Investing in Smart Beta

Rules-based strategies designed to outperform the market

December 5, 2016 | Hyatt Regency - Dallas, TX

The March 2016 program qualified for 8 CFP credits and IMCA accepted the program for 8 hours of CE credit towards the CIMA®, CIMC® and CPWA® certifications

7:30 – 8:25 – Registration & Breakfast

8:25 – 8:30 – Welcome & Introduction

Don Friedman, Founder & CEO
Joint Venture Events Group

CHAIRPERSON’S OVERVIEW
8:30 – 9:00 – Smart Beta Trends for 2016 and Beyond
Eleven years ago, the first smart beta funds were launched. They capitalized on the concept that breaking the link between an asset’s market capitalization and its weight within the portfolio could produce different and often superior returns. Today, a new generation of smart beta vehicles are taking the concept to the next level as products now look at factors such as value, growth, earnings, revenue & volatility just to name a few . This session will explore some ideas you can expect to hear more about in the future.

Deborah Fuhr, Managing Partner
ETFGI

SMART BETA DUE DILIGENCE PROCESS
9:00 – 9:50 – Looking Under the Hood: Reviewing the Methodologies Behind Different Smart Beta Strategies
Smart beta has grown over the last decade to encompass a smorgasbord of different investment strategies seeking to uncover ways to use a variety of criteria to exploit market imperfections. The explosion of different investment philosophies requires research and due diligence by investors. Listen to experts analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the most popular strategies to date.

Michael Akins, SVP, Head of ETFs
ALPS

John Feyerer, Vice President, Director of Equity ETF Product Strategy
Invesco PowerShares

9:50 – 10:20 – Morning Networking Break

10:20 – 11:10 – The Smart Beta Checklist: Choosing the Best Strategy & Risk/Return Profile For Your Portfolio
Depending on market conditions and clients’ objectives, an array of disparate smart beta strategies can work in different circumstances. Just as emerging markets have different characteristics from their mature developed counterparts, a strategy that is most appropriate early in a bull market may display signs of fatigue late in the cycle. This session will detail what lessons can be learned from the experience of smart beta in the last decade.

Brent Leadbetter, Vice President, Client Strategies
Research Affiliates

Justin Sibears, Managing Director
Newfound Research

11:10 – 12:00 – Factor Investing And Its Difference From Other Approaches To Smart Beta
Smart beta’s critics have frequently contended that it’s little more than a variation of factor tilting. Yet in recent years, leading investment companies have introduced a host of vehicles based on a variety of factors, including quality, value, momentum, low volatility and size that contribute to different levels of risk and return for investors. This session will analyze the theory behind these products and compare holding a broad smart beta strategy versus implementing a do-it-yourself approach that blends factor ETFs together.

Yazann Romahi, Managing Director - Global Head of Quantitative Research
J.P. Morgan Asset Management

Lukas Smart, Senior Portfolio Manager & Vice President
Dimensional Fund Advisors

12:00 – 1:00 – Luncheon For Delegates & Speakers

DISSECTING SMART BETA STRATEGIES
1:05 – 1:55 – The Equity Perspective: Size, style & sectors
Size, style and sectors are among the criteria used to segment the equity universe and create indices and model portfolios that deliver investors alpha or a different kind of beta. In this session, our experts will elaborate on the financial characteristics they studied and the theory they developed to create value and where their strategies fit into overall portfolios.

Holly Framstead, Strategist – iShares Equity Smart Beta Team
BlackRock

Jeffrey Sherman, Co- Portfolio Manager
DoubleLine Shiller Enhanced CAPE Fund

1:55 – 2:45 – Technical Analysis: Taking the emotion out of the equation
For nearly 30 years, Dorsey, Wright & Associates was at the forefront of Smart Beta strategies as the leader in Point & Figure Charting, Relative Strength Analysis, and numerous other tools to analyze market data and deliver actionable insights for financial advisors. In this session, Tom will discuss technical analysis, how it can be applied to various products, and what tools are available in the market to take the emotion out of daily investment decisions.

Tom Dorsey, Co-Founder
Dorsey, Wright & Associates, a Nasdaq Company

2:45 – 3:15 – Afternoon Networking Break

3:15 – 4:05 – The International Perspective: Will they outperform domestic opportunities?
Nowhere did the original research behind the genesis of smart beta uncover the idea that it could generate a greater relative performance advantage than in international markets. Some argue this can be attributed to less efficient financial markets abroad. Yet in recent years some smart beta funds have lagged particularly in emerging markets. Our experts will deliberate over whether this represents an opportunity or a fundamental change in market structure.

Nigel Emmett, Managing Director
J.P. Morgan Asset Management

Nick Stonestreet, CEO
Vident Financial

4:05 – 4:55 – The Customized Perspective: Momentum, low volatility & quality
Customized funds represent the next frontier for smart beta. Momentum, low volatility & quality are some of the strategies that fall under the rubric of this dynamic, fast-growing category. For investors looking for new investment concepts on the horizon, custom funds may well be the ones to watch.

Arne Noack, Director
Deutsche Asset Management

Donald Robinson, CEO & Co-CIO
Palladiem

PUTTING SMART BETA STRATEGIES TO WORK
4:55 – 5:45 – Asset Allocation with Smart Beta Strategies
Hear from experts on how they are using smart beta strategies and what sort of allocation they are earmarking for smart beta in a multi-asset class portfolio in order to increase diversification, reduce volatility, or enhance returns. Should allocations to smart beta be funded from stocks, bonds, currencies & commodities or some sort of mix? And how easy are these strategies to implement into a portfolio?

Reggie Browne, Senior Managing Director – ETF Group
Cantor Fitzgerald

Gary Stringer, President & Chief Investment Officer
Stringer Asset Management

5:45 – 7:00 – Cocktail Reception

JV Events Group and/or Financial Advisor magazine reserve the right to alter the agenda without notice, including substitution or cancellation of speakers and/or topics.