2025 Agenda

The boundaries of portfolio construction are shifting. As traditional asset classes strain under global economic uncertainty, alternatives are moving from the exotic to the essential. This session examines the rising dominance of private equity, credit, and real assets, unpacking the forces fuelling their growth and the new rules reshaping institutional and wholesale strategies.

Key points of discussion include:

• The growing dominance of alternatives in modern investment strategies.
• Key drivers of growth in private equity, private credit, and real assets.
• How alternatives are reshaping the investment landscape and challenging traditional asset classes.

In a world marked by rising inflation and deepening recession fears, real assets offer more than diversification – they offer durability. From property to infrastructure and farmland to commodities, this session explores how tangible investments are becoming key tools for risk mitigation and portfolio resilience.

Key points of discussion include:

• Diversification through real estate (residential, commercial, industrial, REITs) to mitigate volatility.
• Infrastructure investments (toll roads, airports, renewable energy) as stable income generators during uncertain times.
• Commodities and farmland: inflation-hedging tools in a fluctuating market.
• Real assets as a strategic complement to traditional portfolios in the face of global recession risks.

Private equity has long been synonymous with risk, but in today’s climate, that association is shifting. This session looks at how private markets are adapting to volatility, where investors are finding consistent returns, and how to strategically access value through recession-ready sectors and businesses.

Key points of discussion include:

• The role of private equity in navigating inflation, market turbulence, and asset devaluation.
• Identifying resilient sectors and businesses within private equity that offer steady returns in recessionary times.
• Strategies for wholesale investors to manage risk and unlock value through private equity during global downturns.
• Risks and rewards of private equity investments.

Amid tightening bank lending and volatile rates, private credit is unlocking new sources of yield. This session dissects how non-bank lenders are shaping a new lending landscape, with particular focus on risk-managed returns in distressed, mezzanine, and asset-backed credit strategies.

Key points of discussion include:

• Non-bank lending and how it creates opportunities for higher returns.
• Risk mitigation strategies in mezzanine and distressed debt.
• How asset-backed lending is reshaping the lending landscape.
• Private credit’s role in portfolio diversification and yield enhancement.

The intelligence economy is no longer theoretical – it’s investable. As AI reshapes industries and nations race to dominate computing power, the stakes for capital allocation have never been higher. This session explores the global frontiers of AI, semiconductors, robotics, and the evolving role of China as it pivots from property-led growth to becoming an AI and industrial superpower.

Key points of discussion include:

• The global arms race in AI and computing power.
• Semiconductors as the backbone of technological and geopolitical dominance.
• Humanoid robotics: frontier wealth creation or fantasy?
• China’s strategic shift from property to AI and advanced manufacturing.
• How companies like DeepSeek exemplify China’s ambitions in foundational AI models and AGI.
• Capital flows into semiconductors, robotics, and frontier AI sectors.
• Navigating the risks and opportunities in a bifurcated global tech landscape.

Cryptocurrency has evolved from chaos to credibility. With ETFs gaining traction, regulation maturing, and decentralised finance offering new layers of yield, this session explores how advisers can position digital assets as a structured, secure part of modern portfolios.

Key points of discussion include:

• Beyond bitcoin: Tokenised alts, staking yield, and decentralised rails.
• ETF inflows, custody upgrades, and real regulation.
• Where advisers can safely step in and stand out.

In this session, we will explore how to make alternative investments more accessible to a broader range of investors, including retail investors and self-managed super funds (SMSFs).

Join AMP Deputy Chief Economist Diana Moussina for a timely macroeconomic update covering key themes shaping the Australian and global economy. Diana will provide insights into interest rate trends, inflation pressures, labour market dynamics, and global risks impacting investment markets. This session will help attendees better understand the evolving economic landscape and the outlook for the months ahead.