Maria Konnikova, a psychologist, bestselling author, and professional poker player, is set to explore the concept of uncertainty at the upcoming Asian Investment Conference (AIC) hosted by UBS in Hong Kong. Her session will resonate with attendees facing a landscape defined by global unpredictability. Now in its 28th year, the AIC has grown into a major platform for dialogue on economics, trade, innovation, and strategy, drawing a broad mix of institutional investors, corporate leaders, and policy experts.
Curated by Niall Macleod, UBS’ head of product management for Asia-Pacific, the conference will open with sessions on macroeconomic conditions, geopolitical tensions, and trade policy before turning to risk management and strategies to handle the unknown. Macleod noted that the intensity of current global uncertainty – from political shifts to trade disputes – is placing increased pressure on investors and financial planners.
Trade tensions between the US and China have recently escalated, with both countries imposing heavy tariffs before agreeing to a temporary truce. Tariffs on US goods from China have dropped to 10 percent from 125 percent, while the US has reduced its duties on Chinese imports to 30 percent from 145 percent. Macleod reflected that when planning for the conference began six months ago, it was unclear if tariffs would remain relevant. However, they have since emerged as a central issue for this year’s discussions.
The conference will be held from May 27 to 30 and is expected to draw over 3,500 participants, up from more than 3,000 last year. This includes institutional investors, family offices, corporates, and ultra-high-net-worth individuals. A pre-conference session focused on wealth management in Singapore will also be featured.
With around 80 speakers confirmed, the conference will host thought leaders such as Pascal Lamy, former director-general of the World Trade Organization; Raghuram Rajan, former governor of the Reserve Bank of India; and Olivier Blanchard, former chief economist at the International Monetary Fund. Topics will span from global macroeconomic trends and geopolitics to robotics and artificial intelligence.
American gymnastics icon Simone Biles will also speak at the event, focusing on resilience. Her story of perseverance and elite performance provides a powerful metaphor for dealing with uncertainty, an overarching theme of this year’s conference.
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