Alternative investments, retirement planning trends, and the outlook for global markets will headline the second day of the 2nd annual Micronesia Investment and Retirement Plans Conference on Thursday at the Hyatt Regency Guam Grand Ballroom.
The full-day program runs from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., bringing together financial professionals, institutional leaders, and investment firms for a series of presentations and expert panels focused on wealth management, retirement strategies, and changing market conditions.
Conference organizers previewed Thursday’s agenda at the Rotary Club of Tumon Bay’s regularly scheduled meeting held Tuesday at the Crowne Plaza. The brief presentation began with a discussion on one of the fastest-growing topics in modern portfolio management, or the “other” A.I.: alternative investments.
Jason Miyashita, managing director with Raymond James & Associates, said traditional investing models built mainly around stocks and bonds are evolving as more investors look beyond the classic 60/40 allocation.
“In the past, we think of our portfolios as stocks, bonds, and cash,” Miyashita said during the pre-conference session. “Now the trend you will see is not a 60/40 allocation. It’s more of a mix that includes alternative investments.”
He said products once available only to ultra-high-net-worth investors and large institutions are increasingly being opened to smaller investors through new fund structures and lower minimums.
Among Thursday’s featured speakers will be Travis Klein, principal of Blackstone Inc., and Michael Manning, senior vice president of private wealth for Brookfield Corporation, both of whom discussed how private markets are becoming a larger part of long-term investment strategy.
Klein said investors have been forced to rethink portfolio construction after periods when both stocks and bonds fell at the same time, limiting the protection many expected from diversification.
“People really started to think, how do we protect our portfolio moving forward?” Klein said. “How do we compound our capital in different environments?”
He said that has driven more interest in private equity, private credit, real estate, and infrastructure.
Blackstone, one of the world’s largest alternative asset managers, oversees trillions in assets and has seen growing demand from private wealth investors, Klein said.
“The reason for that is accessibility,” he said. “Fifteen or 20 years ago, it was very hard to access those kinds of assets. Today, with product innovation, investors can participate in ways they couldn’t before.”
Manning said the broader investment universe extends far beyond publicly traded stocks and bonds, noting many companies remain private for long stretches or never enter public markets at all.
“There is so much out there to invest in beyond stocks and bonds,” Manning said. “If you only focus on public markets, you’re missing a giant portion of investment opportunity.”
He said private investments can offer different return streams and diversification benefits when used appropriately in a larger portfolio.
Thursday’s conference begins with registration and breakfast at 7:30 a.m., followed by opening remarks at 8:20 a.m.
In the conference’s opening day Wednesday, the agenda theme was “Going back to the basics,” and touched on asset allocation, U.S. equities, the basics of A.I. and bonds, and portfolio decarbonization.
The formal program opens at 8:30 a.m. with a capital markets presentation by Eugenio Aleman, Raymond James chief economist.
Other scheduled sessions include technology solutions, banking and lending, retirement plan administration trends, charitable and estate planning strategies, and multiple afternoon panels covering alternative investments, equity markets, and fixed income.
The alternative investments panel is scheduled for 1:50 p.m. and will feature representatives from Blackstone, Brookfield, KKR, Apollo Global Management, and Millburn Ridgefield.
Later sessions will examine U.S., international, and emerging markets equities at 2:50 p.m., followed by a fixed income panel at 3:50 p.m.
The conference concludes with closing remarks at 4:50 p.m. and a cocktail reception at 5 p.m. at Hyatt Café Kitchen.
Organizers say the annual event is designed to connect Guam and Micronesia with major voices in global finance while helping attendees navigate an increasingly complex investment landscape.