Private-to-Public Convergence and the “Democratisation” of Private Markets – Implications for Institutional Investors

Date:

20 January 2026 09:30 to 14:00

Venue:

The Olympic Museum, The Olympic Museum, Quai d'Ouchy 1, 1006 Lausanne, Switzerland

Chairperson:

Elena Manola-Bonthond, Chief Investment Officer, CERN Pension Fund

Details:

Private markets—once the domain of institutional investors—are increasingly becoming accessible to a broader range of investors, including individuals and retail participants. In this seminar, we explored the wider risks and opportunities that this democratization of private markets presents for institutional investors.

Our speakers addressed key questions such as:

How will the liquidity and risk/return profiles of private markets evolve as access broadens?
What structural forces are driving this ‘democratisation’ and the implications of this for your private market allocations today and in the future?
Which segments of private markets and alternative investments currently offer the best value?
In Switzerland’s low-interest-rate environment, what additional challenges does private market investing pose?
How should investors approach currency hedging, particularly given the typically large U.S. dollar exposures within private markets?
How is the public equity market changing, with many companies staying private for longer, and what does this mean for risks and opportunities?
Should listed private markets such as listed infrastructure or others now play a larger role in your overall asset allocation?
Is there still an illiquidity premium to capture—and if so, how can it be measured?
Does increasing allocations to alternatives raise or reduce overall portfolio risk?
What types of risks are being taken—volatility, illiquidity, or complexity?
How should investors evaluate costs and fees, and are performance-related fee structures still viable? What further fee transparency is needed?

Belgium Forum.

DC Pensions Forum.

Institutional Investor Marketing Forum.

Institutional Investors Circle.

International Seminar.

Irish Pension Fund Investment Forum.

Nordic Forum.

Pensioen Bestuurstafel Forum.

Pensioen Investment Forum.

Pension Trustees Circle.

Private Markets Investors Forum.

Southern Africa Pension Fund Investment Forum.

Swiss International Forum.

UK Pension Fund Investment Forum.