F&C Investment Trust Proudly Presents F&C Live 2024
Smart Choices: Navigating an age of social change
6 June 2024, Nobu Hotel Portman Square
Featuring talks from Shivvy Jervis, Matt Frei and Paul Niven
Welcome to F&C Live
The F&C Investment Trust was established 156 years ago and is the oldest investment trust in the world. The Company’s enduring success is, in part, down to its forward looking approach and an appreciation of how the future should be considered today.
This year’s theme, ‘Smart Choices: navigating an age of social change’ is an acknowledgement of the pace of change being experienced.
Capital is at risk and investors may not get back the original amount invested.
FEATURING
BEATRICE HOLLOND, CHAIRMAN, F&C INVESTMENT TRUST
In her opening remarks, F&C Investment Trust Chairman, Beatrice Hollond said “This year’s theme is an acknowledgement of the pace of change we’re all experiencing. Your speakers today are experts in both technology and AI, and in political news media, offering us a great insight into the potential changes happening, their ethical and societal considerations and what we can learn from history.”
Shivvy Jervis
The first speaker at F&C Live was multi-award winning futurist, Shivvy Jervis. Shivvy is the founder of forecasting lab, Futurescape 248 whose mission it is to share and making sense of the most remarkable advances in AI and technology that will both advance humanity and change how we do business.
Shivvy Jervis’ talk covered key themes such as:
- Understanding the power and value of human intelligence in an artificial intelligence age and demonstrating how our minds are still the most powerful assets in the room
- Myth busting about synthetic intelligence and AI, demonstrating how and why it still needs human oversight. A key insight shared was how there will be more humans competing with other people that may have more fluency to work alongside these tools.
- Discussed productive uses of AI in investing, including how AI might impact people’s thoughts on investing, for example by democratising access to information in a way that wasn’t easily available even five years ago
Shivvy Jervis wrapped her talk by explaining we’ve never been more aware about wanting to live healthier for longer, and this longevity also means timely financial decisions are vital for us and our legacy generations.
matt Frei
The second F&C Live speaker was Matt Frei, a vastly experienced Channel 4 News presenter. Matt Frei has been foreign correspondent from over 40 countries for Channel 4, and before that the BBC and recently won a BAFTA with his Channel 4 team for their reporting on the war in Ukraine.
Some of the key messages from Matt Frei’s talk included:
- 2024 is a transformational year with over 1.5 billion people heading to the polls across major democracies globally and the year could end up being one of the most consequential years in decade
- Anecdotes about meeting global political leaders
- The potential impacts globally we might see from the outcome of the 2024 US election
Paul Niven
Paul Niven, F&C Fund Manager and Head of Asset Allocation (EMEA) at Columbia Threadneedle Investments featured as the final speaker, bringing together the information shared on AI and technology and geo-political challenges and opportunities, to help make sense of smart choices investors and the audience may want to consider.
Some of the highlights from Paul Niven’s talk:
While the immediate impact of social change may be obvious, the longer-term effects can take many years to become evident. These changes can encompass several dimensions and include the value systems, cultural symbols, behavioural and social norms and social organisations.
- While the immediate impact of social change may be obvious, the longer-term effects can take many years to become evident. These changes can encompass several dimensions and include the value systems, cultural symbols, behavioural and social norms, and social organisations.
- Social change can include cultural symbols such as language, food, beverages, fashion, architecture, art, and music. For example, arguably one of the greatest cultural influences today is Taylor Swift whose influence extends beyond her music into a very real impact on economies and, potentially, politics.
- From an investment perspective, we know that social change can lead to opportunity as well as threats. But it is often difficult to assess the permanence of a particular driver, and it is harder still to assess the lasting impact of social change.
In his closing remarks, Paul Niven noted, “As shareholders of F&C Investment Trust, your investment is helping many global companies advance; be it to address climate change, improve healthcare for longer and more fulfilling lives, enhance communication and entertainment experiences, increase knowledge and the speed of learning – ultimately to encourage further innovation. I believe this will reward you financially, as well as benefitting society as a whole.”
WATCH HIGHLIGHTS FROM F&C LIVE
See the highlights from the afternoon as the three speakers, Shivvy Jervis, Matt Frei and Paul Niven discussed ‘Smart Choices: Navigating an age of social change’.
WATCH F&C LIVE, FEATURING PRESENTATIONS FROM THE CHAIRMAN, BEATRICE HOLLOND, AND FUND MANAGER, PAUL NIVEN
WATCH OUR PRE-EVENT INTERVIEW WITH F&C FUND MANAGER, PAUL NIVEN
WATCH OUR PRE-EVENT INTERVIEW WITH FUTURIST, SHIVVY JERVIS
ABOUT F&C Investment Trust
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 Professor Yuval Harari, Paul Niven and 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 in March. Speakers included Alistair Fothergill, Dr Hannah Fry and Vicki Bakshi 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.
Photos
Beatrice Hollond
Chairman, F&C Investment Trust
Beatrice Hollond has been on the F&C Investment Trust Board since 2017 and Chairman since 2020. Beatrice spent 16 years at Credit Suisse Asset Management in Global Fixed Income and began her career as an Equity Analyst at Morgan Grenfell Asset Management.
Paul Niven
Head of Asset Allocation (EMEA), 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 firm. Paul sets the Trust's investment policy, asset allocation and is supported by a team of investment professionals.
