Defence Investing – Risks, Opportunities and ESG Considerations?

Date:

28 May 2026 12:00 to 14:30

Venue:

Barber-Surgeons’ Hall, Monkwell Square, Wood St, Barbican, London EC2Y 5BL

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Chairperson:

James Duberly, Director of Pensions Investments, BBC Pension Trust Ltd.

Details:

Programme Outline

Defence Investing – Risks, Opportunities and ESG Considerations?

• Is investing in the defence sector actually permitted, and under what conditions?
• How do ESG strategies address the question of defence companies?
• What constitutes “controversial weapons”?
• How should you consider areas such as ‘Nuclear’?
• The distinction between “offensive” and “defensive” weapons.
• How the global defence sector is evolving and what this means for investors.
• Can investment in defence help deliver the risk adjusted returns pension funds need or expect?
• How do defence, cyber risks and AI link together?
• If you exclude defence investing, is there an opportunity cost of potential lost returns given recent strong performance in the defence sector?
• Should you invest in defence companies (equity), lend to them (via credit) or directly via private market exposure?