AGENDA DAY 1
Wealth Symposium
2025 | NSW
08:30
REGISTRATION
Hunter Rothbury Room, Voco Kirkton Park
SPEAKERS
WEALTH SYMPOSIUM 2025 | NSW DAY 1
Paul Chapman
Chairperson
Paul moved to Perth from the UK after completing an honours degree in Pure Mathematics from Imperial College, London. He then worked in actuarial world for five years before moving to Sydney as Portfolio Manager, Fixed Income at AMP Investments. Paul then spent his time developing and fostering a financial advice practice with a partner and team of six staff for ten years before successfully selling the business. After taking a year off to enjoy the fruits of his labour, Paul moved to Melbourne and worked for Suncorp, where he enjoyed working closely with his sales team, fostering their growth and development, ultimately taking him down the path to create his own business, 925 Edge, a business that builds leadership and success within others and helps individuals and companies find their competitive edge. His clients include, MLC, National Mortgage Brokers, Liberty Bank, SLF Lawyers, and Box of Books.
09:20
BUILDING BRIDGES | WHEN THE FOUNDATION MEETS THE FUTURE
As interest rates decline, infrastructure investments are evolving beyond their historically defensive posture to showcase a blend of stability and growth. Traditional infrastructure assets like regulated utilities and monopolistic providers continue to offer dependable, low-volatility options, while newer opportunities in user-pays sectors, such as transport and communications, introduce growth potential. Geographic flexibility also plays a role, with some strategies emphasizing established markets and others exploring emerging regions.
In this session, our speaker will unpack the nuanced asset class infrastructure has become, capable of delivering both stability and strategic growth where an opportunity lies in discerning which assets align with your preference for stability or expansion within a shifting monetary environment.
SPEAKERS:
Jason Petras, Director, Resonant Asset Management
Shane Hurst, Managing Director | Portfolio Manager, ClearBridge Investments
SPEAKERS
WEALTH SYMPOSIUM 2025 | NSW DAY 1
Jason Petras
Director
Resonant Asset Management
Jason holds over 20 years of experience in the financial industry working at some of Australia’s largest Institutional Fund Managers, Global Investment Banks and Hedge Funds as a Portfolio Manager, Consultant, Quantitative Developer and Risk Manager.
Jason has worked closely with investors, advisors, and investment committees to design and implement strategies for Private Wealth Groups, Family Offices, Financial Advisory Firms and Superannuation Funds. He managed $900 million in assets for BT Investment Management (now Pendal) in Australian Equities and Derivatives, Global Macro strategies, and built hedging overlays for Industry Super Funds. In Asia, Jason worked at multibillion-dollar Hedge Funds managing long short equity portfolios and hedging solutions. Prior to this he worked at Barclays Capital and Merrill Lynch in London.
Jason holds a Masters in Quantitative Finance from Bond University and a Bachelor in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Flinders University.
10:25
MORNING TEA
10:55
WINNING BYNOT LOSING
When we talk about investing success, we’re often focused on finding the next big winner. But what if the most powerful driver of long-term returns is not about picking the winners, but about strategically avoiding the losers?
This session goes beyond the headlines to reveal a different, more sustainable path to compounding wealth. Our speaker explores the critical financial signals that can help in identifying and steering clear of companies poised for trouble, making a compelling case for why avoiding mistakes is as powerful as owning high quality businesses. A session to truly define a “quality” business and how it provides the durable foundation you need to build a portfolio that thrives over decades
SPEAKER:
Stephen Arnold, Chief Investment Officer, Aoris Investment Management
SPEAKERS
WEALTH SYMPOSIUM 2025 | NSW DAY 1
Stephen Arnold
Chief Investment Officer
Aoris Investment Management
Stephen has been investing in offshore markets for 30 years, making him one of Australia’s most experienced international investors.
Before founding Aoris Investment Management in 2017, Stephen was Head of International Equities at Evans & Partners. He directly managed $1bn of client assets and over six and a half years generated investment returns that were in the top decile of a broad peer group of international funds.
Stephen spent the period of 1999 to 2018 in London, most of which was with Goldman Sachs Asset Management where he held a senior role in a small team managing an ~$5bn concentrated global equity portfolio.
Stephen was at Platinum Asset Management early 1994 to late 1997 covering US equities. He began his career at Bankers Trust Australia where he was part of the domestic equities investment team.
Stephen holds a Bachelor of Business from UTS, and is a CFA charterholder.
11:40
BRICK BY BRICK | HIDDEN VALUE IN REAL ASSETS
In a dynamic real estate landscape, where can investors uncover true value and capitalize on opportunities that others overlook?
This session explores how current market dynamics, including strategic divestitures and assets trading significantly below their replacement costs, are creating compelling entry points for discerning investors. We examine how certain mispriced assets within this landscape offer significant unrealized performance potential, presenting unique opportunities for substantial value creation and asymmetric outcomes.
This discussion will test the idea of current property allocations and highlight how an underutilised asset class can act as a crucial diversifier, particularly relevant as we enter a rate-cutting cycle.
SPEAKERS:
Greg Miles, Director | Retail, MA Financial Group
Julian Biggins, Joint Chief Executive Officer | Executive Director, MA Financial Group
SPEAKERS
WEALTH SYMPOSIUM 2025 | NSW DAY 1
Julian Biggins
Joint Chief Executive Officer | Executive Director
MA Financial Group
Julian was one of the founders of MA Financial in 2009. He has nearly 20 years of experience providing M&A and capital markets advice to real estate and funds management companies.
Julian was previously a senior member of JP Morgan’s Asia Pacific real estate investment banking team, and prior to that was a member of UBS’ Australian real estate research team.
Julian has a Bachelor of Business (Property) and a Bachelor of Business (Banking and Finance) from the University of South Australia.
12:40
LUNCH
13:40
RETHINKING RETURNS | THE PATH TO HIGHER INCOME
With the landscape of interest rates and credit markets changing, how can investors move beyond traditional fixed income allocations to enhance portfolio yield and resilience?
This session delves into the current sweet spot for income-focused investors, examining how to capture robust returns without simply taking on outsized risk. We will explore the art of flexing credit exposure across the spectrum, from undervalued Investment Grade and High Yield public markets to the compelling opportunities found within Private Credit.
Understand how to position between these distinct asset classes to build a diversified fixed income portfolio designed for resilient outcomes.
SPEAKERS:
Joran Laird, Portfolio Specialist, T. Rowe Price
Aaditya Thakur, Portfolio Manager, PIMCO
Andrew Yap, Deputy Head of Portfolio Solutions, Zenith Investment Partners
15:00
AFTERNOON TEA
15:35
FUNDAMENTAL MEETS SYSTEMATIC I BLENDING INSIGHT AND ALGORITHM
In the complex world of global equities, what is the optimal path to consistent outperformance and robust portfolio construction? This session brings together two distinct yet powerful philosophies for navigating global equities: fundamental analysis and systematic strategies, the qualitative and quantitative approach.
Our speakers will examine today’s market concentration, valuation extremes and opportunities. What themes drive markets today and how to distinguish between structural growth that can justify higher valuations & shorter-term narratives where expectations may be stretched. The discussion also considers the current market concentration and the implications for diversification.
The session will provide practical perspectives on where risks and opportunities lie in global equities today.
SPEAKERS:
Jonathan Ramsay, Partner | Portfolio Manager, InvestSense
Matt Reynolds, Equity Investment Director, Capital Group
Kurt Livermore, Director & Portfolio Manager I Analyst, Lazard Asset Management
SPEAKERS
WEALTH SYMPOSIUM 2025 | NSW DAY 1
Matt Reynolds
Equity Investment Director
Capital Group
Matt has 33 years of investment industry experience and has been with Capital Group for seven years.
Prior to joining Capital, Matt worked as head of Australian equities at Colonial First State Global Asset Management. He holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from The University of Sydney. He also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation. Matt is based in Sydney.
16:30
POWER PLAY | EQUITY, TRADE, AND THE NEW WORLD ORDER
Australian investors have significantly increased their allocations to global equities in the past decade, which inevitably means 70 cents in each dollar is allocated to the US. Given that the US may no longer exhibit the same level of reliability it has since the GFC, what does that mean for global markets and Australians alike?
Specifically, we will examine how the intersection of technology, geopolitics, and trade is reshaping power dynamics and whether this could lead to a shift in the global economic centre away from the US towards other regions, such as Japan and the EU.
The session will take a geopolitical perspective, rather than a purely marketdriven one, to analyse the key themes influencing the investment landscape. It will cover the current global climate and emphasize the crucial role of both financial and human capital in fostering robust economic relationships, particularly for service-based economies like Australia.
SPEAKER:
Rebecca Shrimpton, Senior Advisor, The Asia Group
SPEAKERS
WEALTH SYMPOSIUM 2025 | NSW DAY 1
Rebecca Shrimpton
Senior Advisor
The Asia Group
Rebecca (Bec) is tasked with expanding TAG’s industry-leading Australia practice to help global and Australian corporations develop business strategies to unlock opportunities and overcome market access challenges. Based in Melbourne, Bec brings deep expertise on defense, foreign relations, trade, and investment to support clients across Australia’s most dynamic sectors and the broader Indo-Pacific.
Bec is a recognized expert on terrorism, insurgency, cyber, space policy, missile defense, nuclear and strategic deterrence, and advanced dual-use technologies within national security. Prior to joining TAG, Bec served as Director of Defense Strategy and National Security at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI), and convened the inaugural in-person Sydney Dialogue in 2023 – Australia’s premier policy summit focused on critical, emerging, cyber, and space technologies.
Bec brings over 25 years of government experience, including senior positions at the Australian Department of Defense, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade). At Austrade Bec led Australian trade and investment engagements and priorities for the defence, space and infrastructure sectors globally. Bec served as Counsellor for Defense Strategic Policy at the Australian Embassy in Washington, D.C. from 2015 to 2017 and later as Senior Adviser for Major Powers to the Australian Foreign Minister from 2019 to 2020 where she provided high-level policy advice on Australia’s relationships with key partners, including the United States, China, Five Eyes nations, and on emerging technologies, cyber and space.
A distinguished alumna and Fellow of the Australian War College, Bec completed the 2013 Defense and Strategic Studies Course. She holds a Master of Strategic Studies with Honors from the Australian National University and a Master of Strategic Studies from Deakin University
17:30
DRINKS & CANAPÉS
18:30
SYMPOSIUM DINNER
Rose Garden