With so much going on and potentially about to change, there’s a lot to take in from experts who understand some of the bigger themes deserving focus. We’ve collected leading ETF industry experts and thought leaders to offer their expert insights on the rising importance of ESG investing, the best new thinking on factors, the increasing importance of international diversification.
The ETF industry will come together on Monday, November 16, 2020, for the Three Themes for 2021: An iShares & MSCI Investing Symposium, a unique half-day online conference that’s complimentary for financial advisors. Panelists include Sarah Kjellberg, Director, Head of U.S. iShares Sustainable ETFs, MSCI’s Guillermo Cano, Executive Director, Index Solutions Research, Jeffrey Spiegel, US Head of iShares Megatrend and International ETFs, MSCI’s Raina Oberoi, Managing Director, Head of Americas Index Solutions Research, Blackrock’s head of Factor ETFs, Bob Hum, and MSCI’s Anil Rao, Executive Director, Index Solutions Research.
At this year’s conference, three cutting edge virtual panels will address some of the biggest trends and opportunities in the markets today.
Panels will include a focus on ESG, showing lessons from the institutional market. Investing in Environmental, Social, and Governance-focused ETFs is nothing new, and yet the past 2 years have brought a sea change in how real-world investors can use ESG effectively in portfolios. Far behind simple values-based investing, current evidence suggests that ESG is both a critical risk management tool and a potential source of outperformance in the decade to come.
There will also be time spent exploring international investing. In 2020, investors largely ignored their international exposure, distracted by the economic and humanitarian impacts of Covid-19. But while the world has adjusted to the new normal, the geopolitical landscape has been shifting. Tensions have never been higher in the South China Sea, the Middle East remains a hot bottom region, and the future of a European recovery is still in doubt. Now it’s a question of how an advisor maintains a global perspective.
Lastly, there’s the thought of whether or not smart beta is still important. For the past 40 years, savvy investors have realized that factors are often the predominant driver of returns. But the market action in 2020 has caused many advisors to take their eyes off the ball. Factor strategies are about much more than “when will value be back.” An effective use of factors is a key pillar of risk management and portfolio construction.
Financial advisors interested in learning more about this upcoming event can register for the Monday, November 16, investing symposium here.
