2024 MMI Emerging Asset Managers Forum

Guide to the Markets

Gabriela Santos, Managing Director, Chief Market Strategist for the Americas, J.P. Morgan Asset Management

Building Enterprise Value: How to Identify Current Industry Catalysts and Avoid Common Mistakes  
The secular trends of fee compression, consolidating allocators, and increasing regulation have placed additional pressure on asset managers of all sizes. However, against this backdrop, the three largest mutual fund managers – Vanguard, Fidelity, and Capital Group – now control over 50% of mutual fund assets. As the big get bigger, emerging asset managers are particularly vulnerable to these competitive pressures. Our opening session will set the stage with strategies emerging asset managers can use to re-learn how to adapt and compete. We will explore industry trends, equipping you to make more confident and strategic choices around capital allocation, alignment of staff, and other critical decisions.

Moderator:  
Matt Caulfield, Chief Revenue Officer, Archer

Panelists: 
Kim Arthur, President, Chief Executive Officer, Main Management, LLC 
Steve Carl, Chairman of the Executive Committee, Chief Distribution Officer, Madison Investments
Bill Davis, Founder, Managing Director, Stance Capital

Product Development: Weighing the Pros and Cons of Different Vehicles
Cerulli Associates projects that mutual funds will continue to lose share to less expensive, more flexible, and more tax-efficient vehicles, such as separate accounts, CITs, and ETFs. However, each of these vehicles comes with a distinct set of advantages and disadvantages. Emerging asset managers must consider the impact of their vehicle choices on their target channels, investment process, and profitability. This session will examine the pros and cons of various product vehicles and how to make decisions to maximize asset raising and profitability.

Moderator:
Ryan Issakainen, ETF Strategist, Senior Vice President, First Trust Portfolios L.P.

Panelists:
Brandon Hass, Head of Direct Indexing and Model Portfolios, S&P Dow Jones Indices
Sara Levin, Director, ETF and Derivative Trading, WallachBeth Capital
Alex Morris, President, Chief Investment Officer, F/m Investments  

Sales: Choosing the Right Roles and Structures

Asset managers are increasingly challenged to schedule in-person meetings with advisors as product shelves grow and virtual work becomes more common. The buying process for asset management has also become more complex as more decisions are being made by professional gatekeepers, either in a home office or within a large advisory team. The increasing availability of granular data has made it easier for large asset managers to target appropriate opportunities, but emerging asset managers may not have the budget or the resources to effectively use those resources. The end result? Emerging asset managers often struggle with how to structure and position their sales forces. This session will help you understand the benefits and drawbacks of various sales roles and structures so that your firm is well positioned moving forward.

Moderator:
Mark Spina, President, Chief Revenue Officer, FLX Networks
            
Panelists:
Colin Barber, Managing Director, Strategic Partnerships, Sierra Mutual Funds & Ocean Park Asset Management
Eben Burr, President, Toews Asset Management
Dan Cupertino, Director of Sales, Frontier Asset Management

Meet the Gatekeepers: Round Robin Session 1 
  
Getting the time and attention of distribution gatekeepers can be tough. We’re here to help! We’re dedicating four hours over the two days of the Forum to highly interactive roundtable sessions that put you face-to-face with representatives from key firms across a range of distribution channels.  

The small-group, round robin format allows you to: 
interact directly with knowledgeable decision makers across various channels, learn the best ways to engage with different platforms and add value to their efforts, and develop a roadmap and next steps to navigate specific distributors.

To provide maximum value and make efficient use of the available time, attendees are encouraged to submit questions for the platform representatives in advance of the session.

Wirehouse Channel:
Kristen Griffin, Managing Director, Head of Investment Manager Analysis, CIO & Investment Solutions, UBS Wealth Management
Michael Jabara, Managing Director, Co-Head of Global Investment Manager Analysis, Morgan Stanley
Anna Snider, Head of Investment Selection, CIO Office, Global Wealth and Investment Management, Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Kevin Sullivan, Managing Director, Co-Head of Global Manager Research, Global Manager Research, Wells Fargo Investment Institute

National Channel:
Aaron Benson, Portfolio Manager, ALIGN Strategic Portfolios, Manager, Asset Manager Research, Robert W. Baird & Co.
Jason Hoody, Senior Vice President, Head of Investment Manager Analysis, LPL Financial
Johnny Suarez, Director, Manager Research, Asset Management Services, Raymond James
                                 
TAMP Channel:
Zoe Brunson, Chief Investment Strategist, Senior Vice President, Platform Investment Strategy, AssetMark
Brooks Friederich, Principal Director, Investment Solutions Strategy, Envestnet
Chris Hart, Head of Investment Due Diligence, Orion
Sarah Weese, Head of National Accounts, Morningstar Wealth

Multi-Channel:
Will Beck, Senior Vice President, Wilshire
Edwin Sze, Head of Investment Platform, United Capital Financial Advisors
Christopher Waters, Director, Head of Asset Manager Relations, Adhesion Wealth

Marketing: Making the Biggest Impact on a Limited Budget 
        
In a digital world, marketing is omnipresent, making it more difficult for individual companies to stand out. For emerging asset managers, a crowded marketplace only makes it more challenging to deliver a differentiated marketing message. This session will dive into various opportunities for asset managers to market themselves and how to make the biggest impact with a limited budget. Our expert panel will tackle which types of content are most impactful, which marketing channels are most effective, how marketing can enhance and reflect your firm’s value proposition, how to best allocate resources between various marketing opportunities, and the role of external firms in helping you promote your firm’s brand.

Moderator: 
John Gulino, Founder & Chief Executive Officer, GK3

Panelists:
Rodney Herenton, Founder, Co-Chief Executive Officer, Channing Capital Management
Cindy Knowlton, Director of Marketing, Segall Bryant & Hamill
Heather Lindsey, Head of Distribution, Crossmark Global Investments

Prescribing the Perfect Firm: A Research-Driven Case Study
Our final session, led by Cerulli Associates, will provide a research-driven case study focused on prescriptive measures firms can take to be successful. What would the ideal firm look like? Would you recognize it? This powerful discussion will include useful ideas for 2024 and beyond, including practical trends that your firm can exploit today.

Bing Waldert, Managing Director, U.S. Research, Cerulli Associates 

Closing Remarks & Adjournment   

Robbie Cannon, Head, MMI EAM Thrive Initiative, Money Management Institute

Arlen Oransky, Executive Vice President, Chief Membership Officer, Money Management Institute