European Asset Management Conference

the ALFI European Asset Management Conference returns in March once again as a virtual event. For four consecutive mornings from 16 to 19 March 2021 the event platform will deliver 2 ½ hours per day of insightful content, reflecting the collective views, opinions, updates and foresight of the asset management sector, including fund selectors, distributors, service providers, regulators and keynote interventions, as well of course as the asset manager community itself.

The industry stands at a crossroads, arriving from a post-Brexit, post-Trump world still seeking to emerge from the ravages of a global pandemic, but seemingly harmonised around the importance of sustainable finance. Which way from here? Our expert speaker line-up will debate the future direction of the industry, its massive potential to positively impact the global economy, society and the environment, and the opportunities to thrive as the world eventually emerges from its Covid restrictions.

Days 1 and 2 will focus on asset managers and how they meet the needs of investors and day 3 focuses on regulation and the regulator. Day 4 takes a more strategic and structural look at the next five years and predicts how the sector may evolve, and how Luxembourg continues to innovate and adapt to the needs of a sector in transformation.

Some headlines of each day:

Tuesday/Wednesday, 16/17 March 2021, days 1 and 2:
The industry is no longer bifurcated into retail and alternatives. Boundaries have blurred and we see an emerging core of capability and competency covering multiple asset classes and investment vehicles, but with specialists remaining at the extremes. From capital raising to product development and distribution innovation, the transformational opportunity technology can deliver, to sustainable finance momentum – we cover the spectrum of asset management opportunities.

Thursday, 18 March 2021, day 3:
Any session title beginning with the word “regulation” can be a deterrent, but on day 3 we cover the subject with pragmatism and focus on the practical implications of regulatory change. Hear from a senior EC policy maker where future EU policy making will be emphasised, take a sprint with our “tres amigas” through recent and forthcoming regulatory change in Luxembourg; join the always insightful interview with Marco Zwick of the CSSF, explore with us the practicalities of CSSF Circular 18/698 several years after its introduction and hear industry opinions on how oversight can move beyond pure “compliance” to become more intelligent and effective.

Friday, 19 March 2021, day 4;
The day 4 theme centres on the strategic evolution of the asset management sector, posing the question whether this will happen as a result of careful strategic planning, the ability and agility to adapt to “events”, or a question of pure crystal ball intuition. We hear from a keynote speaker his views on the global macro-events influencing Luxembourg as a financial centre; a c-suite panel representing a broad cross section of the industry will respond to one-minute contributions from investor groups on their future needs of the AM sector; a representative group of the Luxembourg funds “ecosystem” offer opinions on how our local industry can adapt and innovate to continue to serve the changing needs of asset managers; and our final keynote speaker will explore the implications on society and opportunities for the AM sector from longevity and the predicted life expectancy increase of around 10-15 years with each new generation.

Registration is now open and an early bird fee is available until 3 February.