Wednesday, 29 November 2017                                                                                                                                                                                                    

8:30 am–9:00 amRegistration and Coffee
Venue:  Ballroom A Foyer, Level 2
9:00 am–9:15 amGroup Photo
Venue: Crescent Ballroom, Level 2
9:15 am–9:45 amKeynote Address
Ms. Ingrid van Wees, Vice President (Finance and Risk Management), Asian Development Bank
Mr. Chia Der Jiun, Assistant Managing Director, Markets and Investment Group Monetary Authority of Singapore
Venue: Ballroom A, Level 2
9:45 am–10:45 amSession 1:  Global and Regional Economic Outlook

Speakers:
Dr. Prakash Kannan, Economics and Investment Strategy and Head, Total Portfolio Management, Government of Singapore Investment Corporation
Mr. Donghyun Park, Principal Economist, ADB
Mr. Gary Smith, Head, Strategic Relationship Management Team, Sovereign Wealth Funds and   Official Institutions, Baring Asset Management

Moderator:  Mr.  David Marsh, Consultant, ADB

This panel discussion will focus on the global economic prospects, with emphasis on Asia and the Pacific region. It will cover major developments and their potential impact on economic growth – including potential Fed interest rate hikes, future of EU, China’s transformation towards a consumption led economy, and ASEAN Economic Integration.
10:45 am–11:00 amOpen Discussion
11:00 am–11:15 amCoffee Break
Venue: Ballroom A Foyer, Level 2
11:15 am–12:30 pmSession 2:  Managing Large Portfolios in an Environment of Low Interest Rates

Speakers:
Mr. Budianto, Executive Director/Head, Reserves   Management Department, Bank Indonesia
Dr. Martin Schlegel, Head of the Singapore Office, Swiss National Bank
Mr. Heung Sik Choo, Director, Investment Management Division, World Bank Treasury
Mr. Volkan Arslan, Senior Portfolio Manager, Markets Department, Central Bank of Turkey

Moderator:  Mr.  Michael Jordan, Assistant Treasurer, Investments Division, ADB

Reserve Managers continue to face a difficult investment environment with sustained low and in some cases, negative interest rates in
developed economies and volatile exchange rates. How are these factors impacting capital flows, and are all emerging markets equally
vulnerable? Is easy money leading to a bubble in asset prices? In this session, reserve managers share their   insights and experiences
in managing investment portfolios.
12:30 pm–12:45 pmOpen Discussion
12:45 pm–1:45 pmLunch
Venue: Ballroom B, Level 2
Session 3:   Governance in Reserve Management

Speakers: 
Mr. Sukonpat Chantapant, Deputy Director, Bank of Thailand
Mr. Veres Istvan Attila, Director, National Bank of Hungary
Mr.  Tornike Revishvili, Senior Specialist, Foreign Exchange Reserves Management Division, Financial Markets Department, National Bank of Georgia
Mr.  Ibragim Saifullin, Chief Economist, International Reserves Placement Division, Monetary Operations Department, National Bank of the Kyrgyz
Republic

Moderator:
Mr. Asad Alamgir, Senior Treasury   Specialist, ADB

The governance arrangements around reserves are a complicated but critically important aspect of a prudent strategy for reserves management. In this session, we discuss the key elements of a robust governance framework: legal ownership of reserves; constructive communication and cooperation between public institutions; the establishment of clear mandates, responsibilities and  performance criteria; and effective oversight and risk controls.
3:00 pm–3:15 pmOpen Discussion
3:15 pm–4:15 pmSession 4:  Risk Management Framework

Speakers:
Mr. Erekle Tsivtsivadze, Deputy Head of Financial Markets, National Bank of Georgia
Mr.  Jaikish, General Manager, Reserve Bank of India
Mr.  Tarlan Rasulov, Head, Risk Management Division, Market Operations Department, Central Bank of Azerbaijan

Moderator:   
Mr. Martin Kroll, Head, Treasury and Operational Risk Unit, ADB

A key focus for all reserves managers should be management of risk in the reserves portfolio. This requires a broad understanding and knowledge of broad risk management concepts such as the measurement of volatility and reserve portfolio sensitivities to changes in interest rates, currencies and other asset classes. This session will introduce a discussion around risk management best practices and will also consider the practical issues around the organization, placement and structuring of the risk management function within a central bank.
4:15 pm–4:30 pmOpen Discussion
4:30 pm–4:45 pmCoffee Break
Venue: BallroomA Foyer, Level 2
4:45 pm–5:45 pmSession 5: Selection and Appraisal of External Fund Managers

Speakers:
Mr. Veres Istvan Attila, Director, National Bank of Hungary
Mr. Sukonpat Chantapant, Deputy Director, Bank of Thailand
Mr. Redentor Paolo Alegre, Chief Reserve Management Officer, Treasury Department, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas

Moderator:
Mr.  Deepak Taneja, Principal Treasury Specialist, ADB

With a low yield environment beginning to look like the new normal, central banks need to continue to diversify their asset classes. However, as they initially branch out into new asset types, it may be prudent to initially employ external managers. What has the experience been with external fund managers? What is the optimum way to leverage them, and for which asset classes? What is the appropriate mandate for EFM?  How has their performance compared to internal managers? This session will discuss the advantages and costs of employing external fund managers.
5:45 pm–6:00 pmOpen Discussion
6:30 pm–9:00 pmDinner
Venue: Crescent Ballroom & Foyer
Europe in a Global Context: Mr. David Marsh, Managing Director, OMFIF 

The speaker will share his views on the influence of geopolitics and macroeconomics on the future shape of the Old Continent and on international policies for deploying sovereign assets.

 Thursday, 30 November 2017                                                                                                                                                                  

8:30 am–9:00 amRegistration and Coffee
Venue:  Ballroom A Foyer, Level 2
Session 6: Reserve Management: Trends and Challenges
Venue:  Ballroom A, Level 2

Speakers:
Mr.  Christopher Chan, Division Head (Fixed Income), Hong Kong Monetary Authority
Mr. Mukul Pillai, Deputy General Manager, Reserve Bank of India
Mr. Hon Cheung, Regional Director – Asia, Official Institutions Group, State Street Global Advisors Singapore Limited
Mr. Gary Smith, Head, Strategic Relationship Management Team, Sovereign Wealth Funds and Official Institutions, Baring Asset Management

Moderator: Mr. Pierre Van Peteghem, Treasurer, ADB

In this session, we consider the current trends and challenges for reserve managers in Asia. In particular, we focus on continued reserve accumulation in Asia and ask ‘what level of reserves is adequate, and what are the different approaches used in practice to estimate adequate reserves. Further appropriate balance between risk and return, degree of public disclosure, sovereign wealth funds and possible use of excess reserves for investments in Asian infrastructure will be discussed
10:15 am–10:30 amOpen Discussion
10:30 am–10:45 amCoffee Break
Venue:  Ballroom A Foyer, Level 2
10:45 am–11:30 amSession 7:  Conversation on Role of Sovereign Wealth Funds

Speakers:
Dr. Sung Cheng Chih, Founding Partner and Chief Executive Officer, Avanda Investment Management Pte Ltd
Ms.  Lindsay Wright, Deputy Chair, Board of the Guardians of New Zealand   Superannuation Fund; Head of Distribution, and Co-Head of Investment   Management, APAC BNY Mellon Investment Management Hong Kong


Moderator: Mr. Tobias Hoschka, Assistant Treasurer, Financial Policy and Planning Division,  ADB

The population of SWFs continues to grow, based on commodity and oil exports, budgetary or current account surpluses, or to build up pensioned savings. Several Asian countries have transferred part of their reserves into SWFs to bring greater focus on investment management of national wealth, as well as facilitate diversification into longer term higher yielding but potentially less liquid investments. The argument to set up separate entities is strengthened with the need to diversify into alternate asset classes in this low interest rate environment.
11:30 am–11:45 amOpen Discussion
11:45 am–12:45 pmSession 8: Green and Sustainable Finance

Speakers:
Mr. Devesh Ashra, Co-Head of Asia Pacific Debt Solutions, Head of Asia DCM  Syndicate, Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Ms. Juliette Macresy, Head of Greater China and South-East Asia Market, Vigeo Eiris
Mr. Abhishek Dangra, Director, Sector Lead, Infra, SSEA; Country Lead: S. Asia,  S&P Global Ratings

Moderator:  Ms.  Maria A Lomotan, Assistant Treasurer, Funding Division, ADB

This session highlights the increasing relevance of green finance and how global public investors can help combat climate. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the first green bond, issued by the European Investment Bank. Subsequently, supranational issuers of green bonds have been instrumental in providing investment-grade exposure to green projects in developing economies.
12:45 pm–1:00 pmOpen Discussion
1:00 pm–2:00 pmLunch Break
Venue: Ballroom B, Level 2
2:00 pm–3:00 pmSession 9: Changing Landscape of Debt Markets

Speakers:
Mr. Go Nakatsui, Deputy Director, Debt Management Division, Ministry of Finance, Japan
Mr. Stephen Schwartz, Head of Sovereign Ratings for Asia Pacific, Fitch Ratings   
Mr. Jonathan Grosvenor, Head, Treasury Client Solutions Unit, ADB

Moderator: Mr. Jonathan Grosvenor, Head, Treasury Client Solutions Unit, ADB

In this session, our panelists will provide a global and regional perspective and comment on developments around the issuance of bonds, the evolution of sovereign ratings and impact of changes in bank and financial market regulation on primary and secondary debt markets. What does this mean for investors? Will liquidity in government and corporate bond market be affected? What can issuers do to make their bonds more attractive to central bank, SWF and institutional investors?
3:00 pm–3:15 pmOpen Discussion
3:15 pm–4:15 pmSession 10: Automation of Investment Process


Speakers:
Mr. Erekle Tsivtsivadze, Deputy Head of Financial Markets, National Bank of Georgia
Mr.  Francis Braeckevelt, COO, Asset Servicing, APAC, BNY Mellon
Mr.  Alexandre Kech, Head of Securities and FX Markets, Asia Pacific, SWIFT

Moderator:   Ms. Sukhumarn Phanachet, Assistant Treasurer, Treasury Services Division, ADB

Large portfolios of reserves are extremely difficult to manage without proper IT systems. More complex instruments used in reserve management raise the bar for risk management, settlement and accounting functions and require modern IT solutions. The participants will share their experience with different systems used.
4:15 pm–4:30 pmOpen Discussion
4:30 pm–4:45 pmClosing Remarks
 
Mr. Pierre Van Peteghem, Treasurer, Asian Development Bank
4:45 pm-5:15 pmCoffee
Venue: Ballroom A Foyer, Level 2

GROUP PHOTO

(click picture to download)


List of Participants