Fixed Income Leaders 2025
14 - 16 October, 2025
Mövenpick Hotel Amsterdam City Centre + ij VENUES Amsterdam
Day 2 | 16th October
8:30 am - 9:30 am
Registration and Breakfast
Navigating Market Turbulence
9:30 am - 9:50 am
Asset Allocators Fireside Chat: Asset Allocators' Perspective on Bond Markets: How can you position your fixed income portfolios amid ECB tightening, interest rate uncertainty and credit risks?
Anna Maria Reforgiato Recupero -
Chief Investment Officer - Insurance Regions,
Assicurazioni Generali
Edward Smith -
Co-CIO,
Rathbones
European bond markets are at a turning point, with rising sovereign yields, tighter ECB policies, and a surge in government debt issuance driving volatility. At the same time, corporate default rates are climbing to levels unseen since 2008, adding pressure on credit markets. With liquidity conditions shifting and geopolitical risks looming, asset allocators must rethink fixed income strategies to balance risk, flexibility, and return in an increasingly uncertain environment.
Anna Maria Reforgiato Recupero
Chief Investment Officer - Insurance RegionsAssicurazioni Generali
9:50 am - 10:20 am
Global Investment Outlook Panel: Capturing global opportunities: Which allocation strategies should you consider to navigate heightened market volatility, tariffs, and macroeconomic dislocation?
Altaf Kassam -
Head of Investment Strategy and Research, EMEA,
SSGA
Raphael Stern -
Head of ETF PM EMEA,
Invesco Asset Management
In 2025, investors face geopolitical uncertainty, shifting central bank policies, and rapid tech disruption. With stretched U.S. valuations, capital is shifting to European, Asian, and emerging markets like Argentina and Turkey. AI-driven strategies are reshaping investment decisions, making adaptability key to managing risk and capturing global opportunities in both traditional and alternative markets.
Raphael Stern
Head of ETF PM EMEAInvesco Asset Management
ESG: Does it still matter?
10:20 am - 10:45 am
Responsible Investing Panel: Sustainable Investing 2.0: How can you re-think ESG value in European Fixed Income to enhance performance, mitigate risks, and uncover new opportunities?
Giulia Pellegrini -
Deputy CIO - Emerging Markets Fixed Income, Portfolio Management & ESG,
Allianz Global Investors
Imane Kabbaj -
Head of Sustainable Investment,
Carmignac Gestion
Abhishek Kumar -
Managing Director, Head of Global Strategies and Fixed Income Beta,
State Street Global Advisors
Philip Bille -
Head of Buy Side Dealing Desk,
Bank Degroof Petercam
This panel will explore the tangible benefits of integrating ESG into fixed income strategies, including its impact on returns, market trends, and long-term resilience. Experts will share insights on how sustainability is shaping credit markets, influencing issuer behavior, and driving value for investors.
Giulia Pellegrini
Deputy CIO - Emerging Markets Fixed Income, Portfolio Management & ESGAllianz Global Investors
Abhishek Kumar
Managing Director, Head of Global Strategies and Fixed Income BetaState Street Global Advisors
Step into the future of fixed income trading and investment! We’ve set up a dedicated area in the Expo where you can grab a headset and immerse yourself in this high-energy pitch session.
Five visionary fintech startups. Five minutes each. One shot to prove they’re the next big thing. These founders will take the stage to showcase cutting-edge solutions designed to transform liquidity, execution, analytics, and automation.
Will they impress, challenge the status quo, and win over the crowd? You decide. Expect game-changing ideas, fierce competition, and a glimpse into the future of fixed income.
Are you a start-up and would like to pitch your solution? Get in touch with Irene Cerquaglia at irene.cerquaglia@wbr.co.uk
Shaping the Future of Fixed Income: Primary Markets, Consolidated Tape & Automation
11:05 am - 11:30 am
Primary Markets Oxford Style Debate TRUE or FALSE: The Primary Market is ready for a digital overhaul
This high-impact session will challenge industry leaders to debate the future of primary markets. With the rise of algorithmic trading, the potential of grey market trading, and increasing calls for a more efficient issuance process, the question remains: Is the primary market ready for a digital transformation, or is the industry moving too fast without solving fundamental inefficiencies?
TRUE: This team advocates for digital transformation, highlighting inefficiencies in current workflows, the potential of automation, and the role of blockchain.
Carl James, MD, Fixed Income of the Global Markets Group, S&P Global Market Intelligence
FALSE: This team argues that the market is not ready, citing fragmented adoption, operational complexity, and regulatory uncertainty.
11:30 am - 12:00 pm
Regulatory Panel Navigating the 2025 regulatory landscape: How can fixed Income markets effectively implement MiFID III and prepare for a potential move to T+0?
European fixed income markets face sweeping regulatory shifts, from MiFID III and T+1 settlement to DORA and Basel III finalisation. With transparency, risk management, and operational resilience in focus, firms must adapt quickly. This panel explores how market participants can navigate these changes, leverage technology, and stay competitive in an evolving landscape.
12:00 pm - 12:30 pm
Consolidated Tape Panel: The new transparency regime: How can you navigate the UK vs. EU Consolidated Tape debate to optimise fixed income transparency and execution?
Laura Carlyle -
Director,
BlackRock
Virginie Saade -
Head of Government and Regulatory Policy, EMEA,
Citadel
With Europe and the UK advancing separate consolidated tape frameworks, market participants face diverging transparency regimes, compressed implementation timelines, and operational uncertainties.
Laura Carlyle
DirectorBlackRock
12:30 pm - 1:00 pm
Automation Panel: The next frontier in automation: How can you harness AI, analytics, and smart execution to gain a competitive edge?
Jan Riemenschneider -
Head of Trading,
Quoniam Asset Management
As automation accelerates across fixed income markets, trading desks and investment teams must evolve to stay ahead. From AI-driven trade execution to seamless data integration, firms are reimagining workflows to enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and optimise liquidity sourcing. This panel will explore the next wave of automation, focusing on cutting-edge technologies that are reshaping the trading and investment landscape.
1:00 pm - 1:45 pm
Networking Lunch
Track A: Fixed Income in 2030
1:45 pm - 2:15 pm Oxford-Style Debate Will traders of the future be coders or pure strategists?Join a dynamic and thought-provoking debate where industry experts challenge conventional wisdom on the evolving role of traders. As automation, AI, and algorithmic strategies reshape financial markets, do traders need to become software engineers, or will AI take over coding, allowing human traders to focus purely on strategy and relationships?
FOR: The traders of the future will be software engineers first—those who don’t code will be left behind.
AGAINST: Coding will become obsolete for traders as AI automates execution, bringing the industry back to relationship-driven trading.
Track A: Fixed Income in 2030
2:15 pm - 2:45 pm Rising Stars Panel: How can we cultivate next-gen talent to future-proof trading and investment desks?Track B: Spotlight On…
1:45 pm - 2:15 pm Retail Markets Fireside Chat: How can technology, regulation, and pricing innovation unlock retail fixed income opportunities?Track B: Spotlight On…
2:15 pm - 2:45 pm Frontier Markets Panel: How can you navigate Frontier Bond opportunities in a high-yield European context?Track C: Products Deep Dive…
1:45 pm - 2:45 pm Products Deep Dive Roundtable DiscussionsIn this in-depth session, experts will explore key fixed income products, focusing on their unique characteristics, market dynamics, and investment strategies. Speakers will provide insights into different fixed income assets, followed by a roundtable discussion for audience engagement.
1. ETFs
2. CLOs and Loans
Host: Erick Muller, Head of Investment Strategies, Muzinich co.
3. Emerging Markets
4. Convertible Bonds and High-Yield
5. SMAs