Innovative investment strategies took centre stage at this year’s Sohn Monaco Investment Conference, where top European financial industry leaders shared their insights into funding paediatric cancer research.
The Sohn Monaco Investment Conference took place on Wednesday 26th June, at the Yacht Club de Monaco (YCM). It hosted prominent figures from the hedge fund and asset management sectors who shared their investment strategies and ideas to generate funding for paediatric cancer research.
Since its 1995 founding in memory of Ira Sohn, the Sohn Conference Foundation has raised over $95 million for cancer research through investment conferences in 11 cities worldwide, including its flagship event in New York.
“It’s always about the question of return on an investment”
This year’s Monaco conference featured a lineup of influential speakers who introduced their investment strategies and ideas, ranging from environmental consulting to single-board computers.
Fabio Pecce, Chief Investment Officer at Ambienta, shared insights from his career managing liquid strategies and equity investments. He also introduced Tetra Tech, an environmental consulting player. “This company is like the McKinsey of the environmental world, making it a stable and promising investment,” said Pecce.
One of the investment strategies proposed was also a convenience food provider. Lisa Ong, Portfolio Manager at Mudrick Capital, discussed her work in opportunistic credit, drawing from her extensive experience in public and private markets. The investment idea she presented is Selecta, a European self-service coffee and convenience food provider.
“It’s always about the question of return on an investment and looking at the position of Selecta in the market, the return here would be a noticeable one,” said Ong.
Another interesting speaker was Adrian Courtenay, Managing Director at Green Ash Partners. Courtenay introduced Raspberry Pi, which is a series of small, affordable, single-board computers developed by the Raspberry Pi Foundation in the United Kingdom.
“This is a growth investment as it is an authentic, performance-proven product leader within the target domain,” said Courtenay. “In a great business opportunity, you should always aim to attract competition, and Raspberry Pi has been profitable for 12 years since its inception, attracting strong competition.”
Other notable speakers included Olivier Fortesa, Co-CEO and Managing Partner at Amber Capital, who spoke on event-driven investing in Europe; Scott Ostfeld, Managing Partner and Portfolio Manager at Jana Partners, who discussed his approach to engaged shareholder strategies; Gert Steens, Head of Research at SSVL, who focused on his work in strategy consulting and investor relations; and others.
“Research is key to making progress”
Special guests at the conference included Julie Meunier, a cancer survivor and founder of Les Franjynes, which offers a collection of stylish, comfortable, and eco-friendly fringes and turbans designed for people with alopecia.
“Research is the key to making progress; it leads to a future where cancer is no longer a devastating diagnosis,” said Julie Meunier. Meunier has donated €37,500 to cancer research since 2017 through Les Franjynes.
Another notable guest was Paula Radcliffe, the world record holder for the London 2015 marathon, who discussed her athletic achievements and advocacy work in public health.
“All of my goals always were centred around not having a limit and to find out what I could do, and that’s why I want to do everything I can to support the research of paediatric cancer,” shared Radcliffe, who went through a personal battle of cancer with her daughter who was diagnosed.
The Sohn conference, part of a global series organised by the Sohn Conference Foundation, is a key event for the financial industry.
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Photo credits: Monaco Life