Agenda at a glance:

Wednesday, Aug. 12: Golf day, speaker rehearsal, opening cocktail reception and dinner

Thursday, Aug. 13: Full day of sessions, formal cocktail reception and dinner

Friday, Aug. 14: Morning sessions, closing lunch

 

Confirmed sessions:

From the foreign affairs file: Reading the world before the market does

Geopolitics is no longer a tail risk; it’s the deal. This session will address the relationship that matters the most to Canadian portfolios: the U.S., and how Washington's new posture changes the calculus on everything from energy to defence to trade. It will draw on lessons from the field about how conflict actually unfolds, weigh in on the Middle East and what a fractured world order means for risk pricing and walk through Canada's overdue rebuild of its security and defence apparatus. This session will also address Canada-China relations — the history, the inflection points ahead and the signals serious investors should be watching now.

Speaker:

John Baird, former minister, foreign affairs, former minister, environment, Parliament of Canada

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Panel: Are pension funds re-evaluating alternative assets amid rocky performance?

While alternative assets are important to institutional investors for their diversification and risk reduction, they also add significant complexity and haven’t been performing as well as traditional 60/40 public market portfolios. As investors and boards question the future quantum that should be allocated to alternatives, this panel discussion will explore the red flags and silver linings in the private market space.

Panellists:

Emilian Groch, director, Public Service Pension Plan Corp., investment committee member, Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation

Harpinder Sandhu, board member, BC Public Service Pension Plan, board member, BC Pension Corp., investment committee chair, BC Municipal Pension Plan

Gary Timlick, chair, investment committee, Winnipeg Civic Employees’ Benefits Program

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Venture capital opportunities in security and defence technology

The steady rise of geopolitical instability is fueling a long-term secular trend increasing security technology spending as governments seek to meet defence spending targets of two per cent or more. This fireside chat will examine the defence technology investment opportunity, including the structural shifts in government procurement and its implications for emerging, dual-use technology companies. It will provide practical insight for investors looking to better understand opportunities at the intersection of national security priorities and rapid technological advancement.

Speakers:

Glenn Cowan, managing director, head, defence and security investing, ONE9

Ash Lawrence, head, AGF Capital Partners

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More sessions to be announced.