Irish Funds 2026 US Seminar Highlights from Greenwich to New York

Greenwich, Connecticut

The Irish Funds US seminar series began in Greenwich, Connecticut, a major hub for hedge funds and investment firms, bringing together members of the global investment funds community for a morning of discussion and networking.

Irish Funds Chairperson Andrea Kelly opened the event, highlighting the long-standing connection between Ireland and the US and the significant role US fund managers play in Ireland’s asset management industry. She also outlined positive developments across the European and Irish landscape, including continued growth in ETFs, and UCITS, and Ireland’s position as the largest domicile for European ETFs.

The programme featured a range of discussions, including “The Ireland Advantage – A Home for Private Assets”, with Karl Paulson-Egbert (Baker McKenzie), S. André Warner (Apogem Capital) and Robert Fitzgerald (Grant Thornton), moderated by Siobhan McBean (Arthur Cox).

A fireside chat with Joseph Agovino, Assistant Controller at MIO Partners, explored how global firms consider location, regulation and growth, in conversation with Natasha Haugh (Irish Funds).

The event concluded with a panel on “Ireland – Powering Global Fund Distribution,” featuring Charles Coulter (Bridgewater Associates), Greg Morris (Heptagon Capital), Eamon Lyons (Waystone) and Kirsten Ryan (Broadridge), moderated by James McKnight (Simmons & Simmons).

New York City

The seminar series continued in New York City, connecting with the investment funds community in the heart of the global financial sector.

Andrea Kelly again opened the event, highlighting the strong bond between Ireland and the US and the pivotal role US managers play in the Irish funds industry. She also discussed developments in competitiveness, private markets, ETFs and innovation across the European and Irish landscape.

The seminar featured an address from Peter Burke TD, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, who spoke about Ireland’s strong economic ties with the US and the continued opportunities for collaboration across financial services.

Discussions throughout the day included “Why Ireland Powers the World’s ETFs,” with Alexandra Stableforth (Dimensional Fund Advisors), John Harrington (J.P. Morgan) and Kathy Kriskey (Invesco), moderated by Sarah Maguire (Carne).

Another panel, “Connecting U.S. Ambition to Global Markets – Ireland as the Gateway,” featured Greg Morris (Heptagon Capital), Kirsten Ryan (Broadridge), Ed Nini (Principal Asset Management) and Dan Viola (Seward & Kissel), moderated by Dan Miller (IQ-EQ).

A fireside chat with Laura Esposito, Managing Director and Chief Client Officer at Rockefeller Capital Management, offered insights into the evolving investment landscape in conversation with Richard Leonard (Northern Trust).

The day concluded with a panel on “The Ireland Advantage – A Home for Private Assets,” with Karl Paulson-Egbert (Baker McKenzie), Robert Fitzgerald (Grant Thornton), Vanora Madigan (Waystone) and Adrian Whelan (BBH), moderated by Vincent Coyne (William Fry).

The event also celebrated Chris Donahue, who received the Irish Funds Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the industry.

Acknowledgements

Irish Funds extends sincere thanks to all speakers, panellists and attendees for their insights and engagement, and to the event sponsors including Northern Trust, BNP Paribas, State Street, J.P. Morgan, Carne, JTC Group, CACEIS, PwC, Walkers, Universal-Investment, IDA Ireland, Citi, Connecting Cork and Cork Chamber. Special thanks also to the Irish Funds team on the ground, Natasha Haugh, Pat Lardner and David Shirley.