Institutional insights: What CIOs are focusing on heading into 2026

Institutional investors gathered on Amelia Island for Markets Group’s first Institutional Fall Retreat — a closed-door program designed for senior fiduciaries at institutional investors who are navigating portfolios in a period defined by persistent inflation, uneven labor data, rate uncertainty, and shifting private market dynamics.

Over two days, chief investment officers and other senior leaders converged to discuss how allocators are preparing for 2026: managing macro volatility, identifying opportunity sets in private credit, and private equity, evaluating liquidity pacing, and reassessing risk frameworks as underwriting standards continue to tighten.

They also examined the impact of artificial intelligence tools on investment teams and the investment process, outlining its potential to provide a meaningful productivity lift as well as its ability to help reshape research, workflow, and portfolio construction.

Sustainable investing also resurfaced with renewed emphasis on measurable outcomes. Attendees examined carbon markets, evolving data frameworks, and how new tools are making it possible to pursue sustainability with fully competitive financial returns. The retreat underscored a shared priority: building resilient portfolios that can weather dislocation while capturing innovation on the horizon.

🔥 Request the agenda for our Tri-State Institutional Forum in New York City on February 24, 2026.

Insights From the Sidelines

Markets Group captured exclusive interviews shot straight from the sidelines — real-time reactions filmed immediately as sessions wrapped. These conversations reflected the themes resonating most across the room: the future of sustainable investing and the tools needed to measure it effectively; the emerging role of carbon markets in long-term allocation planning; how AI is expected to influence the workforce, the investment business, and client portfolios; where risk may be underestimated across private markets; and how institutions are thinking about resilience, liquidity, and leadership in the year ahead.

Watch the Exclusive Video Interviews

These conversations offer a direct look into what top allocators are prioritizing as they position portfolios for 2026 — candid, allocator-led, and filmed live from the sidelines.

“AI is reshaping every asset class — and sustainable investing is entering a new era of measurable, 100% financial-return frameworks.” – Dail St. Claire, President & CEO of the Episcopal Church Foundation & Endowment.

“There’s no greater honor than recognition from your peers.” – Ash Williams, Vice Chair at J.P. Morgan Asset Management

“Good governance isn’t a box-check — it’s the engine that makes nimble decision-making possible.” – Farouki Majeed, Chief Investment Officer of the Ohio School Employees Retirement System

“Caution, creativity, and open-minded rebalancing — that’s how you survive a market that’s starting to rhyme with the 1970s.” – Tom Tull — former CIO of Texas ERS and longtime allocator

“It’s more important to manage expectations than anything else.” – Craig Slaughter, Chief Investment Officer of the West Virginia Investment Management Board

“Demographics, data centers, and durable cashflows — the infrastructure story is evolving fast.” – Walter Kress, Chief Investment Officer of EY

“Energy transition and infrastructure were front and center — but no one knows what to do with data centers right now.” – John Trammell, Head of the Investment Committee for the The Episcopal Diocese of New York

The perspectives raised in Amelia Island set the stage for continued analysis in 2026. Engage with our 2026 forums for further allocator-driven insight.

🔥 Request the agenda for our Tri-State Institutional Forum in New York City on February 24, 2026.