MARHedge San Francisco - 13th Annual Institutional Investment Conference
Accessing New Talent and New Opportunities
The Ritz Carlton
San Francisco, CA
Napa Valley Wine-Tasting Tour & Luncheon - Sponsored by Barclays Capital
Registration Opens
Opening Cocktail Reception
Private Investors Dinner
Continental Breakfast - Sponsored by Chicago Mercantile Exchange
Registration and Exhibits Open
Keynote Address
"The End of the Goldilocks Economy: What Should Investors Do Now?"
A Global View: Identifying and Seizing the Best Opportunities Worldwide
A recent study predicted that global institutional demand for hedge funds will triple by 2010, increasing to more than $1 trillion, and with nearly one-quarter of all institutions invested in hedge funds, compared with 15% now. As more institutions look to hedge funds to boost their returns, will they also try to diversify their hedge fund holdings by placing money with non-US funds? What is the state of play globally, and how can investors spread their money around the world without increasing their risk profile unnecessarily?
Coffee Break
Returns and Diversification, Yes. But What Happened to Capital Protection?
When hedge funds really took center stage earlier this decade, many investors claimed to be most interested in these strategies' ability to deliver higher returns, greater diversification and capital protection. Today, no one seems to talk much about protecting capital, everyone seems to be fixated on returns.
Shareholder Activism: Who Benefits When Hedge Funds Are Active Investors?
In a short time, hedge funds have become perhaps the most dynamic of shareholder activists as they have applied their analytical skills to change companies they view as providing insufficient value. Does a more cooperative or more hostile approach provide better results? Are the goals of the hedge fund managers aligned with the objectives of other investors who may be more interested in corporate governance or protecting their interests as fiduciaries?
Lunch
Investors - Innovative Strategies: Institutional Investors Evaluate 130/30
Hedge funds managers, among the best and brightest minds in the financial world, are a steady source of new investment ideas for investors hungry for opportunities to enhance their portfolios. Today, Active Extension strategies, commonly referred to as “130/30” portfolios, are the most talked-about innovation for pension plans and their consultants. Is this product superior to portable alpha solutions or simply a better marketing proposition to gain acceptance from pension fund boards?
Managers - The Hedge Fund-Brokerage Relationship
Hedge fund managers and their brokers have a vital relationship that involves prime brokerage, securities lending and trading technology, among other services. Much like a marriage, the partnership between funds and brokers has many possible benefits but can also go off the track. What do managers look for and what can their brokers provide?
Coffee Break
Investors - Red Flags: How to Spot Danger Signs in a Hedge Fund Organization
Investing in hedge funds, either directly or through funds of funds, involves risk. But when are the risks too great? What are the warning signs that a fund may be out of its depth and about to blow up? Keeping an eye out for red flags at a hedge fund is key to managing the risks associated with investing in one.
Managers - Regulatory Review: A Status Check on Hedge Fund Oversight
Debate over the extent to which hedge funds should be regulated is as old as the industry itself. What are the latest actions of central banks, global regulators and local legislators to oversee this burgeoning sector?
Cocktail Party
Speakers Dinner
Continental Breakfast - Registration & Exhibits Open
Opening Remarks
Keynote Address
"Looking beyond China and India: Investment opportunities in Vietnam and Emerging Asia"
Planting Seeds and Helping Them Grow
Identifying tomorrow's star managers and getting capacity early has always been part of the hedge fund game. Today, a growing number of firms offer a variety of ways to support fledgling managers as they develop winning track records.
Coffee Break
Investors - Are All Emerging Mangers Created Equal?
Sophisticated investors are constantly on the lookout for emerging managers who can generate excess alpha. Their challenge is to identify the genuinely talented ones. Who exactly is an emerging manager, and what type of due diligence is necessary to spot true alpha generators? How do emerging managers differentiate themselves from their peers in order to attract investors?
Managers - Finding and Retaining Key Personnel
The rush to recruit top investment professionals and critical backoffice staff has turned into a stampede. And once you've got them on board, how do you ensure they won't jump ship?
Investors - Picking a Hedge Fund Manager: Is It an Art or a Science?
It used to be that a marquee name provided comfort to investors looking to place money with a hedge fund. A star founder-or a winning strategy-was enough to justify the risks, as well as the fees. Nowadays, allocating to hedge funds is a bit of a crapshoot. How can investors ensure they're selecting managers who will deliver superior, sustainable risk-adjusted returns?
Managers - Finding and Retaining Investors
Competition for investors' attention is keen, and demands on managers to hold onto capital are intense. This means creating effective marketing materials and performance reports, and knowing how to get in front of potential investors, what to expect during the due diligence process and how to conduct successful client meetings.
Emerging Markets: Building with BRICs and Other Materials
Emerging markets investing has been a winner for several years now, and Brazil, Russia, India and China have provided many of the best opportunities. Today, as these markets look increasingly like their developed counterparts, more exotic climes are beginning to attract serious interest. Sub-Saharan Africa is already on some investors’ maps.
Breaking the Shackles: How Institutions Can Embrace a Dynamic Alpha Structure
Institutional investors are embracing the concept of adding higher alpha strategies such as hedge funds within an investment program, but may be limiting the full benefit potential. Is there a more productive way to think about hedge fund investing than simply deciding what percentage to allocate to hedge-fund-like strategies?
Conference Closes
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