What's in store for 2025?
See what IMpower FundForum 2025 is all about.
Celebrating 35 years of transformative asset and wealth management
IMpower FundForum evolves to help you evolve.
For over three decades, IMpower FundForum delivered unparalleled innovation, insights and connections for the most senior leaders in public and private markets, asset allocation, distribution, investment and operations.
Infinite opportunities at IMpower FundForum 2025
Build partnerships with the most senior leaders in public and private markets, asset allocation, investment and operations.
IMpower FundForum is just around the corner! With 1,500+ senior leaders in wealth and asset management in attendance, the business opportunities are infinite. Will you be there?
Bring your team to IMpower FundForum!
This June, join 1,500+ senior decision-makers in Monaco including:
- CEOs, CIOs, COOs and heads of distribution from the world's top asset and wealth management firms
- heads of fund and manager selection from private banks, wealth managers and asset owners
- leaders from across private markets & more...
Interviews with the experts
Discover our off-the-stage conversations with industry leaders in 2024.
The geopolitical landscape for sustainable investment
Mark Versey, CEO, Aviva Investors, shares his geopolitical outlook in a year of elections and how that may impact investment strategies and sustainable investments. Discover key coping mechanisms and the importance of portraying sustainable investments as beneficial to financial returns.
Understanding consumer duty
Gillian Hepburn, Commercial Director, Benchmark Capital, Schroders, talks about the impact of consumer duty on business operations. She emphasises the importance of accurate data and the role of technology in enhancing transparency and efficiency. She also elaborates on the competitive landscape between traditional asset managers and innovative fintechs, and how traditional asset managers can stay relevant today and in the future.
The ETF revolution
Howie Li, Global Head of Index and ETFs, LGIM, talks about the key trends changing ETF strategies. He addresses the impact of customisation, technological advancements, and the rise of active ETFs. He also emphasises the importance of maintaining close client relationships, fixed income innovations, and alternative investments.
Private vs public market investing
Jan-Marc Fergg, Global Head of ESG & Managed Solutions, HSBC Global Private Banking & Wealth, explores the benefits of private markets within investment portfolios and how the evolving structures of private markets are changing the game for investors. He further emphasises that it’s crucial to educate clients and advisors about these new opportunities, and shares his vision for the future of private investing.
Growth and client-centric strategies
Jaime Lazaro Ruiz, Head, BBVA Asset Management & Global Wealth, talks about the challenging economic landscape that financial services operate in and explores how asset managers need to adapt for the next generation of customers. He discusses customised portfolios, the integration of new asset classes such as tokens, and how AI can revolutionise client interactions.
The M&A landscape in investment management
Campbell Fleming, Chair of the Big Exchange and Deputy Chair of Ruffer, gives us an overview of the mergers and acquisitions in investment management. He explores the synchronisation of disparate systems in the sector and how the industry is improving its operational efficiency. He also shares why democratising investment strategies is important and why transparency and accessibility for consumers is crucial.
The global outline of digital assets
Xavier Gomez, Co-Founder, COO, INVYO, explores regulatory developments in the US, Europe, and Asia, such as the SEC’s approval of ETFs. He discusses the complex landscape of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and their varying implications worldwide and talks about challenges in adoption, financial education, and technological understanding.
The evolving world of fund evaluation
Sébastien Gentizon, Head of Fund and Manager Research, Pictet Wealth Management, talks about the ins and outs of fund evaluation for buy lists. He shares some of the key criteria he looks at, including track records, quantitative tools, and qualitative due diligence processes. He further explores technological advancements that can enhance the selection process, such as chatbots, and emphasises that understanding the people behind funds is crucial.
Growth in a shifting market
Erich Gerth, CEO, RBC BlueBay Asset Management, delve into the significant changes in the investment landscape marked by higher interest rates and an influx of capital into fixed income markets. He explores the opportunities in public and private markets and how ESG and technology, specifically AI, will transform the industry.
Active management and “the emerging markets story”
Richard Garland, Managing Director, Global Advisor, NinetyOne, shares the challenges of active management today. The interview covers adaptive investment solutions and the importance of emerging markets in the strategy while working with clients to find the optimal mix in their portfolios.
The Great Wealth Transfer
Veronique Morel, Senior Wealth Manager - Branch Principal, Raymond James, shares her insights into the generational wealth transfer and why customer segmentation is an important part of business strategy moving forward. She also discusses the rising demand for sustainable investments among millennials and the need to integrate ESG factors into investment processes.
Global market trends
Lori Heinel, Global Chief Investment Officer, State Street Global Advisors, explores the key trends driving markets and the impact of central bank policies. Lori discusses risks, the transformative impact of AI, and strategies for navigating uncertain economic and geopolitical landscapes.
The impact of generative AI on banking
Arnaud Misset, Chief Digital Officer, CACEIS, discusses the numerous benefits and use cases of generative AI, the importance of secure data management, and how CACEIS is navigating its AI journey. Watch to understand the balance between technological advancements and data governance, and how AI is saving thousands of mandates per year.
Key drivers in the funds industry
Vincent Clause, Global Head of Funds Strategy and Product Expansion, Euroclear, explores the dynamic landscape of the funds industry and the global demand for financial assets. He talks about regulatory shifts, the rise of new fund players, and the importance of technological advancements.
Maintaining excellence in distribution
Pierre Adrien Domon, CEO, Fund Channel, shares Fund Channel’s recent partnerships and offerings, including Diver – a platform that helps streamline workflows and makes real-time data and analytics accessible.
Asset management trends and future outlook
Pete Cherecwich, President, Northern Trust Asset Servicing and Daniel Gamba, President, Northern Trust Asset Management, join the IMpower Studio to discuss key challenges and opportunities Northern Trust clients face today and explore the economic and geopolitical challenges. They also address the evolving market landscape, innovative data solutions, and what makes a successful investment manager in the future.
Tokenisation & distributed ledger in fund distribution
Herwig Temmerman, Partner, BearingPoint, talks about the emergence of digital assets, blockchain and tokenisation. Herwig delves into how these technologies are automating processes, reducing costs, and opening new business opportunities.
Fixed income trends and opportunities
Anders Persson, Chief Investment Officer, Head of Global Fixed Income, Nuveen, discusses central bank rate hikes and cuts – a promising backdrop for fixed income investing. He explores investment strategies emphasizing diversification, active management, and the attractive yield environment, and more!
Amundi’s approach to wealth services
Matthieu Guignard, CEO Services and Solutions, Distribution and Wealth Division, Amundi, discusses the increasing competition from digital entrants, rising regulatory pressures, and the digitalisation of client relationships.
Private credit under uncertain interest rate environment
Raman Rajagopal, Client Portfolio Manager, Invesco, explores the impact of rising interest rates on private markets. He discusses the key challenges within various market segments and high return opportunities today.
Private credit trends and investment strategies
Amit Bahri, Managing Director Private Credit, Goldman Sachs, explores the private credit market landscape and the trends shaping investment strategies, covering syndicated markets, the importance of creativity and discipline, and the focus on asset selection and credit underwriting to ensure resilience and stability.
Exploring private equity & debt
Mattis Poetter, Partner and Co-CIO, Arcmont Asset Management, Arcmont from Nuveen, sheds light on the current allocation trends in private wealth, particularly in alternative assets such as private equity and private credit, and the transition to private debt. He also discusses the opportunities for asset managers in the near future, the importance of innovative products like evergreen funds, and the role of wealth channels in expanding fundraising efforts.
Generative AI opportunities and adoption
Giovanni Andrea Incarnato, EMEIA Wealth & Asset Management Transformation Leader, EY, shares EY's global survey results which reveals asset managers’ attitudes towards generative AI and and what benefits it could bring to the business. He addresses key genertaive AI applications such as research automation, portfolio management, and operational tasks. Learn how to successfully adopt generative AI in your strategy!
Technology and the future of ETFs
Tony O’Brien, U.S. Bank Chief Commercial Officer, U.S. Bank, delves into the world of ETFs and the biggest trends and opportunities within it. He discusses the rise of active ETF management and compares prospects in the US and Europe.
Advancing diversity
Breda Sullivan, U.S. Bank WMIS Head of Depositary, Custody & Banking International, U.S. Bank, talks about the importance of setting a progressive and inclusive culture within organisations. She explores the role of networking in enhancing diversity and how organisations can tailor their networking events to better suit women’s networking styles.
Index funds and their impact on fixed income markets
Tim Edwards, Managing Director, Global Head of Index Investment Strategy, S&P Dow Jones, shares the history and impact of index funds on the equity landscape. He also explores the benefits of passive investing and the role of indices in creating a diverse ecosystem of market participants.
The evolution of private markets
Montserrat Serra-Janer, Global Head of Private Markets, Securities Services, J.P. Morgan, explains why it’s important to pay attention to private markets and how strategies have shifted in recent years to aid the seeking of alpha in this space. She covers global trends and talks about Fusion, a data aggregation platform by J.P. Morgan, that helps to standardise data and facilitates better investment and reporting strategies.
A shift in global economic value creation
Thomas Friedberger, Deputy CEO and Co CIO, Tikehau Capital, explores the impact of rising interest rates and deglobalisation on global economic value and explains why wealth and asset managers now focus more on resilience. He also talks about the subsequent lower economic growth while emphasising the need for proper taxation and higher capital buffers. He also shares the key areas he considers resilient, such as energy transition and cyber security.
Investment insights for the next decade
Stuart Dunbar, Partner, Baillie Gifford, explores key investment areas, such as healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, and materials essential for the energy transition. He also emphasises the necessity of patience in an evolving economic landscape to achieve long-term goals.
Navigating market uncertainty
Åsa Norrie, CEO Europe & Head of European Distribution, Principal Asset Management, shares how her team managed to maintain performance in the face of numerous business challenges. She offers advice on risk management, keeping an eye on market trends, and focusing on sustainability and the climate transition.
Unlocking the potential of emerging market debt
Damien Buchet, CIO Principal Finisterre, Principal Asset Management, explores the role of EMD within global portfolios, debunking the myth that it is a beta-trending asset class. He emphasises the resilience of EMD against global economic shocks, its attractive returns primarily from compounded income, and the importance of specialized management for extracting true alpha.
Market volatility and its impact on fixed income opportunities
Edward Harrold, Investment Director, Capital Group, discusses unprecedented challenges faced by the market, including recent geopolitical risks, and what that means for fixed income opportunities. He explains where high yield opportunities lie and how to navigate the outcomes of elections in 2024.
European fund selection trends
Mark McFee, Editorial Insights Director, Research in Finance, shares key insights from the European Fund Selector Study, which suggests that investors seem more positive and willing to commit new money. Mark explores the increase in equity sentiment, especially within the retail space, and talks about the future of active ETFs in Europe, sustainable investments, private assets, and more.
How generative AI can work in asset & wealth management
Tarek Chouman, Global Head of Aladdin Client Business, BlackRock, explains how generative AI can facilitate collaboration between individuals and machines. He also addresses key concerns about the simplification of interfaces and how it can evolve the more you work with it.
Recovery and future prospects of small cap stocks
Stephanie Bobtchell, Portfolio Manager, LFDE, explores the various factors that have impacted small cap stocks, particularly their historic premium in 2021 and the subsequent challenges they faced due to macroeconomic conditions such as recession and rising interest rates.
Integrating ESG risks
Patrick Stöß, Global & EMEIA Wealth & Asset Management Sustainable Finance Leader, EY, shares best practices for integrating ESG factors into risk management processes. He addresses greenwashing concerns and how investors can prevent unintentional greenwashing to adhere to organisational standards.
Tokenised funds and digital assets
Daniel Hall, UK Wealth & Asset Management Leader, EY, explores how digital assets and the underlying blockchain technology are poised to streamline the complex funds industry by improving efficiency and reducing costs. He highlights the collaborative efforts needed to overcome regulatory and infrastructural challenges and the massive potential for future investments.
Harnessing AI for multilingual content
Cordelia Hughes, Regional Vice President - Financial & Legal, RWS, explores how AI is changing financial services. She reports that many have built their own large language models to help produce content, including multilingual content! This allows accessible content and enhances client experience.
The future of asset management
Brian Godins, Chief Commercial Officer, Calastone, talks about the biggest challenges asset managers are facing: margin compression, profitability, and the importance of finding scalable solutions. He explores the role artificial intelligence, ESG, and private assets will play in the future of asset management, and discusses important technological and regulatory developments across the globe.
Digital and sustainable services
Edward Glyn, Head of Global Markets, Calastone, explores the impact of distributed ledger technology and its potential to revolutionise client engagement, offer personalised services, and enable low-cost solutions. He also addresses the importance of ESG investments and the industry’s needed shift towards more sustainable financial services.
Secure and sovereign cloud solutions
Jérôme Sandrini, Chief Revenue Officer, Outscale, delves into how Outscale supports financial services with advanced regtech, business process management and artificial intelligence to deliver investment and compliance solutions. The interview covers the importance of data security and the role of AI in generating precise regulatory reports and investment controls for European customers.
Inflation, growth, and elections
Nina Majstorovic, Investment Specialist for Capital Markets Strategies, Tikehau Capital, shares the key factors that need to be monitored for their impact on market volatility and investment opportunities. She talks about inflationary issues, slow economic growth, significant elections around the globe, and investment opportunities in Europe.
Diversification and long-term benefits of private markets
Cuan Coulter, Global Head of Asset Managers, State Street, explores this maturing industry, including how key players like GPs, LPs, and governments, are invested in the future of private markets. He also explores how data standardisation will be critical to enable better investments.
Transforming investments with data
Dagmar Kamber-Borens, Head of Global Markets for Continental Europe and Head of Switzerland, State Street, shares how State Street’s Global Markets arm leverages data and AI to provide liquidity, financing, and tailored research for institutional investors. Explore how to use AI to enhance investment decisions and how AI is transforming the roles of analysts and portfolio managers.