F&C Live 2026 Recap: key insights, speakers and session recordings
The long view: resilience in an age of upheaval
Featuring talks from futurist Sophie Hackford, Times columnist and economist Paul Johnson and fund manager Paul Niven
Replaying F&C Live 2026
On Tuesday 3rd of March investors gathered at the Landmark London Hotel for the 2026 edition to F&C Live. There was standing room only to listen to the speakers, and the topics presented garnered enlightening discussion in the ensuing Q&A.
The theme for 2026 was The Long View: Resilience in an Age of Upheaval – a deep dive into the ways in which economies and societies are adjusting after years of disruption. The speakers discussed what resilience means for investors today, bringing together leading voices in economics, AI and global investing to share their insights and ideas.
At F&C, we’ve always believed in looking beyond the moment – focusing on long-term trends, generational shifts and the factors that truly shape investors’ futures.
Both highlights and full recordings of the event are available below.
FEATURING
Sophie Hackford
Technologist, Adviser and Futurist
She previously co-founded an AI company from Oxford University’s Astrophysics Department, labelling data to train algorithms. She has taught on Singularity University Executive Program’s Space track, and the University of Oxford Physics Department’s entrepreneurship course.
Sophie previously worked at WIRED Magazine, at Singularity University on the NASA Research Park in Silicon Valley, and the Oxford Martin School at Oxford University, where she raised $120m for frontier-bending research.
Paul Johnson
Economist and Provost of The Queen’s College, Oxford
Paul is one of the UK’s leading economists and economics commentators. Having worked in economic research, in consultancy and in government he became director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies in 2011, serving for nearly 15 years. In that role he helped cement the IFS’s place as the UK’s go-to organisation for high quality independent analysis in economics and public policy.
Having moved to be Provost of The Queen’s College Oxford in summer 2025 Paul continues to work, write and speak on economics and public policy. He is a columnist for The Times, a regular contributor to other broadcast and print media and author of the bestselling book Follow the Money: How Much Does Britain Cost?
Paul’s expertise spans the UK economy and public finances, tax, pensions, education, health, climate change, and other areas of economics and policy. Paul was, for a decade, a member of the Climate Change Committee. He has served on the council of the Royal Economic Society and of the Economic and Social Research Council, as well as on numerous commissions for government and others, covering issues such as auto enrolment, inflation, devolution, tax, inequality, health, education and crime.
Paul niven
Head of Multi-Asset Solutions (EMEA) at Columbia Threadneedle Investments
The F&C Investment Trust has only had three fund managers over the past four decades. Paul Niven was appointed in 2014 after 18 years with the F&C Investment Trust. Paul sets the Trust’s investment policy, asset allocation and is supported by a team of investment professionals. Paul is also the Head of Multi-Asset Solutions (EMEA) at Columbia Threadneedle Investments and is Chair of the Investment Policy Group.
Paul graduated from the University of Strathclyde with a BA (Hons) in Accounting and Economics, obtained an MPhil in Finance, and is a member of the UK CFA Institute.
WATCH F&C LIVE, FEATURING PRESENTATIONS FROM sophie hackford, paul johnson & paul niven
HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE DAY
'Living with robots and robotics' Podcast with futurist, Sophie Hackford
'Where is the silver lining?' Podcast with economist, Paul Johnson
A history of F&C Live
Established in 1868, the F&C Investment Trust is the world’s oldest collective investment scheme. In 2018, the F&C Live series was launched to mark the 150th anniversary. The inaugural event, ‘Investing Past, Present and Future‘, featured historian and popular writer Professor Yuval Harari, F&C Fund Manager, Paul Niven, and social economic researcher, Dr Eliza Filby, as they looked at the history of investing, future of mankind, and the next generation of investors.
In 2020, F&C Live returned for the second time to the Guildhall. Speakers included producer Alistair Fothergill OBE, British mathematician, author, broadcaster Dr Hannah Fry and Vicki Bakshi, Climate Strategist at Columbia Threadneedle Investments, and they took a closer look at responsibility and the actions we can take as individuals, investors and asset managers to secure a more sustainable future.
The 2022 F&C Live event. ‘Smart choices for a smarter future’ featured speakers Merryn Somerset Webb (Editor in chief of Moneyweek), Sarah Harper (founding Director of the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing) and F&C Fund Manager, Paul Niven.
The theme for 2024 F&C Live event, ‘Smart choices: Navigating an age of social change’ was an acknowledgement of the pace of change being experienced in the world. It featured speakers Shivvy Jervis, the founder of forecasting lab Futurescape 248, Matt Frei, foreign correspondent for Channel 4 and BAFTA award winner, Beatrice Hollond, Chairman for F&C Investment Trust, and Paul Niven.
To find out more about the history of F&C click below.
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