NEWPORT BEACH, CALIF., Feb. 2, 2021 — Canterbury Consulting, an independent investment advisory firm overseeing approximately $24.6 billion as of September 30, 2020 for foundations, endowments and families, recently hosted its 13th annual investment forum.
"While this year's virtual event was much different than our in-person events of the past twelve years, we are happy to continue the tradition of this client education event and do so while ensuring the health and safety of our clients during this pandemic," said Debashis Chowdhury, CFA, president of Canterbury Consulting.
This year's topics covered the global market outlook, the search for diverse talent in the investment management industry and the global pandemic, featuring speakers from Charles Schwab, Ariel Investments and Google Health.
Jeffrey Kleintop, CFA, senior vice president and chief global investment strategist at Charles Schwab, presented his "Global Market Outlook." Kleintop shared his perspective on why he believes the market has reached "a unique turning point at the start of a new global economic cycle" and discussed his views on shifting market leadership in this cycle. Kleintop reminded investors why it is more important than ever to "focus on a diversified asset allocation" and "avoid concentrating in a few hot stocks or even one market."
John W. Rogers Jr., chairman, co-CEO, and chief investment officer of Ariel Investments, provided insight on diversity and its role in creating better management and decision-making.
"The search for diverse talent will ultimately enhance performance. When you have diverse, talented people, you're going to have diverse perspectives and points of view," said Rogers. "If everyone comes to the table with exactly the same life experiences, you're not going to have those diverse perspectives that will lead to candid dialogue and discussion that leads to better decision making."
Robert M. Califf, MD, MACC, former commissioner at the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, and now head of clinical policy and strategy, for Verily and Google Health shared updates and expert observations on the global COVID-19 pandemic.
"Every expert I speak to believes now this will become an endemic, it will be there just like the flu, like norovirus, so it's not going to go away but we can suppress it to the level that it won't have that big of an impact on day to day life," said Dr. Califf. "To do that we will need to have an adaptive vaccine strategy and constant monitoring around the world of outbreaks and the genetic makeup of the virus as it mutates just as we do with the flu."
Watch video replays of Canterbury's 2021 Annual Investment Forum >