12th Annual Irish Funds UK Symposium

Andrea Kelly, Chair of Irish Funds, Partner at PwC 

MC & Introductions: Aoife Storey, Fund Recs

Business leaders share strategic insights on global funds and asset management, exploring regulation, private assets, ETFs, tokenization, AI, and emerging geopolitical and market trends shaping the industry. 

Moderator: Grainne McEvoy, PIMCO

Panellists:

• Lisa Harlow, Vanguard Group 

• Christopher Low, Accenture 

• Mick Sweeney, Pinebridge Investments 

This panel will address key regulatory updates and emerging challenges, offering perspectives from the Central Bank, Department of Finance, and The Investment Association on evolving compliance and policy priorities 

Moderator: Umar Ahmed, Irish Funds

Panellists:

• Mícheál O'Keeffe, Central Bank of Ireland 

• Susan O’Reilly, Department of Finance

• Karen Northey, The Investment Association

Kindly sponsored by Profidata  

The panel will explore why Ireland is advancing as a strategic gateway for Private Asset Managers, with expert insights into its regulatory framework, operational efficiencies, and tax advantages. 

Moderator: Carol Widger, Dechert

Panellists:

• Philip Murphy, KPMG 

• Jonathan Tuthill, SS&C 

• David Naughton, Byrne Wallace Shields  

• David Allen, Stepstone Group

This discussion will examine how the rise of global bond markets may be reshaping economic governance—potentially constraining national policy autonomy and influencing the authority and decision-making of elected policy makers.

Moderator: Adrian Whelan, BBH

Panellists:

• Kate English, Deloitte 

• Dominic McGrath, Business Post

As global priorities shift amid rising geopolitical tensions, defence spending is entering a transformative phase with far-reaching consequences for markets and investment strategies. This discussion will examine how expanding military budgets, heightened security concerns, and evolving alliances are influencing economic policy, asset allocation, and long-term opportunities. The critical intersection of geopolitics and finance will be explored, with insights on risk management and growth in an increasingly complex global landscape.

• Simon Coveney, former Tanaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) of Ireland

• Martin Scott, Founding Partner, Fulcrum

This panel will explore how ETFs are driving innovation in product design and market access featuring insights from leading issuers on strategy, regulation, and the future of ETF distribution.

Moderator: Ciara O’Leary, McCann FitzGerald

Panellists:

• Jo McCaffrey, Legal & General 

• Pravin Bagree, UBS Asset Management

• Manooj Mistry, HANetf

1.  Distributing Irish Funds in the UK – Key Considerations and Opportunities

This panel will explore the challenges and opportunities in distributing Irish funds into the UK, assess progress on OFR implementation, and share early insights from Mancos, investment managers, legal experts, and marketing firms.

Moderator: Lorcan Murphy, Acolin

Panellists:

• Paul Price, Haven Green 

• Lora Froud, Macfarlanes 

• Edward Guinness, Guinness Global Investors

2.   Tokenisation - The Future of Capital Markets?

This panel will delve into how distributed ledger technology is transforming financial markets, featuring real-world insights from market participants on their journey with asset tokenization and its implications for the future of finance.

Moderator: Lory Kehoe, Aave Labs & Blockchain Ireland

Panellists:

• Alastair Sewell, Aviva Investors

• Angie Walker, APEX Group

• Jacqueline Wiseman, Northern Trust

3.   A Deep Dive on ELTIF 2.0

This panel will include insights from asset managers into launching Irish ELTIFs and explore why these vehicles are transforming access to long-term investments. This discussion will uncover the strategic benefits of ELTIFs, their role in diversifying portfolios, and practical lessons from real-world implementation.

Moderator: Claire Winrow, Walkers

Panellists:

• Orla Cavanagh, Davidson Kempner

• Aaron Mulcahy, Maples

• Enda Coyle, Fineco Asset Management

• Marcus Stierwalt, PGIM

Special Guest Speaker

Exploring AI’s transformative potential in our industry, this panel unpacks emerging opportunities, risks, and the vital role of human judgment in shaping responsible innovation across the asset management landscape.

Moderator: Bernard Hanratty, INED & AI²

Panellists:

• Rebecca Keenan, Expleo Group

• Kirsten Mycroft, BNY

• John O’Connor, William Fry

• Alessandra Sala, Shutterstock

Brian McCabe, Director - Data & Insights, Irish Funds 

Kindly sponsored by IQ-EQ