Inaugural Emerging Managers Week to Kick Off in February

A group of public pension funds and the nonprofit For the Long Term are holding the inaugural Emerging Managers Week in February, intended to provide a platform for diverse and emerging managers looking for business opportunities and industry connections.

The week of conferences will kick off on February 11 with a virtual Emerging Manager Conference hosted by the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, followed by an Emerging Manager Forum and a reception held by For the Long Term, an organization that includes treasurers, comptrollers and investment staff from various states. The forum will include representatives from the Maryland State Retirement and Pension System, the Employees’ Retirement System of Rhode Island, the Connecticut Retirement Plans and Trust Funds and the Illinois State Treasury, all of which are part of For the Long Term.

On February 12, the Office of the New York City Comptroller will host its annual Diverse and Emerging Managers Conference in New York City. On February 13, the conference moves to Albany, New York, with the New York State Teachers’ Retirement System’s MWBE Investments and Professional Services Conference. This will be followed on February 14 by the New York State Common Retirement Fund’s Annual Emerging Manager and MWBE Conference.

The week will include discussions on the importance of diverse and emerging asset managers in producing risk-adjusted returns for public pension funds, as well as on negotiating fund agreements. The week’s discussions also include asset class breakout sessions regarding public equities, fixed income, real estate and real assets, sustainable investments and credit and opportunistic and absolute return strategies. Speakers at the conferences include internal pension fund staff and external investment consultants.

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“Expanding the pool of asset managers who are responsible for investing the assets of our pension funds is an essential part of our investing strategy and integral to delivering robust long-term returns for current and retired municipal employees,” New York City Comptroller Brad Lander said in a statement.