• Forums & Workshops
• Prospects for Investment Markets 2024

When we held our last investment focused Forum on 10 February 2022, the world looked a very different place. The success of the pandemic vaccines was evident and the world economy looked to be on the point of beginning its recovery, albeit with much higher debt levels than hitherto. Just two weeks’ later, Russia invaded Ukraine and over the next year this and post Covid supply chain pressures drove inflation to levels not seen in the west since the 1970s. Tackling inflation and rolling back quantitative easing ended the period of low interest rates seen since the financial crisis. Positioning insurers’ investment portfolios against this volatile background has certainly been a challenge for Boards and their Investment Committees.

As we look into 2024, the uncertainties driven by geopolitics and the future path of interest rates clearly remain. In addition, the US Presidential election will take place in November and in the UK an election must be held before the end of January 2025. 

Against this backdrop our speakers will address the prospects for the principal asset classes in insurer portfolios. John Styles, Chief Investment Officer of Knight Frank Investment Management LLP, will review Commercial Real Estate prospects. Wei Li, Managing Director and Global Chief Investment Strategist for BlackRock, will then examine equity markets. Finally, Hugh McCutcheon, Chief Investment Officer at Neam Limited, Europe, will address the bond market.

Learning Objectives

Participants should be able to:

• Describe the key drivers of performance in each asset class over the past two years.
• Summarise the 2024 prospects for each asset class as set out by the respective speakers.
• Identify key changes in the economic outlook which could signal changes in the possible outcomes.
• Utilise this knowledge in Board discussions on investment strategy.

This online iNED Forum is open to insurance Non-executive Directors (iNEDS), aspiring iNEDS, Company Secretaries, Compliance staff and all those involved with corporate governance, underwriting, broking and risk management in the insurance sector.

There is no requirement for delegates to be members of the Worshipful Company of Insurers.