Welcome to Country - Uncle Allen Madden from Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council
Conference opening address Dean Hegarty
Dean Hegarty
Co-CEO of RIAA
Investment from a systems perspective, and how Indigenous thinking can save the world Tyson Yunkaporta•Paul Kearney•Estelle Parker
This year's conference falls during Reconciliation Week, so to open the conference we are pleased to bring you a three-way yarn about repurposing Indigenous Australian systems knowledge to gain a better understanding of how the world works in a dynamic stack of land, culture, economy and technology. Renowned Indigenous skolar Tyson Yunkaporta will share his insights into how incorporating an Indigenous systems mindset can help us model interdependent fields of ecology and economy to interpret signals, identify inflection points and position innovative actions for large scale impact. Paul Kearney will share experience and knowledge gained from three years of building relationships between the finance sector and First Nations thinkers and organisations, explaining how investing in Indigenous knowledge exchange can support long-term prosperity, sustainability and smarter systems design. In conversation with RIAA's co-CEO, they will tell the story of how their unlikely partnership has sparked rich relationships and projects worldwide, while adding deeply satisfying layers of meaning and purpose to their work.
Tyson Yunkaporta
Senior Lecturer, Indigenous Knowledges at Deakin University
Paul Kearney
CEO and Founder of Kearney Group
Estelle Parker
Co-CEO of RIAA
The future of ESG • Keynote: Paul Clements-Hunt, CEO at The Blended Capital Group
Paul Clements-Hunt
Chief Executive Officer at The Blended Capital Group
The dis-United States of ESG: Where to now for responsible investing? Paul Clements-Hunt•Prof Timothy Lynch•Estelle Parker•Maria Lettini (Virtual Presenter)
The election of Donald Trump for a second term as US President has again seen the anti-ESG movement gaining ground in the US. Join a panel of experts as they explore what Trump 2.0 means for US and global investors, how investors are responding to current rhetoric, politics and legal developments, and whether it really matters for responsible investors who occupies the White House.
Paul Clements-Hunt
Chief Executive Officer at The Blended Capital Group
Prof Timothy Lynch
Professor of US Politics at The University of Melbourne
Estelle Parker
Co-CEO of RIAA
Maria Lettini (Virtual Presenter)
Chief Executive Officer at US Sustainable Investment Forum
Morning tea
What happened to DEI? Adrian Pozzo•Jennifer Hewett•Simon O'Connor•Topaz McAuliffe
Research shows that gender and ethnically diverse organisations outperform their peers, with greater diversity of thought leadership leading to better decisions, as well as a widened talent pool and improved staff retention. But have Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts gone too far? Why do we appear to be going backwards on some indicators? And what does Australia’s election outcome mean for the DEI efforts of investors and corporates? Join this panel of experts as they delve into the current state of play of DEI in Australia and globally and what this means for the responsible investment sector.
Adrian Pozzo
Chief Executive Officer at Cbus Property
Jennifer Hewett
National Affairs Columnist at The Australian Financial Review
Simon O'Connor
Independent Non-Executive Director
Topaz McAuliffe
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of 15 Times Better
Assessing board performance Naomi Edwards FAICD•Ming Long AM•Christine Holman•Liza McDonald
Recent corporate scandals have shone a light on the importance of appropriate board oversight of organisational governance and accountable corporate performance of companies. In this session, experts, including leading ASX Board Directors, will delve into how investors can know boards are doing their job. What does a successful board actually look like in an era of change, with issues like AI, cybersecurity and nature posing diverse risks? How can investors ensure board directors have the appropriate skills? What can investors expect from boards in terms of scrutinising risk in their investee companies? And how can investors in turn apply an appropriate level of scrutiny over the boards themselves?
Naomi Edwards FAICD
Chair and National Director of Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD)
Ming Long AM
Non-Executive Director
Christine Holman
Non-Executive Director
Liza McDonald
Head of Responsible Investment at Aware Super
Lunch
Climate transition investing: If not now, then when? If not you, then who? • Keynote: Carmen Leung, Senior Manager, Sustainable Product, APAC at FTSE Russell
Brought to you by FTSE Russell.
Carmen Leung
Senior Manager, Sustainable Product, APAC at FTSE Russell
Climate transition investing: If not now, then when? If not you, then who? Carmen Leung•Damian Graham•Marianne Harper Gow•Guneet Rana
Brought to you by FTSE Russell
Seizing the climate transition isn’t just about renewables. Yet many Australian institutional investors are stuck in a ‘wait and see’ mode, hindered by policy uncertainty, unclear regulations, and fears of greenwashing. Meanwhile, overseas, major global sovereign and pension funds are already pouring serious money into transition tech, energy, mitigation and adaptation. When they look back, how will Aussie investors view their choices? What opportunities does climate change offer for Australian investors to ride the megatrend now? What does top-tier ‘climate investing’ look like? When is the right time to act? And if it’s not you, then who will reap the rewards?
Carmen Leung
Senior Manager, Sustainable Product, APAC at FTSE Russell
Damian Graham
Chief Investment Officer at Aware Super
Marianne Harper Gow
Senior ESG Analyst at Baillie Gifford
Guneet Rana
Director Responsible Investment of Colonial First State
Measuring nature for investors • Keynote: Marco Lambertini, Convener at Nature Positive Initiative
Marco Lambertini
Convener at Nature Positive Initiative
Finding Nature’s formula: What investors need to know about metrics and measurement Marco Lambertini•Julia Leske•Guy Williams•Darren Grover
Brought to you by RIAA's Nature Working Group. One of the key components of collaborating to halt and reverse nature loss is the need for clear and consistent metrics for reporting on nature and progressing towards collective nature positive goals. Indigenous leadership and perspectives are key to addressing environmental challenges, and investors need to understand the available tools, data and metrics to be able to act on nature. Join this session to gain practical insights on the state of data metrics and measurements globally, as well as how to leverage nature-related metrics to drive more sustainable and well-informed investment strategies to create long-term value. Hear from experts about how the industry can move forward with data that already exists and what is needed to start contributing to nature-positive outcomes.
Marco Lambertini
Convener at Nature Positive Initiative
Julia Leske
Managing Director, Senior Consultant ESG Strategy of ISS STOXX
Guy Williams
Co-Chair of RIAA's Nature Working Group and Director at Ziranjiti Pty Limited
Darren Grover
Head, Regenerative Country at WWF Australia
Afternoon tea
From polls to portfolios: Election 2025 and the future of sustainable finance Yaron Finkelstein•Nicolette Boele•Nayanisha Samarakoon•Gordon Noble
The 2025 federal election occurred at a critical juncture for sustainable finance and investors. With ESG under increased scrutiny globally, understanding the political, social and economic environment is more crucial than ever. Australia’s role in the global energy transition makes it essential for investors to understand the changing global and local policy and political environment, and how current sociopolitical dynamics impact their portfolios. What does the current environment mean for investors’ efforts to mitigate ESG risk, assess sustainable finance opportunities and improve long-term returns?
Join our expert panellists as they dive into the election’s impact on sustainable finance and climate investing. Discover the electorate’s views on ESG and learn how investors can navigate the evolving policy landscape.
Yaron Finkelstein
Founding Partner at Society Advisory
Nicolette Boele
Community Independent for Bradfield
Nayanisha Samarakoon
Head of Policy & Advocacy at RIAA
Gordon Noble
Research Director of UTS Institute for Sustainable Futures
Conference Day 1 wrap up Arti Prasad
Arti Prasad
Partner, Sustainable Investments at Mercer
Registration open
Welcome back from RIAA Nayanisha Samarakoon
Nayanisha Samarakoon
Head of Policy & Advocacy at RIAA
Addressing financial system climate risk: A view from the regulator • Keynote: Kate O'Rourke, ASIC Commisioner Kate O'Rourke (Virtual Presenter)
Kate O'Rourke (Virtual Presenter)
Commissioner at Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC)
Greenwashing: Lessons from the courtroom John Moutsopoulos•Lisa Lautier•Nayanisha Samarakoon•Kate O'Rourke (Virtual Presenter)
Increased scrutiny of sustainable investment over the past two years has resulted in legal judgments on greenwashing, applying established legal obligations to sustainable finance. Australia’s corporate regulator has been one of the most active in the world on greenwashing, bringing court action against funds seen to be overstating environmental and social commitments in product labels and marketing material. This session will bring together some of the best legal minds focused on greenwashing in the finance sector along with Australia's regulator to examine recent court decisions and discuss how the consumer protection laws have been applied to ESG factors. These leading experts will also discuss what actions and decisions can help or hinder in mitigating greenwashing risk.
John Moutsopoulos
Partner at Mills Oakley Lawyers
Lisa Lautier
Partner at K&L Gates
Nayanisha Samarakoon
Head of Policy & Advocacy at RIAA
Kate O'Rourke (Virtual Presenter)
Commissioner at Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC)
The Geopolitics of the renewables’ value chain Richard Mattison•David Mullins•Deirdre Cooper•Dr Huw McKay
Oil’s rise as a source of energy in the early 1900s brought with it the rise of oil-producing regions of the Middle East, heralding a significant geopolitical shift that has lasted a century. As wind and solar gain ground over the next three decades, superseding coal and oil as the world’s dominant energy sources, competition for resources is likely to shift towards the supply of critical minerals and metals. What geopolitical changes will this bring? What risks might this pose for assets? And what questions should responsible investors be asking as they consider investments in the energy transition that may impact human rights, governance obligations and environmental commitments?
Richard Mattison
Head of Sustainability & Climate at MSCI
David Mullins
Managing Director – Asia Pacific of Verisk Maplecroft
Deirdre Cooper
Head of Sustainable Equity at Ninety One
Dr Huw McKay
Visiting Fellow at ANU and former Chief Economist of BHP
Morning tea
The Just Transition juggle: Managing ambition, assumptions and implementation Alex Heath•Jamie Lowe•Andy Symington•Michele O'Neil (Virtual Presenter)
Australia’s wealth and prosperity has long relied on primary and extractive industries. These sectors will be greatly transformed by the transition as Australia joins the global push towards a decarbonised economy. Join eminent representatives at the centre of the Just Transition as they discuss where we are on this journey and who really is on the same page about how we get there. How do we ensure all Australians understand the opportunities a Just Transition presents? What is the balance between ambition, assumptions and practical implementation?
Alex Heath
Head of the Climate and Energy Division at Treasury
Jamie Lowe
CEO of National Native Title Council
Andy Symington
Director, Human Rights and Social Impact of KPMG Australia
Michele O'Neil (Virtual Presenter)
President at Australian Council of Trade Unions
Global standards comparability: A view from ISSB • Keynote: Sue Lloyd, Vice-Chair at ISSB
Sue Lloyd
Vice-Chair at International Sustainability Standards Board
Global standards comparability: Are we chasing a pipe dream? Sue Lloyd•Linda Romanovska•Shalini Samuel GAICD•Lou Capparelli
The Responsible Investment industry is witnessing a proliferation of product labelling, disclosure and taxonomy standards and guidelines. Even as standards-setters work to map their approaches and draw learnings from one another, full and complete alignment remains elusive. This session will discuss the practical consequences for investment managers operating across different jurisdictions, and what can be done to navigate this. What does 'comparability' mean? Is there room to embrace difference? Are we on the right track? Or are we chasing a pipe dream? Join us as we delve into the 'who, what, why and where’ of sustainability standards, and their implications for users.
Sue Lloyd
Vice-Chair at International Sustainability Standards Board
Linda Romanovska
Co-author of international sustainability reporting regulations & Partner, Head of Materra
Shalini Samuel GAICD
Head of Certification at RIAA
Lou Capparelli
Head of ESG at UniSuper
Lunch
Bonds, credit, private equity, public equity: Pursuing impact across asset classes Kristina Hermanson•Marco Lenfers•Claudia Kwan•Dean Hegarty
Institutional asset owners are increasingly interested in aligning their strategies with social and environmental objectives, and embedding positive impact alongside returns and long-term value creation. This panel will bring global experts together to discuss the advantages and challenges of pursuing impact across various asset classes, from private equity to index investments to fixed income. They will examine the best ways to identify objectives, devise and implement a strategy that includes opportunities for impact within the constraints of different asset classes, and integrate impact thinking into the management of portfolios.
Kristina Hermanson
Head of APAC & Africa at Nuveen Natural Capital
Marco Lenfers
Client Portfolio Manager - Executive Director of Vontobel Asset Management
Claudia Kwan
Co Portfolio Manager at NorthStar Impact Funds
Dean Hegarty
Co-CEO of RIAA
Investing now and for the future • Keynote: Vicki Doyle, CEO at REST Vicki Doyle•Estelle Parker
Vicki Doyle
Chief Executive Officer at Rest
Estelle Parker
Co-CEO of RIAA
Afternoon tea
Responsible investing in passive strategies: The new frontier Mamadou-Abou Sarr•Julia Lee•Anson Chan CFA•Ed Tomlinson
Brought to you by FTSE Russell.
Around the world, passive investing is surging and has increasing influence on corporates and the real world. According to research from The London School of Economics (LSE), passive investing has risen from around 1% of the total market in the early 90s to more than 50% today. Passive sustainable equity funds globally attracted $52.6 billion of inflows in 2023, while active sustainable funds bled nearly $16.7 billion, according to Morningstar. This session will explore the pros and cons for ESG investors in using passive investing strategies. Join those at the centre of this shift as they ask whether investors can adapt an index strategy while still being active responsible investors; advise how to navigate the complex rules and methodology documents to understand what good the products and trying to do; and ask whether we can do more than just screenings in index ESG investment.
Mamadou-Abou Sarr
Co-Founder & President of V-Square Quantitative Management
Julia Lee
Head of Client Coverage, Pacific at FTSE Russell
Anson Chan CFA
Certification Manager at RIAA
Ed Tomlinson
Chief Investment Officer at Future Group
The future of global responsible investment • Keynote: David Atkin, CEO of PRI David Atkin•Dean Hegarty
In a rapidly changing geo-political, regulatory and financial environment, responsible investment and the practitioners leading it are having to evolve at pace. As CEO of the global body with over 5000 signatories, collectively managing over $US128 trillion in assets, David offers his unique insight into what’s happening in the sector, and the key developments that will shape our success in the coming years.
David Atkin
Chief Executive Officer at Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI)
Dean Hegarty
Co-CEO of RIAA
Conference Closing Address Kate Turner
Kate Turner
Global Head of Responsible Investment at First Sentier Investors and Chair of RIAA
Drinks in the foyer
The road ahead: Preparing clients for tomorrow's investment landscape Keith Ford•Nathan Fradley•Charlotte O'Meara
The core focus is on how advisers can have better client conversations in the face of global shifts in ESG, disclosure, and sentiment. Client conversations are triggered now but are forward looking (investment advice and planning has the long view). We’re not trying to solve the technical issues (as a few of the themes are crossover to other sessions during the conference) —our role is to help advisers contextualise them for their clients and turn complexity into practical advice.
Keith Ford
Deputy Editor at ifa and SMSF Adviser
Nathan Fradley
Director of Ethos ESG
Charlotte O'Meara
Head of Responsible Investment at Challenger Limited
Fostering ESG transparency in private markets Alex Mount•Cameron Farrar•Claudia Mah•Farren Williams
According to the CFA Institute, private market assets under management have roughly doubled to USD 11.7 trillion in the past five years. The Sea Capital reports that ESG funds have captured over 20% of private capital fundraising in 2024. However, ESG data transparency remains a significant challenge, as key stakeholders in the investment chain often lack the levers, resources, systems and incentives to collect and report ESG information. This session will discuss the practical considerations of investors and advisers facing these challenges. Why is transparency necessary? What is the cost of its absence? What are the methodologies and standards currently available? And what can we learn from private market participants as they navigate increased scrutiny? Join us as we explore the innovative solutions emerging to foster ESG transparency in private markets.
Alex Mount
Executive Director of MA Financial Group
Cameron Farrar
Head of Distribution at Federation Asset Management
Claudia Mah
Investment Analyst at Ethical Investment Services
Farren Williams
Adviser & Partner at Koda Capital
Lunch
From investment risk to investor responsibility: Moving beyond transparency in value chains Chris Evans•Moe Turaga•Måns Carlsson OAM•Mabel Wong
Human rights issues are widespread through operations and value chains across the globe and disclosures have helped shed light on this. So, how can investors move beyond transparency to strengthen corporate responsibility and foster meaningful industry change whilst achieving positive returns on their products? This panel will bring together leading experts to guide participants on how to identify and address human rights issues in their value chains. It will illuminate how organisations can leverage due diligence to prevent discrimination and safeguard human rights throughout their operations, as well as ensure ethical practices from sourcing to remediation. Brought to you by RIAA’s Human Rights Working Group, we're pleased to launch the updated RIAA Human Rights and Value Chains Investor Toolkit.
Chris Evans
Australian Anti-Slavery Commissioner
Moe Turaga
Modern Slavery Survivor Advocate
Måns Carlsson OAM
Chair of RIAA's Human Rights Working Group and Head of ESG and Co-PM Active Sustainable at Ausbil Investment Management
Mabel Wong
Group Ethical Sourcing Manager at Coles Group
Climate transition opportunities for Financial Advisers Tim Buckley•Dave Rae•Stella Whittaker
The session will delve into the current progress of the energy transition, highlighting recent severe weather events and their impacts. Experts will assess how companies are managing these challenges and the benefits of early action on climate change, before showcasing leading global examples of proactive asset owners. This session will include practical actions and advice for financial advisers on how to incorporate climate strategies into their client discussions and investment portfolios, emphasising the potential for both risk mitigation and opportunity creation. Attend this session and find out why transition investing is good for returns.
Tim Buckley
Director of Climate Energy Finance
Dave Rae
Certified Responsible Investment Adviser at Unless Financial
Stella Whittaker
Climate Lead at Royal Haskoning DHV
Afternoon tea
Making climate claims in financial product labels: An interactive deep dive Jessie Pettigrew•Thalia Dardamanis•Anson Chan CFA•Duncan Paterson
Feeling unsure about climate-related claims in your organisation's financial products? In this interactive deep dive, you will learn what is involved in meeting the requirements of RIAA’s Certification Program in relation to climate-related claims. Experts will also answer your most pressing questions including: - Do all phrases and terms need to be defined? - What information is required when describing fossil fuels exclusions? - What about minority investments of portfolio constituents? - How should products advertise climate-related performance of the portfolio in periodic reporting? - What information is required when describing emissions indicators, calculations and estimates? - Do the photos we use on our website matter?
Jessie Pettigrew
Head of Responsible Investment at Equip Super
Thalia Dardamanis
General Counsel at UniSuper Management
Anson Chan CFA
Certification Manager at RIAA
Duncan Paterson
Director, Investor Practice of Investor Group on Climate Change
Ted Kennedy Junior: Investing in inclusion: Unlocking value through disability Ted Kennedy Jr. (Virtual Presenter)•Estelle Parker
Leading US lawyer and advocate, Ted Kennedy Jr. will discuss why disability equality and inclusion is the next chapter in responsible capitalism, why it’s good for business and the economy, and how investors can encourage their portfolio companies to capitalise on the opportunities of disability inclusion. Hear directly from Ted Kennedy Jr. about his experience leading the Disability Index, the leading global benchmarking tool that scores and tracks businesses on their disability inclusion policies and practices since 2014, and spearheading the adoption of the Joint Investor Statement on Corporate Disability Inclusion. He will also share his thoughts on the impact the current political environment in the US is having on DEI policies more broadly, and what investors can do to ensure we do not lose sight of the purpose and benefits of DEI for companies and returns.
Ted Kennedy Jr. (Virtual Presenter)
Co-Chair of the Disability Index
Estelle Parker
Co-CEO of RIAA
Catalysing Capital for First Nations investments Nigel Browne•Caleb Adams•Katja Henaway•Adam Fletcher
What opportunities exist for investors in the transition of capital to First Nations communities? Brought to you by the First Nations Peoples’ Rights Working Group, join us as we examine how investors in partnership can work to re shape the landscape of ESG by shifting capital to First Nations people. Gain insights from experts on how we can catalyse capital to support indigenous innovations and support indigenous-led economic growth. Participants will walk away with practical examples of blended finance, the tools to accelerate indigenous capital building and promote inclusive economic growth.
Nigel Browne
Chief Executive Officer at Aboriginal Investment NT
Caleb Adams
Director, ESG & Sustainable Investment of E&P Financial Group
Katja Henaway
Founder of Blax Capital
Adam Fletcher
Associate Director NSW / ACT, Indigenous Business and Community of NAB
Morning Tea
Mind the talent gap: Finding, growing and keeping the best people in responsible investment Eveline Moos•Brendan Bailey•Richard Evans•Karen McWilliams
With the rapid rise in demand for employees in the sustainability field, demand for ESG skills is outstripping supply. 77% of financial professionals report a sustainability skills shortage at their organisation. This session will bring together experts to help you understand how you can find the right people to fill ESG-related roles, how you can keep your team engaged in their work, and how you can master all-important staff retention in a competitive environment, where sustainability skills and experience is highly valued and organisations seek to remain future-focused.
Eveline Moos
Chief People & Culture Officer at Australian Ethical Investment
Brendan Bailey
Head of Operations and Compliance at RIAA
Richard Evans
CEO of Talent Nation
Karen McWilliams
Sustainability and Business Reform Leader, Advocacy at Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand
Impact Investing: Navigating the big FUM Gillian Gordon•Ben Smith•Leilani Weier•Francie Doolan
Gillian Gordon
Head of Alternative Investments & Responsible Investing at JBWere
Ben Smith
Head of Impact Investing at Paul Ramsay Foundation
Leilani Weier
Head of Responsible Investment & Sustainability at Rest
Francie Doolan
CEO of Small Giants
Lunch
First Nations considerations: exploring RI analyst approaches Moana Nottage•Rhiannon Young•Will Leak•Justin Welfare
How are analysts incorporating First Nations considerations into investment decisions? Brought to you by the RIAA First Nations Peoples’ Rights Working Group, a panel of analysts from across the Responsible Investment sector will share practical ways in which First Nations considerations are being incorporated into investment decision-making and stewardship in the interests of long-term value. The panel will discuss what they are seeing as the current practice in this space, what tools and guidance are available to support analysts and what is needed to move forward.
Moana Nottage
Senior ESG and Sustainability Analyst at Alphinity Investment Management
Rhiannon Young
Associate, Renewables at Clean Energy Finance Corporation
Will Leak
Co-Chair of RIAA's First Nations Peoples' Rights Working Group & Senior Sustainable Investment Analyst at Mercer
Justin Welfare
First Nations Affairs Lead at QIC
Workshop: Getting started in responsible investment for Financial Advisers Shalini Samuel GAICD•Morten Frederiksen•Dugald Higgins•Tom King
In an era marked by increasing client awareness, regulatory scrutiny, and global sustainability challenges, responsible investment (RI) advising has become a cornerstone of modern financial practice. Financial advisers are uniquely positioned to guide clients not only toward financial returns but also toward investments that align with their values and long-term environmental and societal goals. As ESG considerations increase in relevance, advisers must be equipped with the knowledge and tools to integrate responsible investing principles into their advisory practices. This session aims to provide financial advisers with a comprehensive understanding of RI, its historical context, approaches for standardising and measuring RI, and the practical implications for their advisory practices.
Shalini Samuel GAICD
Head of Certification at RIAA
Morten Frederiksen
Director – Investment Research of Pitcher Partners
Dugald Higgins
Head of Responsible Investment & Real Assets at Zenith Investment Partners
Tom King
CIO at Nanuk Asset Management
Morning Tea
Workshop: Leading the way: What investors need to know about human rights due diligence Samuel Jones•Freya Dinshaw•Amelia Bruce•Kate Turner
What constitutes best practice in human rights due diligence (HRDD) from both a company and investor perspective? Brought to you by the RIAA Human Rights Working Group, this interactive workshop will equip participants with better understanding of and guidance for HRDD, including heightened due diligence in situations of armed conflict. We live in a world where geopolitical conflict has increased by 40% in four years, mandatory due diligence legislation is expanding, and client demand for responsible stewardship continues to grow. Now more than ever, investors must be equipped to proactively manage severe and systemic risks to people, portfolio companies, and share value. This workshop will explore lessons learned and offer practical guidance regarding portfolio review, company engagement, and exclusionary screening, all through the lens of HRDD, including as it relates to geopolitical conflict and fragility. The workshop will draw on the guidance from the RIAA Human Rights and Armed Conflict Toolkit to help put it into action
Samuel Jones
President at Heartland Initiative, Inc.
Freya Dinshaw
Associate Legal Director of Human Rights Law Centre
Amelia Bruce
Executive Manager of Human Rights at Westpac
Kate Turner
Global Head of Responsible Investment at First Sentier Investors and Chair of RIAA
Lunch
Housing: Partnering with NFPs to solve for impact Hugh Fitzsimons•Faye Minty•Tak Onishi•Matthew Tominc•Aidan Devitt
With a myriad of environmental, health and social challenges to solve, partnerships with NGOs can help ensure positive impact is achieved alongside returns. Social and affordable housing in particular has been an area of focus, helping vulnerable groups access housing amidst an acute housing shortage. But to do it right, the affected stakeholders must be closely engaged. This session will explore leading practice examples of investor-NGO partnerships, the pros and cons of partnering with NGOs to solve for impact, and some of the issues investors must consider as they seek to incorporate NGO partnerships into innovative investment models to achieve positive change alongside returns.
Hugh Fitzsimons
Division Director - Real Assets of Macquarie Asset Management
Faye Minty
Chief Executive Officer at Enliven Housing Property Management
Tak Onishi
Head of Strategic Finance at SGCH (St George Community Housing)
Matthew Tominc
Chief Investment Officer / Board Director & IC of Conscious Investment Management
Aidan Devitt
Venture Analyst at Ochre Ventures
Afternoon tea
Financial adviser roundtables: Hot topics with the experts Karen McLeod•Kate Temby•Dr Anna Young-Ferris
Today’s investing landscape is complex. Terms like ‘ethical’, ‘sustainable’, and ‘impact’ are dominating conversations - but how much of this is truly client-led, and how much is market spin? Many retail clients with strong values remain underserved, mistrustful, or simply confused by the advice and options available.
Join the adviser roundtables to ask the tough questions, hear from leading experts and share practical insights with peers. This is your opportunity to skill up, shift mindsets and discover new ways to actively engage clients who care about where their money goes.
Walk away with actionable tools, new perspectives and tried-and-tested ideas to help better understand what matters most right now - and how to be a true steward of the capital your clients have entrusted to you.
Karen McLeod
Certified Financial Planner™ at Ethical Investment Advisers
Kate Temby
Managing Director of MetLife Investment Management
In a world facing challenges like catastrophic climate change, increasing inequality and human rights abuses, investors are racing to take a holistic approach to portfolio construction and stewardship. This interactive workshop explores how investors can identify and address systemic risks, to invest in a way that promotes the stability of the macro system on which markets rely. Join us to explore practical strategies for integrating systemic risk considerations into your investment approach.
Paul Oosting
Chief Impact & Customer Officer at Acacia and Consultant
Pablo Berrutti
Senior Investment Specialist at Stewart Investors
Alison George
Chief Impact & Ethics Officer at Australian Ethical Investment
James Alexander
Senior ESG Manager at Sustainable Investment Exchange
Rachel Alembakis
Stewardship Manager at U Ethical
Morning tea
Workshop: Putting nature metrics to action Marco Lambertini•Terina Williams•Emma Herd•Claire Molinari
Brought to you by RIAA's Nature Working Group. Join us for a 90-minute in-person workshop. This workshop will provide investors with practical insights on applying nature metrics in different contexts, with a particular focus on metrics to measure the state of nature. Through facilitated discussions and breakout group exercises, participants will explore hypothetical use cases on applying nature metrics in practice and develop strategies to overcome potential challenges.
Marco Lambertini
Convener at Nature Positive Initiative
Terina Williams
Senior Investment Strategist at NZ Super Fund
Emma Herd
Partner at EY Australia
Claire Molinari
General Manager Responsible Investment at CareSuper
Lunch
Guest arrival
Welcome from RIAA Brendan Bailey
Brendan Bailey
Head of Operations and Compliance at RIAA
RIAA's 25th Anniversary Celebration Pablo Berrutti•Dean Hegarty•Duncan Paterson•Karen McLeod
Pablo Berrutti
Senior Investment Specialist at Stewart Investors
Dean Hegarty
Co-CEO of RIAA
Duncan Paterson
Director, Investor Practice of Investor Group on Climate Change
Karen McLeod
Certified Financial Planner™ at Ethical Investment Advisers
