Investing in Real Assets (Virtual)

MACRO: Economic outlook for real asset investments

• Drivers for increasing portfolio allocations to real assets
• Pricing trends and how pricing volatility has impacted real assets
• Fallout from Covid 19 – what are the prospects for real estate and infrastructure?
• What are the climate considerations for insurers investing in real assets? How can they fulfil climate obligations and help to build back a more sustainable economy?
• What steps can be taken to get closer to reaching net zero emissions across your real assets platform and all stages of the investment process?
• The future outlook for real assets - will allocations continue to grow, and if so, to what extent, considering capital charges? As interest rates rise, will insurers fall back on their core investments? What new assets could come onto the market as a result of revised social priorities post-Covid?

Moderator: Alberto Matellán Pinilla, Chief Economist, MAPFRE

Speakers: Andrew Bailey, Director of Financial Risk, Just Group Plc
Huayin Liu, Chief Investment Officer, UNA Seguros
Massimo di Tria, Chief Investment Officer, Gruppo Cattolica Assicurazioni

INFRASTRUCTURE: Risks and opportunities of infrastructure investments

• Trends, forecasts and risk/return characteristics for the different infrastructure sectors in the post-Covid economy:
• Transport: rail, roads and bridges
• Energy infrastructure
• Digital infrastructure
• Considerations when comparing the different choices for infrastructure investments – debt vs. equity, private vs. public, infrastructure funds
• Examining illiquidity risks and premiums
• PPPs (public private partnerships) – what are the potential benefits, risks and political head/tailwinds for insurers in infrastructure initiatives through government stimulus packages?
• Managing the restraints of Solvency II capital charges for infrastructure investments
• how to make sure your investment strategy is capital-efficient
• government incentives to invest in public infrastructure by lowering capital charges

Moderator: Curtis A. Spillers, Senior Credit Analyst, Corporate Bonds, RGA Reinsurance Company

Speakers: Adrian Jones, Director, Infrastructure Debt, Allianz Global Investors
Corrado Pistarino, Chief Investment Officer, Foresters Friendly Society
Tom Sumpster, Head of Direct Origination, Phoenix Group plc

ENERGY/RENEWABLES: Investing in renewable energies to support the transition to a low carbon economy

• Investment/climate considerations for renewables vs. oil and gas
• How to find the upside potential for renewables, given their high capital costs?
• What needs to happen to narrow the gap in returns between renewables and oil and gas?
• Benchmarking illiquidity premiums in renewable investments
• Reducing your portfolio carbon footprint through renewables
• Integrating renewable investments into your overall real assets investment strategy

Moderator: Jelle van der Giessen, Chief Investment Officer, NN Group

Speakers: Adil Jiwa, Associate Director, Loan Investments, Scottish Widows
Hayley Rees, Head of Investment Strategy, Pension Insurance Corporation
Prasun Mathur, Head of Private Assets, Aviva

REAL ESTATE: Emerging trends in real estate investment in the post-Covid economy

• The role of real estate in insurer's portfolios, and the shifting landscape of asset allocation in real estate
• Which types of real estate are insurers focusing on since the pandemic, or avoiding, and why?
• Real estate debt
• Hotels and leisure - Retail
• Offices - Healthcare facilities and care homes
• Industrial and warehouses - Residential
• Climate considerations for real estate investments and the role of real estate in building back a more sustainable economy
• Examples of investment in social/affordable housing
• ESG integration into real estate investments – what do's and don'ts can be shared from insurers with mature ESG strategies?
• Future growth, trends and models
• Will insurers increasingly turn into property developers, and even urban planners over time? How could that change the potential returns for an insurer vs investing in a fund, or in a ready-made building?
• Will global real estate be an attractive way to diversify from home markets?

Moderator: Antonello Aquino, Associate Managing Director, Moody's Investors Service

Speakers: Andy Rofe, Managing Director, Head of Europe, Invesco Real Estate
Chris Palmer, Head of Illiquid Asset Origination, Phoenix Group Plc 
Eleanor Bucks, Chief Operating Officer, Legal & General Capital
Olafur Margeirsson, Senior Real Estate Strategist, Zurich Insurance Company Ltd

End of Conference