of private credit? Are higher cash rates a creditors’ friend or foe? Where are the greatest opportunities / risks in credit markets? How should investors think about the trade-offs in public versus private market credit investing?
Speakers:
Pierre-Phillipe Ste-Marie, Visiting Researcher, Bodhi Research Group
Matt Harvey, Executive Managing Director in PGIM Private Capital
Jehan Sukhla, GAICD, CFA, Co-Head of Alternative Strategies, MLC Asset Management
10:00 AM
What trading strategies have tailwinds given the current capital and commodity market conditions? The best ideas are discussed by those making allocation decisions.
Finding Alpha: Best Ideas and Trading Strategies
Speakers:
Brian Broadway, Vice President, The FORGE Community
Oleg Mogilny, CFA
Derek Drummond, CAIA, Head of Strategy, Funds Alpha
Brandon Gill New, Managing Director, Head of External Partnerships, Public Equities, AIMCO
Vincent Zhou, CFA, Portfolio Manager, Redjay Asset Management
10:20 AM
Coffee + Connect
10:40 AM
Do the Right Thing
The panel aims to explore the intersection of sustainable investing and actionable strategies. Topics will include incorporating net-zero commitments into asset owner portfolios, leveraging environmental commodities in portfolio construction, the impact of allocators on fund managers' sustainability decisions, navigating fiduciary duty within sustainability contexts, and harnessing the potential of data and AI to enhance allocation efficiencies.
Speakers:
Zlata Huddleston, Partner, Practice Leader, IBM Consulting Sustainability Services Canada
Brian Minns, CFA, Senior Managing Director, Responsible Investing, UPP
Jason Taylor, CFA | Founder, Clariti
11:00 AM
Multi-Dimensional Risk Entangled with Alpha
Risk and return are entangled because risk is required to gain return. Since systematic algorithmic trading programs have "built-in" risk management, it is difficult to tell if the code serves a risk management or alpha generation purpose. Although operational due diligence is preventative in nature, it also helps to build alpha. Market risk must be monitored in a way that is not too restrictive nor too lenient. Good risk management is alpha.
Speakers:
Dr. Gareth Witten, PhD, Vice President, IMCO
Ju Hui Lee, CFA, CAIA, FSA, FCIA, CERA, FRM, Head of Market Risk, United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund
Cordell Thomas II, Enterprise Risk Management, GM Asset Management
Dr. Wagner Dada, PhD, Managing Director, Systematic Strategies Group, CPP Investments
11:30 AM
NowTalk: Fire, Ice, Air and Water: Risk Models for Weather Patterns, Catastrophes and Climate Change
Reinsurers and ILS Managers invest heavily in weather pattern prediction and climate risk models. This panel highlights the frameworks used to build catastrophe models and assess the impact of climate change. Are long-term weather patterns shifting? What factors are driving these changes? How much of this can be attributed to climate change?
Speaker:
Dr. Mike Palmer, PhD, Head of Analytics & Research, Hiscox Re and ILS
11:45 AM
NowTalk: Putting the “Modern” Back in Modern Portfolio Theory
In 1952, Harry Markowitz introduced the concept of Modern Portfolio Theory which demonstrated the importance of diversification and remains a cornerstone of portfolio construction. A mere four years later, Tobin made an important contribution to this framework that remains underutilized. This talk discusses the surprising situation.
Speaker:
Chris Schindler, CFA, Founder, CEO & CIO of Castlefield Associates
12:00 PM
NowTalk: Nature's laws of PnL
Are there limits to the dollar amount of PnL alpha that investors can extract from the market?
In this profound talk, a highly successful PM shares his thoughts on this question.
Speaker:
John Soukas, Senior Managing Director, Partner, and Hedge Fund Portfolio Manager, Wellington Management
12:15 PM
Lunch + Liaison
1:00 PM
Quantum Computing: An Introduction and its Applications to Finance
Quantum computing is an emerging technology with the potential to profoundly impact all industries including asset management. The panel discusses the state of play for this rapidly advancing technology and its implications for finance. Although Big Tech and Venture Capital has great interest in quantum computing, there are challenges to overcome.
Speakers:
Dr. Noelle Ibrahim, PhD, Technical Executive, IBM
Dr. Niall Whelan, PhD, Visiting Researcher, Bodhi Research Group
1:20 PM
The Inflection Point: How History Provides the Best Approach to Manage Education, Money, and the Economy
We are entering a new technological era that is trending towards unprecedented automation via the development of artificial intelligence. Similar to past societal transitions like the agricultural, industrial, and digital revolutions, it is important to carefully consider the management of education, the economy, and politics. More specifically, these developments will have a significant impact on money management and force a reexamination of conventional financial wisdom.
Speakers:
Mark Hannoush, CPA (CA), CFA, Managing Director, Due Diligence & Advisory, OTPP
Dr. Ken Pu, PhD, Professor in Computer Science, Ontario Tech University
1:40 PM
Strategy Insight: Uncorrelated Alpha and Insurance Linked Securities
Dr John Seo has long been regarded as a visionary in the ILS space and is one of the very early pioneers of this innovative asset class. In this talk, John shares valuable insights from his 25+ years managing ILS.
Speaker:
Dr. John Seo, PhD | Co-Founder and Managing Director, Fermat Capital
2:10 PM
Keynote: The Future of AI in Investing
This expert panel highlights the current implementation of artificial intelligence in the investment space and sheds light on future developments and projections. Pros and cons will be discussed as well as examples of real world applications.
Speakers:
John McCormick, JD, CEO, Tc43 LLC
Dr. Marlene Guraieb, PhD, Head of Data Science for PE Real Estate at Two Sigma
Serena McDonnell, Quantitative Researcher, Tc43 LLC
Simon Williams, Founder, WovenLight
2:55 PM
Afternoon Tea + Talk
3:10 PM
Keynote: Legend’s Lounge
The Godfather of Governance: Claude Lamoureux! As the inaugural President and CEO of OTPP, he created the Maple Model and blazed the path for other Canadian pension plans. Jim Keohane, retired President and CEO of HOOPP and current Board Member of AIMCO and Trans-Canada Capital, was the architect of HOOPP's Liability Driven Investing and is a world expert on LDI. These icons share their insights on a wide range of topics. Co-moderated by Chris Schindler and Mark Hannoush.
Speakers:
Jim Keohane, CFA, ICD.D., Former President and CEO of HOOPP
Claude Lamoureux, FSA, ICD.D., Retired CEO of OTPP
Mark Hannoush, CPA (CA), CFA, Managing Director, Due Diligence & Advisory, OTPP
Chris Schindler, CFA, Founder, CEO & CIO of Castlefield Associates
3:55 PM
Portfolio Perspectives
This group of heavy hitters share their ideas and insights on what it takes to construct robust portfolios of absolute return strategies. The importance of external partnerships is highlighted.
Speakers:
Hazlitt Gill, Managing Director, Portfolio Partnerships, BCI
Puneet Kohli, CFA, Senior Managing Director, Head of External Managers Group, OTPP
Christophe L'Ahelec, CFA, Managing Director, Head of Public Markets, UPP
Mario Therrien, CFA, Senior Vice-President, Head of Investment Funds and External
Management, CDPQ
Kevin Zhu, CFA, Senior Managing Director, Head of Portfolio Construction, OPTrust