Speaker: Megan Dempster, Associate Director, LBG & Co.

This session will provide an overview of how the fixed income markets work, and the challenges and complexities that private investors face when trying to navigate these markets. It will introduce the laddered bond portfolio investment strategy, and consider the differences between constructing a laddered bond portfolio vs. investing in a bond fund from both a risk and returns perspective. Taking a deeper dive into the laddered portfolio approach, the session will focus on the characteristics of different individual fixed income securities, and how these can be used to construct laddered bond portfolios to meet varying investment objectives and risk tolerances whilst keeping liquidity at the forefront.

Key points that delegates will learn through attending:

• A high level overview of the functioning of the fixed income markets
• The key differences between investing in a bond fund vs buying individual bonds
• The benefits and risks to consider when adopting a laddered bond portfolio investment strategy
• How to allocate between the different individual fixed income securities in order to construct a laddered portfolio that meets your investment objectives and risk tolerances

The editorial team behind MoneyWeek discuss the week's most important financial news.

Panel: MoneyWeek editorial team

Gareth Parker, Head of Indexing at Morningstar Indexes, will provide a short but informative guide to indexes: their origins, development over time, their current usage, and where index design and usage may be heading. His session should be of interest to anyone using indexes to benchmark the performance of their investments, who use index-based investments such as exchange traded funds (ETFs), or who are interested in the latest developments in thematic and “strategic beta” investing. Questions are encouraged!

Speaker: Gareth Parker, Head of Indexing at Morningstar Indexes

Hear from a panel of respected financial minds - from journalism, to personal finance and research - what do they think the most important changes the powers-that-be should make to help, and encourage, private investors in the UK. Bring your own ideas to put to the panel for debate and discussion.

Chair: Craig Rickman, Personal Finance Editor, interactive investor
Panel: Holly Mead, Deputy Money Editor, The Times and Sunday Times, Neil Blankstone, Director, Blankstone Hamilton Group; Mark McFee, Research in Finance

The Good Money Guide Awards aim to champion financial services firms that excel in innovation, product, and customer service. Each year thousands of clients tell us what they think to help others make smarter decisions about who to invest, trade and transfer currency with as well as provide valuable feedback to improve the online investing, trading, and currency transfer industry. The survey takes about 2 minutes to complete and will ask you to rank providers you have used on pricing, usability and customer service.

Panellists and title TBC

Speaker: Edward Hunt, HICL Fund Manager

ShareSoc Panel Session: Chaired by Mike Dennis, Director, ShareSoc;