Dates:
7 September 2026 15:00 to 9 September 2026 14:30
Venue:
Scandic Spectrum Hotel, Scandic Spectrum Hotel, Kalvebod Brygge 10, København V, Copenhagen, Denmark
View in Google Maps
Chairperson:
Various Members of the EPFIF Advisory Committee
Details:
Celebrating 30 years of connection, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing, the EPFIF International Seminar returns for its milestone 30th edition from 7–9 September 2026. This year, we were delighted to welcome you to the beautiful city of Copenhagen, Denmark.
We examined how pension funds should respond to geopolitical instability, shifting macro conditions, and evolving asset allocation challenges in 2026/27. Sessions explored geographic diversification, concentration risks, public versus private markets, and the changing ESG landscape. European pension reforms and the growing influence of local investing were also addressed. The agenda further analysed the rapid rise of AI — from investment opportunities to governance and operational risks — before concluding with an interactive scenario-planning exercise focused on portfolio resilience.
Programme: Redefining Investment Strategy in a Fractured World
DAY ONE
Session 1: Geopolitical Turmoil: Rethinking Your Geographic Exposure
The political and investment case for geographic diversification has never been more urgent. The panel discussed:
- Political and geopolitical drivers reshaping portfolio risks (tariffs, sanctions, confiscation)
- Evaluating US equity concentration: Is reduced exposure genuinely risk-reducing?
- The case for home bias vs. global diversification in 2026
- New ‘safe haven’ assets: gold, commodities, and alternative stores of value
Session 2: Macro Outlook for 2026/2027 & Strategic Asset Allocation in a New Era
- Rethinking strategic asset allocation frameworks in volatile markets
- Equity-bond correlation in high inflation environments: implications for diversification
- Managing concentration risks across asset classes and geographies
- Public vs. private credit: is there a bubble in private markets?
Session 3: ESG Investment in Retreat: Strategic Implications for Portfolio Construction
The regulatory and political landscape for sustainable investment is diverging dramatically. How should you respond?
- US state-level anti-ESG actions vs. European regulatory expansion
- Defence sector investing: ESG frameworks under pressure
- Setting realistic ESG targets in a politicized environment
- Reconciling fiduciary duty with stakeholder expectations
Session 4: Pension Fund Case Studies
DAY TWO
Session 5: Pensions Reforms Across Europe – Consolidation, Nudges towards Local Investing, Risk Changes
- Overview of key changes across UK, Nordics (Finland, Sweden), NL
- Local Investing – risks and opportunities
- Risk Sharing in Accumulation and Decumulation
Session 6: AI Revolution: Investment Opportunities, Operational Transformation and Emerging Risks
With AI developments moving at breakneck speed, where are the investment opportunities and what risks does AI bring to pension funds from investment, operational and risk perspectives?
- AI stocks: bubble or sustained growth story?
- Infrastructure plays: data centres and energy demand
- AI in investment research and portfolio construction
- Governance challenges and the danger of groupthink
- Regulatory and reputational risks
- AI reliability in portfolio management decisions
Session 7: Scenario Planning for Portfolio Resilience: A Strategic Gaming Exercise