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Jonathan Armitage, the CIO of MLC, will deliver the keynote address at this year’s AVCJ Private Equity and Venture Forum in Sydney, March 5-7. He has the timeless topic: ‘Global Investing in Turbulent Times: how are we positioning ourselves for the future?’

The Asian Venture Capital Journal reports on a short question and answer discussion with Armitage, published on its website for the forum:  Armitage says that risk management will be the dominant theme for investors this year.

He also says that MLC, which has just over $100 billion invested globally, about 20.5 per cent of which is invested in alternatives, gets a lot of mileage out of its work with venture companies in the technology space, helping it to better understand disrupters which may impact on the broader portfolio. He says that the information can help the firm’s decision-making process ibn other asset classes such as infrastructure and public equities.

Commenting on the trend to co-investing, driven by big institutional investors, Armitage says that MLC has been doing so for 13 years. He says MLC has always looked to recruit managers with direct investing experience, managing in different cycles. Other issues on the forum agenda include:

• From Australia to Asia: Targeting regional expansion
• Internal innovation: How GPs are evolving to stay competitive
• Australasia: The new dynamics effecting the market
• Global outlook: Alternatives in 2019 and beyond
• LPs of the future: The Superannuation industry in 2029
• The Asia story: Accessing regional growth, and
• Economist update: The global and Australian outlooks.

Speakers include: Wendy Norris, deputy CIO, private markets, Future Fund; Shannon Wolfers, managing director, Pacific Equity Partners; Kate Misic, head of alternative investments, Telstra Super; Marcus Simpson, global head of private equity, QIC; Michael Arpey, managing director and head of investor relations, the Carlyle Group; Michael Blythe, chief economist and managing director of economics, Commonwealth Bank; Justin Ryan, managing partner, Quadrant Private Equity; and, Jenny Newmarch, portfolio manager, growth assets, First State Super.

– G.B.