About the event
The Covid-19 pandemic has created one of the largest macro shocks in recent history. As lockdown measures are relaxed and major economies re-open, investor optimism over the initial economic rebound and supportive policy stimulus has driven the sharp risk-on rally in the second quarter of 2020.
Looking ahead, the uncertainty of second waves of infections remains a wildcard for markets. A re-emergence of widespread infections could severely impede the easing of containment measures and the momentum of economic recovery. Is the worst over for the global economy or are we treading an unknown path to normalcy and recovery?
The economic and investing challenges we are presented with today are unprecedented, which is why we have lined up some of the leading investors and thought leaders from around the world to provide guidance and inspiration, to help you chart a new course in a post pandemic world.
Bank of Singapore’s three-part thought leadership series - Charting A New Course - features distinguished thinkers Nassim Nicholas Taleb, author of The Black Swan, Howard Marks, Director and Co-Chairman of Oaktree Capital Management as well as our in-house experts: Jean Chia, Head of Portfolio Management and Research Office, Eli Lee, Head of Investment Strategy, Sim Moh Siong, Currency Strategist, and Todd Schubert, Head of Fixed Income.
Register your interest to attend Charting a New Course and future events.
Programme
Predictability, Probability and Profitability
The Covid-19 pandemic has been coined a black swan by the media, but acclaimed author of The Black Swan, Nassim Taleb, shares why he calls the recent turn of events a white swan, and discusses how applying tail-risk investment strategies could post substantial returns during periods of market stress.
Charting the Next Chapter
After an abrupt end to the longest expansion in US history, how will the markets chart its new course ahead? As we enter a new cycle with unprecedented stimulus and lasting imprints from the pandemic, we will see new winners and losers across markets, asset classes and geographies. More than ever, investors will need to navigate the search for yield against the risks posed by economic uncertainty and geopolitics.
Join our investment experts, Jean Chia, Head of Portfolio Management and Research Office, Eli Lee, Head of Investment Strategy, Sim Moh Siong, Currency Strategist and Todd Schubert, Head of Fixed Income as they share insights to help you navigate these unprecedented times.
The Way Forward
The coronavirus-induced meltdown in share prices has presented investors with the opportunity to buy quality stocks at prices well below the mid-February peak. The crisis was “unprecedented in its power and it knocked markets for a loop”, said legendary investor Howard Marks.
Against this backdrop, are there lessons to be learnt from past crises? How should investors position themselves for the risks and opportunities, and strike a balance between offence and defence in this period of uncertainty? Howard Marks, Co-Chairman of Oaktree Capital Management, shares his views on the way forward.
About our speakers
Howard Marks
Since the formation of Oaktree in 1995, Marks has been responsible for the firm’s adherence to its core investment philosophy; communicating closely with clients concerning products and strategies and contributing his experience to big-picture decisions relating to investments and corporate direction.
From 1985 until 1995, Marks led the groups at The TCW Group, Inc. that were responsible for investments in distressed debt, high yield bonds, and convertible securities. He was also Chief Investment Officer for Domestic Fixed Income at TCW
Prior to that, he was with Citicorp Investment Management for 16 years, where from 1978 to 1985 he was Vice President and senior portfolio manager in charge of convertible and high yield securities.
Between 1969 and 1978, he was an equity research analyst and, subsequently, Citicorp's Director of Research. Marks holds a B.S.Ec. degree cum laude from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania with a major in finance and an M.B.A. in accounting and marketing from the Booth School of Business of the University of Chicago, where he received the George Hay Brown Prize. He is a CFA® charterholder.
Nassim Nicholas Taleb
Nassim Nicholas Taleb spent more than 20 years as a trader before starting a career in research in the field of risk management and applied probability.
Taleb has also been involved in risk-based policy making, advising various heads of states, U.S. agencies, and international organisations on model error and the detection and mitigation of tail exposures.
He holds a PhD from the University of Paris and an MBA from the Wharton School. He is the author of Antifragile, The Black Swan, Fooled by Randomness, The Bed of Procrustes, Skin in the Game and Dynamic Hedging (1997).
Taleb's books have more than 120 translations in 35 languages. Since starting his academic career, he has written more than 65 scholarly papers across various aspects of risk and probability. In 2011, he was listed among the Bloomberg 50 most influential persons in the world (policy makers, bankers, corporate leaders) in Finance.
Taleb is currently a Distinguished Professor of Risk Engineering at NYU's Tandon School of Engineering and a Scientific Advisor for Universa Investments focusing on the "antifragile" properties of systems.
Bahren Shaari
Bahren Shaari was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Bank of Singapore on 1 February 2015. He was previously the Senior Managing Director and Global Market Head of South East Asia. He has more than 30 years of banking experience and is an executive committee member of Singapore’s Private Banking Industry Group which shapes the private banking competency standards of the wealth management sector.
In 2016, he was conferred the Singapore Institute of Banking and Finance Distinguished Fellow award, in recognition of his significant contribution to the financial industry and outstanding leadership capabilities. Prior to joining Bank of Singapore, Bahren served as the Managing Director at UBS Wealth Management, responsible for the South East Asian and Australian Markets. Bahren is an alternate member of the Council of Presidential Advisers. He has been a non-executive and independent director of Singapore Press Holdings since April 2012.
From 2000 to 2012, Bahren served on the board of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore. In 2008, Mr Shaari was conferred the Public Service Medal, and in 2018, he received the Public Service Star Medal. Born in 1962, Bahren is married with three children and graduated with an accountancy degree from the National University of Singapore.
LG (Leong Guan) Lim
LG is responsible for Bank of Singapore’s product strategy and the expansion and innovation of the bank’s offerings across key areas such as investment research and strategy, portfolio management, lending structuring and advisory, and wealth planning and trust.
He is concurrently OCBC Bank’s Head of Group Wealth Products. He is an industry veteran with 30 years of experience in the investments and advisory space, across transactional, advisory and discretionary products, as well as wealth planning.
Prior to joining Bank of Singapore, he had senior management responsibilities across various roles at UBS Wealth Management, where he was most recently the Asia-Pacific Head of Wealth Planning and Singapore Head of Investment Products and Services. During his 25- year stint with the Swiss bank, he played pivotal roles in developing product strategy across Asia Pacific and establishing product platforms in Taiwan, Japan and China. He was conferred the IBF Fellow award in 2016 in the area of wealth management by the Institute of Banking and Finance Singapore (IBF).
The IBF Fellow title recognises industry veterans who exemplify thought leadership and commitment to industry development. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics (2nd Upper Honours) from The London School of Economics.
Fidelis Oruche
Fidelis Oruche is the Head of Investment Advisory and Sales. His team is responsible for providing strategic advisory services in Fixed Income, Foreign Exchange, Equities, Derivatives, Funds Solutions and Private Equity. Fidelis joined Bank of Singapore in 2012 after 15 years in Investment banking where he focused on FX derivatives in both trading and management roles. Between 2005 and 2010, he was with Standard Chartered Bank, Singapore, where he was a Managing Director in the Structured Solutions Group and prior to that was Global Co-Head of FX Options Trading. Earlier in his career he held positions in the Global Markets Trading divisions of Lehman Brothers (Japan), AIG Trading and Merrill Lynch & Co where he started his career in London in 1995. Fidelis holds a BSc in Actuarial Science from City University, London.
Sim Moh Siong
Sim Moh Siong is Currency Strategist for Bank of Singapore, where he is responsible for analysing and forecasting currency trends, as well as being a key member of the investment committee. He joined Bank of Singapore in 2009. Moh Siong brings with him almost two decades of experience in macro and financial research on Asia. Previously a regional economist and financial market strategist with Citibank. Moh Siong holds a Master and BSc in Economics from the London School of Economics.
Jean Chia
As Head of PMRO, Jean Chia is responsible for formulating Bank of Singapore’s house views, including its investment strategy for FX, equity and fixed income research, as well as Discretionary Portfolio Management (DPM) and Advisory Portfolio Management (APM). She has over 20 years’ experience in Private Banking and Asset Management.
She was previously Head of Equities Advisory and Sales at the Bank, and Head of Client Advisory Services for Equities, Investment Products and Services at UBS Wealth Management, Singapore.
Prior to UBS, she was Vice President at Allianz Dresdner Asset Management (now known as Allianz Global Investors).
Jean graduated with an MA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from University of Oxford, UK. Jean also serves as a member of the SGX Advisory Committee.
Todd Schubert
Todd Schubert is the Head of Fixed Income Research for Bank of Singapore. He joined the Bank’s predecessor ING Asia Private Bank in 2008. Prior to that he was Head of Asian Fixed Income Research at Deutsche Bank as well as a Global Credit Portfolio Manager with the Government of Singapore Investment Corp.
During his more than 30 years of Investment Experience Todd has also worked for a number of major U.S. Financial Institutions including USAA and GE Asset Management.
Todd has an MBA from the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago and a Bachelor’s Degree from UCLA.
Eli Lee
Eli Lee is Head of Investment Strategy at Bank of Singapore and he plays a central role in developing asset allocation and thematic strategies across global asset classes for the Bank.
He is a key member of Bank of Singapore’s investment committee, which determines the Group’s overall investment strategy and direction, and serves as a member of the OCBC Group Wealth Panel. He also previously led the Special Situations Research team at OCBC Investment Research. As an investment thought leader, Eli’s independent perspectives are often sought after by international media, including the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg and CNBC.
With close to two decades of industry experience, Eli began his investment career at the Wellington Management Company in Boston. He graduated from Harvard University with an MA in statistics.