May 4^th - 6^th, 2008
The Ritz Carlton (Tysons Corner)

McLean, VA  (USA)

Working with Investment executives to secure America’s retirement

2+ days in May:

…That will deliver outstanding networking opportunities with some of the “who’s who” of the Pension, Investment & Hedge Fund communities, and will also serve as your opportunity to gain the definitive industry “update”, in addition to unrivalled insight into the best performing strategies of 2008 and beyond.

So you won’t miss the opportunity to:

… Update & expand your global rolodex with other senior pension & investment professionals during the extensive networking activities including cocktail receptions, lunches, special breakfasts, exclusive dinners; in addition to the invaluable peer-led roundtable discussions, one-on-one mutually selected meetings, workshops, think tanks and leading edge panel sessions.

The Public & Private Wealth Group Forum is designed to provide senior investment executives with the knowledge to meet the escalating challenges of the "baby boomer" generation, increased women in the workforce and greater life expectancy.  Lower employee contributions and market volatility have made it increasingly difficult for employers to meet their Pension obligations. The Public & Private Wealth Group Forum is designed to provide Chief Investment Officers and Senior Portfolio Managers with the knowledge to meet these and other challenges with cutting edge and practical knowledge through a series of highly interactive peer led round tables, one on one meetings, workshops and think tanks.  The net result: will be many months of analysis achieved in less than three days that will demystify many alternative investment strategies. Allowing confident decision making to be made that will add value to your Pension plan without sacrificing risk parameters.

The 2008 Public & Private Wealth Group Forum will feature landmark keynote presentations & expert industry perspectives given by “true” industry luminaries!

Overview of Selected Topics:

• Hear first hand from the allocators themselves – the key factors influencing the alternative investment strategies from some of the world’s most influential institutional investors.
• Meeting the challenges of global markets in 2008 and beyond – where do the strategic investment opportunities lie, and which business models are best placed to exploit them?
• Yield curves, leverage and the sub-prime contagion – the outlook for credit and distressed strategies.
• Examine the latest trends for hedge funds raising permanent capital, and their impact on the alignment of interests of managers and their investors.
• Will today’s esoterics become tomorrow’s trends: the next generation of investment opportunities.
• New structures:  generating returns from less liquid and convergent strategies.
• Establishing New Principles for Responsible Investing – how leading asset owners are promoting the importance of social, environmental and governance issues in their future asset allocation strategies.

SELECTED SESSION CONTENT:

Major Allocations Into Alternative Investments

*** How to meet the investment goals set forth by your Chief Investment Officer ***

• In 2007 the Teachers Retirement System of Texas began an aggressive campaign to overhaul its investment strategy by targeting roughly a third of its asset under management towards alternative investments. In an effort to capture higher returns this major re-allocation cannot be accomplished without crucial steps taken by the investment staff. What are the lessons learned from such an undertaking?

• Setting specific investment goals and target dates to meet your plan’s objectives

• How to work with investment consultants to meet those goals

• Identifying the right staff to develop an aggressive alternative program

The Advantages of 130/30 over Long-only Investment Strategies

*** Build a more efficient portfolio using shorts ***

Recent studies have predicted that the 130/30 industry will hit the $1Trillion mark as early as 2011. With allocations increasing at a remarkable rate there has been some criticism about the current method of measuring performance. Should investors continue to benchmark 130/30 strategies to static indexes like the S&P 500? This Panel will discuss issues surrounding this growing investment strategy for institutional investors.

• How to evaluate manager performance

• What are acceptable fee structures

• Is 130/30 the right strategy for you?

Size Doesn’t Always Matter – Knowledge is Key!

*** Strategic Investment Insights from Investors with less than $1 Billion ***

It has been cited time and again that Foundations & Endowments with assets over $1 Billion have been able to secure a higher rate of return in comparison to their smaller counterparts as well as outperform the largest pensions from both the public and corporate space. These smaller institutional investors have been able to not only outperform the market but have been able to yield returns that are uncharacteristic of their size. What do they know that we don’t?

• How do they succeed with limited resources?

• What is their methodology?

• How do you mitigate risk with a smaller portfolio?

Investing in Infrastructure as a Pension fund

*** Looking at long term investments for pension funds***

Over a long investment term, real estate has been a solid performer for various reasons. In recent years, infrastructure investments have become more appealing asset classes among institutional investors. The advantages have been cited time and again about like having a low correlation to other assets allowing for greater diversification, exposure to long-term sustainable assets, and capability of providing absolute returns in most market conditions as well as the possibility of a steady cash flow. This session will focus on the issue of implementing an investment strategy to incorporate infrastructure as an asset class and whether to look at domestic and foreign opportunities.

• The Louisiana case study for Infrastructure

• How to decide between domestic or foreign opportunities

• Choosing and implementing infrastructure fund managers    

What is the Current State of Emerging Managers

*** A comprehensive view of Emerging Managers and trends in the industry ***

How do institutional investors define “Emerging Managers?” Institutional investors have been creating emerging manager programs to tap into excess returns and greater diversification. This panel will discuss the pros and cons to taking a proactive approach to implementing emerging managers at various stages of a developed and developing program.

 Implementing emerging managers; pros and cons

• Developing Emerging Manager mandates

• Classifying Emerging Managers

• Finding Emerging Managers

Realign your Pension Plan to LDI

*** Will this trend continue and is it the right move for your pension? ***

There has been an increased involvement in liability driven investing strategies by major corporate pensions. Studies show that this trend will increase as plans seek to increase asset duration to match the duration of their liabilities for better protection of surplus, reduction of risk and greater transparency for better overall investment decisions. Do plan sponsors really know how to implement an LDI strategy to their plan? Peer comparison can sometimes be useless as each plan has its own unique liability profile. This session will address:

How do interest rate fluctuations affect this strategy?

• How to assess construct an asset-liability model

• How to use this model to derive an allocation to each asset class considered

• How to create your customized benchmark

Investing in Alternatives Doesn’t only mean Hedge Funds

*** Looking at various alternative investments that are NOT hedge funds ***

The immediate association of alternatives and hedge funds is wide spread in the industry. However, some institutional investors have decided not to engage in hedge funds for various reasons. This speaker will discuss the investment options available for institutional investors outside the hedge fund space.

• What alternatives asset classes are out there for institutional investors?

• Where can institutional investors find alpha

• 5 reasons why hedge funds aren’t always the answer

Risk Controls in Hedge Fund Investments

*** Risk management-Risk management - Risk management…need we say more? ***

Investors typically focus on investment risk when considering hedge fund investments. However, hedge fund failures that make the headlines are often due to poor operational and risk management controls. This session will include a work plan that you can implement towards operational and risk management controls that should be analyzed during the due diligence process. This candid approach will help serve as a fundamental tool for evaluating and hiring managers.

• Standard risk measures      • Portfolio stress tests            • Portfolio concentrations

• Value at risk VAR               • Manager Office visits           • Manager Background checks

• Securities valuation            • Control environment          • Manager Selection

• Due diligence intangibles    • Cash controls                     • Working with consultants

Looking in your own Backyard for Investment Opportunities

*** Urban revitalization – good for the community / good for your portfolio ***

Redevelopment of distressed urban communities has primarily been a local government responsibility.  Local governments use the states redevelopment programs in conjunction with other federal and local programs to help package deals for revitalizing distressed urban communities. However, more institutional investors such as public sector pension funds and foundations have found a win/win investment opportunity in this new arena. With extensive experience in this field, Lisa Hagerman will help map out the strategy to take to implement such a program.

• Public pension fund best practice in urban investments

• Asset allocation and urban investment

• Measuring the financial and social returns against established benchmarks 

Looking at the Future of Hedge Funds

*** How to use hedge funds in a portfolio – how much and with whom ***

What changes have investors made in their attitudes towards hedge funds and their investments in them versus other alternative assets? Given the fee structure of hedge fund companies, are higher fees justified? If not, what recourse do investors have to put pressure on reducing fees if performance isn’t met? With hedge funds riding high on their use of leverage, the increased concern regarding their debt financing can result in more hedge fund blow ups. Where are the opportunities and how do you implement them?

• The role of hedge funds in your portfolio: what is the right allocation?

• What are the implications of competition from alternative investment products

• What are the fundamental challenges in fitting a hedge fund allocation into overall portfolio construction

We hope that you will be able to join us for what will be an extremely informative and thought-provoking pensions & investment industry event.  For any additional information about your participation in the event or to receive the complete Agenda, we welcome you to contact us either by clicking on the REQUEST button below, or contacting us directly (via the contact information below)

For more information, on becoming a Speaker, Asset Management Partner, Institutional Investment Member or Media Partner ...  Contact:

Michael Pupil at 646.502.8869  info@theconnexgroup.com