February 11–13

General Session 2: IPA Alts Talks: Rapid-Fire Insights into Core Private Market Sectors
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This engaging session offers expert perspectives on four key areas in private markets: infrastructure, private real estate, private equity, and private credit. Over the course of four 20-minute segments, industry leaders will deliver actionable insights into the trends and opportunities shaping these essential asset classes. The discussion on infrastructure will delve into evolving risk-return profiles, including energy and digital infrastructure. For private real estate, speakers will explore shifting demand across asset classes such as multifamily housing and logistics, driven by macroeconomic and demographic changes. The private equity segment will highlight sector-specific opportunities and value creation strategies in an increasingly competitive landscape. Finally, the private credit discussion will address emerging themes such as direct lending, distressed debt, and managing credit quality in a high-interest-rate environment. This session is designed to equip attendees with actionable insights essential for constructing more resilient and optimized portfolios in today’s dynamic market environment.

Join this forward-looking discussion featuring the heads of alternative investments from the industry’s leading distribution partner firms, including wirehouses, independent broker-dealers, and registered investment advisers. This session will offer valuable insights into how top decision-makers assess private offerings, including the latest products capturing their attention and the evolving strategies they employ to meet client demand. Panelists will also share perspectives on key trends shaping the private offerings landscape for 2025, such as the expanding role of private banks, the impact of economic shifts on alternative investments, and the influence of heightened regulatory scrutiny on distribution channels.

Join us for an engaging lunchtime discussion featuring FINRA staff, Joseph Sheirer and Gabriela Aguero, as they explore FINRA Regulatory Notice 24-17 (with a comment period ending March 20, 2025) and its implications for the alternative investments space. This moderated conversation will also provide key insights into FINRA’s latest regulatory updates and compliance considerations (see FINRA’s recently released 2025 Annual Regulatory Oversight Report), and attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions.

The Yale Model, pioneered by Yale University’s Endowment under David Swensen, emphasizes diversification, active asset allocation, and alternative investments. Meanwhile, the traditional 60/40 balanced portfolio, once a cornerstone for investors, struggles to keep pace with shifting market dynamics. As equities and fixed income in public markets deliver diminishing returns, investors increasingly look to private market alternatives for higher yields. Financial advisors now advocate for innovative portfolio strategies that reduce overconcentration in traditional assets and embrace diversification into unconventional, return-enhancing investments.