WELCOME

Introduction

Peter Howard, Boston University

OVERVIEW

The Digital Imperative

Rick Lake, Boston University

Our digital epoch requires industries to re-create themselves, and asset management is no exception. Investors have moved online, and asset managers and fund sponsors must meet them there. University Lecturer and asset management entrepreneur, Rick Lake, will examine how the digital transformation of the investment management industry accelerated after the pandemic and how AI will accelerate change even more. The future industry may consist of “digital-haves,” able to compete and thrive, and digital “have-nots” struggling and limited by outmoded business practices.

TECH

From Tech Stack to Growth Stack

Paul Das, ProFundCom

Technology is more than the foundation of modern marketing and sales. Tech is now a critical driver of growth. This session will reveal how tech makes business development more efficient and productive as an engine for growth. Paul Das, author of The Invisible Investor, will show how tech supports prospective clients on their journey to becoming investors. This session will also show you how to elevate your tech ROI with a higher level of collaboration between marketing and sales. We'll conclude by exploring how AI may be on the verge of amplifying client acquisition and AUM growth for those who participate.

WEBSITES

Asset Manager Websites: Brave New World

Craig Martin, J.D. Power

Relative to other industries, asset managers and fund sponsors underestimate the critical importance of their websites. Websites are often the first step when investors engage with a firm and the dominant way investors research investment opportunities. In this session, Craig Martin, Senior Managing Director of J.D.Power, will explore the findings of his firm's annual survey and analysis of asset manager websites. The session will reveal how a website can attract or repel advisors and investors and what asset managers should do to up their game.

OUTREACH

Digital Outreach: Driving Traffic to You and Your Website

Speaker TBA

How do you reach investors online in our digit-first era? This session will offer the latest developments you need to know to optimize:
- Email marketing
- Organic and paid social media
- Search engine optimization (SEO)
- Search engine marketing (SEM)
- Digital advertising We will examine best practices and metrics for optimizing results and how to build trust, sustained engagement, and even brand online. We will also explore how AI search summaries and the end of third-party cookies may upend longstanding approaches to digital outreach.

BREAK

Coffee & Networking

INSTITUTIONS

Institutional Investors in the Digital Age

Karin Levi, LinkedIn

How institutional investors engage online has shifted dramatically, creating new opportunities for investment marketers. Today, digital interactions, education, and online due diligence are embraced if not required by institutional investors. This is no longer an experiment for forward-thinking marketers, but essential. Asset managers must become nimble at navigating a digital marketplace where asset managers and institutional investors connect, interact, and transact. Karin Levi, Global Head of Financial Services for LinkedIn, will guide us through fresh insights on this transformation.

CONTENT

Content: Battleground for Investor Hearts, Minds, and Portfolios

Moderator: Rick Lake, Boston University

Speakers: Karin Levi - LinkedIn, Mark Egan - Montclair Media, Diane Frankenfield - Chief Marketing Officer

"Content is King," a maxim popularized by Bill Gates, resonates profoundly within financial services where superior content can drive investor decisions. This panel will explore how asset managers can leverage diverse content forms—thought leadership, briefs, videos, infographics, and active social media engagement—to cultivate trust and secure and retain investor assets. Our panel of communicators will discuss how to create impactful content that aligns with investor expectations in the digital age. Join us to understand the foundation of a successful content strategy and its role in enhancing business outcomes.

LUNCH

Group Lunch

LUNCH KEYNOTE

Leadership Presentation: Digital Engagement at Fidelity

Art Silva, Fidelity Institutional

Fidelity, a global leader in investment services, is renowned for its diverse offerings and advanced digital platforms. Art Silva, Head of Digital Engagement at Fidelity Institutional®, will demonstrate how to leverage digital prowess to achieve significant business outcomes. Learn world-class marketing strategies and how to enhance customer experiences to boost engagement, demand, and retention across wealth and asset management channels. This session will also provide practical guidance on adapting digital best practices for organizations of any size.

ROUNDTABLE

Future Focus: Distribution Leader Roundtable

Moderator: Chris Delahunt, Citywire

Speakers: Ed Farrington - Impax, Brian Tarranto - Morgan Stanley/Eaton Vance, Greg Stumm - Resolute

Learn the most important lessons of the power and pitfalls of digital marketing from top distribution leaders. Chris Delahunt, Director for US and Latin America for global publisher Citywire, will interview senior distribution leaders and explore key questions:
- How do they implement their digital strategies?
- What are the most productive digital approaches?
- How do they keep sales and marketing on the same page?
- What's the best way to build a digital team?
- What are the must-know challenges to tackle in advance?
- How should you incorporate AI to stay ahead of the competition?

COMPLIANCE

Compliance in the Digital Era

Pamela Grossetti, K&L Gates. Others TBA

The SEC, FINRA, and other regulators in the US and abroad have been developing new rules to govern digital marketing by asset managers and fund sponsors, for both registered and unregistered vehicles. These rules provide an evolving framework for investor advertising and communications, both analog and online. Recent years have witnessed over $1 billion of fines for financial services firms—not just for communications that violate these rules, but for failing to maintain documentation. This panel of legal and compliance experts will provide a guide to applicable regulations, traps to avoid, and how to implement a compliant digital marketing program. Panelists will also discuss how new technology can streamline the compliance process.

ETFs

Why Successful ETF Sponsors Are Also Digital Media Companies

Doug Yones - NYSE, Tom Lydon - VettaFi. Others TBA

Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) have been the great disruptor within the asset management industry over the past two decades. ETF AUM has grown 15% to 20% annually over the past five years. Years of sustained asset growth recently culminated with an unprecedented surge in inflows, taking global AUM to a record $11.7 trillion for exchange-traded vehicles. The ETF ecosystem has embraced digital marketing and media to engage a global audience of investors. Some sponsors have converted their sales and marketing operations to digital outreach, reducing or eliminating traditional sales roles. Learn about this phenomenon from leaders in the field.

BREAK

Coffee & Networking

DATA

Data: Raw Fuel for Digital Marketing

Speakers TBA

Data is becoming the next battleground for asset management distribution. Those who can access, harness, and continuously upgrade data can reach investors at scale and with greater efficiency. This panel of data leaders will explore how data is critical for sales and marketing. They will reveal how to acquire data, incorporate investor behavior in real time, deploy predictive analytics, and use data to elevate the efforts of sales and marketing teams. We will also discuss how data can help asset managers and fund sponsors serve investors better with tailored interactions.

AI

AI: Brave New World in Asset Management

Speakers TBA

Discover the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence in reshaping asset management distribution. AI is changing the landscape of how managers interact with investors—from identifying prospects to personalizing content in real-time. Explore how AI can enhance the distribution process:
- Efficiency: Generative AI can accelerate content creation.
- Enhanced Data: Advanced machine learning models can direct asset managers to advisors and investors most likely to invest.
- Sales and Marketing: AI-driven tools enhance the rapid deployment and integration of sales and marketing strategies.
- Investor Preferences: Advanced algorithms and extensive data sets adapt to complex investor needs dynamically. However, alongside these advancements come critical challenges. This session will also delve into the potential pitfalls, compliance issues, and associated costs of integrating AI into asset management firms. Learn from leading experts how to navigate these complexities and future-proof your distribution in the digital age. This session serves as the capstone of our immersive one-day program, providing a comprehensive overview essential for any asset management professional.

REVIEW

Wrap-Up and Upcoming Programs

Peter Howard - Boston University, Rick Lake - Boston University

RECEPTION

Networking

Please stay for our closing reception. Network with industry peers and our expert speakers.

Schedule, topics, and speakers subject to change. Check back for updates!