Given the key defensive attributes of Australian private debt, at this late cycle phase of the market, it should be included in all portfolios that are able to invest in illliquid assets.

It is vital to think about both the risk and opportunities that sustainable investing provides and define a framework that matches your investment beliefs.

The future is, by definition, uncertain, as are financial markets. To prosper in such an environment, we need to be emotionally agile in order to align our values and actions and, in turn, help investors achieve their financial goals.

Portfolio Construction Forum Strategies Conference is THE investment strategies conference of the year. The jam-packed two-day program is designed and curated by our specialist, experienced and independent team, and features more than 40 leading investment thinkers from around the world, contributing their best ideas on on contemporary and emerging portfolio construction strategies, in the context of the theme "Future-proof portfolios?

This week in Forum Fodder: Stephen Roach - QE turns 10; Tim Farrelly - How dumb are bond markets?; Jacob Mitchell – Interest rate assumptions dangerous; Peter Kim - Passive not the way in Asia; Gopi Karunakaran - Does fixed income diversify

This week in Forum Fodder: Jim O'Neill - Global economy's uncertain future; David Knox - Why older Australian's save; Kej Somaia - Licence to tilt; Dean Stewart - Bonds more important than ever; Nik Dvornak - Europe, a long way to the top.

This week in Forum Fodder: Roubini - Trump may kill global recovery; Farrelly - Geopolitics to the fore; Bradley - 5 investment committee tools; Gillespie - On the cusp of an EM crash; Schowitz - Tech's impact in your investment choices...

This week in Forum Fodder: Stephen Roach - politics trumps economics; Zenith - undiscovered fund; Amin Rajan - passive investing; Alex Wolf - China's Belt & Road less than meets the eye; Rob Mead - gear down risk allocation

This week in Forum Fodder: Susan Lund – a corporate debt bubble?; Aaron Minney - most investors need to eat capital; Michael Furey - Investment faux pas; Tom Switzer - Don’t write off America; Douglas Isles - Beware the trifecta of desire

Since the GFC, the value of non-financial companies' outstanding bonds has nearly tripled. While a correction seems likely, the broad shift toward bond financing is actually a welcome development.

This week in Forum Fodder: Robert Shiller – allure of new money; David Knox - longevity products; Herman Brodie - caring practitioners; Sonja Laud - cash the alternative asset class; Brett Gillespie - markets creak as yields creep higher.

This week in Forum Fodder: Robert Shiller – allure of new money; David Knox - longevity products; Herman Brodie - caring practitioners; Sonja Laud - cash the alternative asset class; Brett Gillespie - markets creak as yields creep high

There are now nearly 2,000 cryptocurrencies, and millions of people worldwide are excited by them. As with past monetary innovations, a compelling story may not be enough.

The Conexus Fiduciary Investors Symposium 2018(22-23 May 2018) has been assessed and accredited by Portfolio Construction Forum for Forum CE hours. Delegates must confirm their attendance in order to receive CE acceditation.

This week in Forum Fodder: Michael Kitces - Robo-advisors not the future; Nick Griffin - Do stocks outperform T Bills?; Ron Bird - Momentum investing; Aaron Minney - Advice in retirement; Ken Rogoff - Trump's normal Fed.

This week in Forum Fodder: Dr Brock - impact of a trade war; Kaletsky - realism trumping populism?; Payden & Rygel - Phillips (man, myth, Curve); Furey - asset allocation to risk allocation; Stewart - place of bonds in a low yld world

This week in Forum Fodder: Tim Farrelly - Markets not pricing rates to revert; Bob Gay - Policy blunders; David Knox - Misunderstanding life expectancies; Brett Gillespie - Ignore the noise; Alex Duffy - Risk mismatch the big mistake.

This week in Forum Fodder: El-Erian - global trade wars; Rebecca Sherlock – ESG and infrastructure; Bianca Ogden - disruptive tech in healthcare; Aaron Minney - retirement spending; Prof Ron Bird - performance, fees, active managers

This week in Forum Fodder: Robert Shiller - GPD-linked bonds; Chris Watling - new economic paradigm; Joanne Earl - effects of downsizing; David Knox – does 10/30/60 still apply; Ed Rosenfeld - upbeat outlook for small caps

Around the world, smaller companies are benefitting from robust economic growth, low base rates and balance sheet flexibility. Investors should focus on opportunities in Japan and Europe.