Every year Morningstar Investment Conference UK (MICUK) attracts a faithful influx of curious delegates who join us in the Royal Lancaster Hotel on Hyde Park for a full day of investing insight, regulatory opinion, and real-world inspiration from the best speakers on the circuit.
What is Morningstar Investment Conference?
MICUK is our opportunity to present the very best in new investment thinking, trend outlooks, and fund management expertise to our audience of asset owners and financial advisers. If you run money, or help to run money, we want to see you there.
What Have You Got Planned for This Year?
This year's conference is different, however, and for two reasons.
Firstly, in a change to the standard format of the last two years, the event is taking place in May rather than July. That gives us more than enough of a head start to discuss the two big events that will define politics at home and abroad in 2024 – both elections!
But the second reason is even more exciting.
We Have a Great Keynote
I can reveal our keynote speaker for the day is none other than Emily Maitlis, the former BBC Newsnight anchor whose central role in the interview given by Prince Andrew in 2019 is now being dramatised by Netflix.
But that is by no means her only achievement. Emily has been a familar face to UK audiences for over two decades, and her book Airhead: The Imperfect Art of Making News has attracted five-star reviews and almost-unanimous praise.
In her remarks to the conference, Emily will reveal something of what it means to be a journalist in 2024 and reflect on the stories that propelled her to the very top of the broadcast journalism world.
With exciting change, however, there is also some continuity. Those who attended last year's MICUK may well remember that last year, we donated the profits from pre-sale tickets to NSPCC, the UK's largest child protection charity, whose statutory powers make it a unique player in the fight against child neglect, sexual abuse, and youth suicide.
Dare I mention I ran the marathon for this charity in 2023 and it was among my most ever fulfilling challenges. In 2024, our presale profits will once more go to NSPCC.
Who Will be at MICUK?
Our research content team independently identify speakers, which are by invite only. That means the content is carefully curated to your needs and interests. Expect conviction-led fund managers, opinionated analysis, and, of course, plenty of other advisers like you to network with.
There will also be a host of Morningstar's key spokespeople, including Mike Coop, Lindsey Stewart, Monika Calay, and my Morningstar UK editorial colleagues James Gard, Sunniva Kolostyak, and Chris Johnson. We'll be there to steer the discussion, and answer any burning questions you may have on the conference floor itself.
What Else is Going on?
As with any MICUK, you can expect a treasure trove of presentations on the big talking points of the day. But the day also presents you with the chance to hear some pretty interesting perspectives and ask some pressing questions. We'll have content on everything from China, bonds, and the US, to the success strategies financial advisers can incorporate into their day-to-day practice.
Just like last year, I'm pleased to say our adviser delegates will get another update from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). As you know, the FCA hasn't always deemed fit to appear at these kinds of events, so it's an enormous privilege to be able to hear from a key spokesperson on its enforcement of the Consumer Duty rules. We'll also hear from Morningstar Wealth president Daniel Needham on the future of wealth. And, naturally, we wouldn't be doing justice to the fixed income rotation without a session on bonds too.
Do You Have any Other Tricks up Your Sleeve?
Yes! We have one more very exciting speaker to be confirmed soon.
All in all, this is a must-see event with a must-see cast of participants. See you there?
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