Tomorrow (Tuesday 6th August 2019) at the IMAP (Institute of Managed Accounts Professionals) Conference in Sydney, I will be chairing a panel on 'How to Use Alternatives in Managed Account Portfolios'. Invited panel participants are: Sam Mann (Longreach Alternatives), Brook Sweeney (Lonsec) and Alex Donald (Ironbark).
In recent years, the Alternatives asset class sector for Australian retail investors has been disappointing in terms of returns (particularly as allocations are usually made from growth assets like equities) which is a concern as significant allocations (up to around 15-20%) are made to this sector in diversified portfolios.
I will be asking the panel four key questions:
- Provide a brief overview of your firm's views on Alternatives and Managed Accounts?
- How should Alternatives be defined and benchmarked?
- Are Alternatives a risk or return orientated investment?
- What is the optimal or best way of investing in Alternatives now?
Given the experience of the panel members, conference attendees can expect useful insights on these questions. Their responses will be summarised on a future blog. Updates on the Conference will also be available at the IMAP website imap.asn.au.