MSCI Americas Summit

Navigating Innovation and Resilience

8:00 a.m. ・ Registration and Networking Breakfast
 

8:35 a.m. ・ Welcome and Keynote Remarks

Henry Fernandez, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, MSCI 
 

9:00 a.m. ・ Navigating Uncertainty and Opportunity in an Increasingly Dynamic Landscape

A sharp look at the forces reshaping global investing—from macro shifts to structural change. Hear how leading investors are navigating risk, rethinking strategy, and uncovering opportunity in a landscape defined by disruption and reinvention.

Moderator: Linda-Eling Lee, Founding Director and Head of MSCI Institute
Edward Berman, Chief Risk Officer, Office of the New York City Comptroller
Christine Hommes, Partner, Private Equity, Apollo Global Management
Richard Mattison, Head of Sustainability and Climate, MSCI
Jorge Mina, Managing Director, Head of Analytics, MSCI

10:00 a.m.・ Next-Gen AI in Action: The future of predictive analytics and thematic data

This panel explores how next-generation AI is transforming financial risk assessment—elevating predictive analytics, streamlining decision-making through automation, and accessing insights through the integration of unstructured data. Speakers will share how they’re applying AI to identify emerging risks, reducing lag in information processing, and gaining a competitive edge in volatile markets as AI becomes more deeply embedded in investment workflows. 

Moderator: Peter Shepard, Managing Director, Head of Analytics Research & Development, MSCI
Andrew Chin, Chief AI Officer, AllianceBernstein
Laura Nishikawa, Managing Director, Head of Sustainability & Climate Research & Development, MSCI

11:00 a.m.・ Managing Resilient Portfolios in a Data-Rich, Multi-Asset World

Private assets are playing a larger role in diversified portfolios, increasing the complexity around total portfolio management. This session explores liquidity, valuation, and transparency across public and private markets, and strategies to build more resilient, multi-asset portfolios in a landscape shaped by structural shifts and the energy transition.

Moderator: Raina Oberoi, Managing Director, Research & Development​, MSCI
Luke Flemmer, Managing Director, Head of Private Assets, MSCI​
Elodie Laugel, Chief Responsible Investment Officer and Member of Amundi Executive Committee, Amundi

11:45 a.m.・ Networking Lunch
 

1:10 p.m.・ Afternoon Breakouts Group 1

BREAKOUT 1・ The Geography of Risk

As climate change and nature-related risks become more localized and acute, understanding where risks occur is just as critical as what those risks are. This panel will explore how geospatial and locational data is revolutionizing the way investors and companies assess physical climate and nature risks at the asset level. Experts will discuss how this data enables more precise measurement of exposure, informs resilience planning, and helps understand potential opportunities. Discover how the evolving landscape of spatial risk analysis is shifting strategies from reactive risk management to proactive resilience building.

Moderator: Richard Mattison, Head of Sustainability and Climate, MSCI
Jamie Franco, Managing Director, Global Head of Sustainable Investment, TCW
Sarah Kapnick, Global Head of Climate Advisory, JP Morgan
Anil Vasagiri, Head of Property Solutions, SwissRe

BREAKOUT 2・ Wealth & Private Assets: De-leveraging Client Risk Through Alternative Investment Allocations 

As wealth managers look to provide better risk-return profiles inside client portfolios, private asset adoption continue to rise. In this session, representatives from Cresset’s will discuss their firm’s approach to this growing asset class, the trade-offs of liquidity and transparency, and how they manage risk across blended public and private markets client portfolios.

Moderator: Govinda Quish, Managing Director, Global Head of Wealth Product, MSCI
Paul Algreen, Executive Managing Director, Chief Technology Officer, Cresset

BREAKOUT 3・ Fixed Income, Market Risk and Opportunities

Fixed income markets are being reshaped by interest rate shifts, climate pressures, and the growth of private credit. In this session, experts will share views on emerging risk drivers across public and private markets, with a focus on macroeconomics, policy, and sustainability factors.

Moderator: David Zhang, Managing Director, Fixed Income Solutions, MSCI
Steve Abrahams, Head of Fixed Income Research and Strategy, Santander
Mark Paltrowitz, Chief Risk Officer, Russell Investments

2:00 p.m.・ Afternoon Breakouts Group 2

BREAKOUT 1・Energy Transition: Regional Risks and Global Opportunities

This session will explore the capital flows, investment strategies, and financial instruments driving the shift toward a low-carbon economy. What are the key financial drivers influencing the energy transition? How can investors and financial institutions mitigate risks while maximizing returns in the evolving energy landscape? What role do policy, innovation, and sustainable finance play in mobilizing capital and accelerating progress?  

Moderator: Chris Cote, Executive Director, Energy Transition Research, MSCI
Peter Cashion, Managing Investment Director for Sustainable Investments, CalPERS
Naomi Desai, Partner, Climate & Sustainability, Social Impact, and Principal Investors & Private Equity Practices, Boston Consulting Group
Christopher Kaminker, PhD, Managing Director, Head of the Sustainable Investment Research & Analytics (SIRA), BlackRock 
Andrew Vasila, Director Global Fixed Income, Sustainable Fixed Income, Mackenzie
 

BREAKOUT 2・Private Credit and Navigating Risk in a Rapidly Growing Market

As private credit continues its rapid expansion, investors face mounting challenges around transparency, valuation, and risk oversight. This session explores how enhanced analytics and intelligence are reshaping the private credit landscape—bringing greater clarity to valuation, liquidity, counterparty exposures, and capital cash flows. Join experts from MSCI Research as they discuss practical strategies designed for improving performance efficiency and risk management in this evolving, opaque market, and examine the tools and methodologies that can help investors navigate uncertainty and build more resilient portfolios.

Moderator: Afsaneh Mastouri, Executive Director, Global Head of Fixed-Income Solutions, MSCI
 

BREAKOUT 3・From Numbers to Narrative: Rethinking Performance Attribution Amid Complex Markets

As markets grow more complex and investor demands rise, performance attribution is under pressure to deliver more than just post-trade analysis. It must explain, connect, and enable better decision-making. This panel brings together perspectives from asset managers and MSCI to examine how attribution is evolving from a retrospective exercise to a forward-looking capability. We’ll discuss the organizational and market-driven challenges that hinder effective attribution, including fragmented data, siloed teams, and shifting benchmarks. Panellists will explore how leading firms are rethinking attribution to foster sharper internal alignment, strengthen client narratives, and respond more confidently to market events. If you’re questioning whether your attribution process is keeping pace with your investment complexity, this session is for you.  

Moderator: Ben Shim, Executive Director, Analytics Product Management, MSCI
Laszlo Arany, Senior Quantitative Researcher, Research & Development, MSCI

3:00 p.m.・ Afternoon Breakouts Group 3

BREAKOUT 1・From Risk to Resilience: Investor Engagement in a Shifting Landscape

Investor Engagement in a Shifting Landscape - How institutional investors engage with portfolio companies on emerging risks such as physical climate risk, the energy transition, and geopolitical volatility.

Moderator: Nelle Coady, Managing Director, Sustainability & Climate Coverage, MSCI
Colleen Denzler, Chief Sustainability Officer, Loomis Sayles & Company
David M. Gurtz, Deputy Chief Investment Officer, PRIM
Dave Stangis, Partner, Chief Sustainability Officer, Apollo
Glen Yelton, Global Head of Sustainable Investing, Invesco

BREAKOUT 2・Unlocking Total Portfolio Clarity: The Next Frontier in Private Asset Transparency and Benchmarking

As private assets become a larger share of institutional portfolios, asset owners and managers face growing demands for holistic oversight, transparency, and actionable benchmarking. This session brings together leading clients to share how they are tackling the challenges of integrating private and public assets, achieving deeper portfolio insights, and setting new standards for data-driven decision-making. Join the discussion on best practices for navigating complexity, improving reporting, and driving value through greater transparency and connectivity across the private markets landscape

Benjamin Page-Fort, Managing Director, Private Assets, MSCI

BREAKOUT 3・Enabling the Future of Investing

As investors navigate a more complex and interconnected world, the ability to measure, interpret, and act on risk is more critical than ever. We’ll discuss how MSCI’s next-generation factor models and data are designed to help investors manage risk more proactively, adapt to emerging market themes and events, and deliver greater transparency and precision. Join us to see how the future of risk management is built on trusted insight, continuous innovation, and a unified approach.  

Mark Carver, Managing Director, Global Head of Equity Solutions, MSCI

4:00 p.m.・ Networking Drinks Reception