Conference Coverage: 2025 Investment Innovation Conference

With only a few weeks left in a year impacted by trade wars, equity concentration risk and the increased appeal of artificial intelligence opportunities, defined benefit plan sponsors, money managers and other investment professionals gathered at the Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria, B.C. for the Canadian Investment Review’s 2025 Investment Innovation Conference.

From Nov. 19-21, the packed agenda presented a range of sessions to guide institutional investors through technological advancements carving a bigger path in portfolios and the right asset balance required to stay ahead in turbulent times.

Here’s what you missed!

PHOTO GALLERY

Sean Speer
the Hub and Public Policy Forum
Where does Canada fit in an era of anti-globalization?

The current moment is rooted in shifting ideas, characterized by the rise and fall of globalization.

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Yvette Babb
William Blair
Global uncertainty pushing emerging markets debt as alternative funding source

Fading developed markets bilateral aid and U.S. tariff policy is pushing emerging markets debt as an attractive alternative for growing countries.

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Bernd Wuebben
AllianceBernstein
Systematic and quantitative processes unlocking new path for fixed income asset management

A quantitative investment process could begin competing with the best fixed income and fundamental traditional credit asset managers in the near future.

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David Lindstone
Benefit Street Partners - Alcentran  Franklin Templeton Co.
Institutional investor demand for alternative debt assets up in CLO market

The size of the collateralized loan obligation market is revealing an interest pattern in alternative debt investment opportunities, particularly in Europe and the U.S.

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Derek Walker
CPP Investments
How CPP Investments is balancing innovation and stability

CPP Investments’ CEO has described the organization as a supertanker, referring to scale — a portfolio approaching $800 billion — and the inability to pivot quickly due to its investments across illiquid assets.

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Karlan Patel
State Street Investment Management
Central banks poised to increase investment allocations to gold

The outlier performance of investments in gold can be traced to risk-off activity from central banks around the world.

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Raphael Lewis
BNY Investments Newton
Journalist mindset expanding due diligence scope for institutional investors

Using journalistic-style investment due diligence can add a differentiated component to a multi-dimensional approach to research.

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David Alloune
Trans-Canada Capital Inc.
Institutional investors relying on passive global equity strategies missing out on portable alpha

By separating a traditional active equity portfolio into two groups, institutional investors can gain resilience and add value at a time when active global equity strategies have struggled to outperform.

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Jacky Chen
OPTrust
Jennifer Hartfield
BCI
Russ Goyenko
McGill University’s Desautels Faculty of Management
Institutional investors creating internal guidelines for effective AI use

Institutional investors are responsible for setting guardrails and monitoring the use of artificial intelligence tools, rendering standardized guidelines unhelpful at the moment.

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Mai Mavinkurve
Prosperity Global Services and International Governance and Innovation
How will AI impact the future of investment leadership?

Alongside deglobalization and changing global supply chains, technology is now permeating strategy at a global level, with artificial intelligence moving from a topic of innovation to an instrument of power.

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Heather Wolfe
TTC Pension Plan
TTC Pension Plan CEO talks in-house expertise, diversification and opportunities in AI

Over the last 80 years, the TTC Pension Plan has grown from a contribution of $250,000 and a small team within the Toronto Transit Commission to a Maple Middle pension fund with close to $10 billion and a team of 42 people serving 28,000 members.

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Mark Zelmer
C.D. Howe Institute
How can financial institutions prepare for financial distress amid rising geopolitical tensions?

While Canada’s financial system was fit for purpose across decades of liberal democratic order, it’s important to look at how the system should be structured in the future.

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Sponsors

To view highlights from the 2024 Investment Innovation Conference, click here.

To view highlights from the 2023 Investment Innovation Conference, click here.

To view highlights from the 2022 Investment Innovation Conference, click here.

To view highlights from the 2021 Investment Innovation Conference, click here.