Salt Asia to bring out an international flavour
Hedge fund managers are often viewed as living life in the fast lane, so perhaps it is apt this year’s SkyBridge Alternatives Conference, or Salt, in Singapore follows the city’s Formula 1 event.
Salt, which made its debut in Singapore last year, returns on September 24-27 with a more international flavour, with scheduled speakers that include former US treasury secretary Tim Geithner, ex-European Central Bank president Jean-Claude Trichet and The Black Swan author Nassim Taleb.
About 1,000 fund managers, investors and finance professionals are expected to attend this year's event.
The first day will mainly focus on global themes, with the next two tackling Asia-focused topics, notably opportunities in Japan and China.
The line-up of Asia-based speakers includes Adam Levinson from the Fortress Asia Macro Fund, Dymon Asia's Danny Yong and Antony Leung, Greater China chairman for Blackstone and former Hong Kong financial secretary.
Salt has branched out from last year’s largely Asia-centric programme, with the goal of discussing the most pressing macroeconomic and geopolitical issues that will impact investment ideas in the coming year, according to US organiser SkyBridge, which runs $8.3 billion in fund-of-hedge-fund and custom portfolios.
The appearances in Asia of Geithner and Taleb bring together a pair of renowned figures. Geithner notably spent a few years trying to leave the White House before finally stepping down in January this year. Taleb, meanwhile, declared that he would go into isolation following the 2008 Wall Street crash.
On a possibly more interesting note, Geithner is also known for being brusquely told to do the physically impossible to himself by erstwhile Morgan Stanley chief executive John Mack during the height of the financial crisis.
Salt Singapore is the Asian counterpart of its flagship Las Vegas event, which draws global managers and investors. Capital introduction is at the heart of Salt conferences, which aim to bring together managers and investors, while facilitating fun on the sidelines.
Last year’s conference in Singapore drew just over 1,000 delegates, chiefly from Asia. While regional participants are expected to again dominate later this month, SkyBridge says there is greater interest coming from Europe and the US.
Now fully recuperated from Salt Las Vegas in May, AsianInvestor is gearing up and packing its crash helmets for Salt in Singapore, where we will provide daily coverage of the event.