ALTSLA’s 10th anniversary marked a pivotal moment for the alternatives market. As allocators and managers navigated higher rates, liquidity pressures, and rapid innovation, conversations across the forum pointed to a more disciplined, outcome-driven approach taking shape.
From AI and private credit to portfolio construction and risk, industry leaders shared candid views on what they believed would define the year ahead — some of which would go on to shape how 2025 actually unfolded.
🔥 Request the agenda for ALTSLA 2026 March 23-25.
From the sidelines of our largest ALTSLA to date, Courtney McQuade spoke with CIOs of major public funds, allocators, and industry leaders to capture these insights in real time.
Watch the videos below:
“We’re witnessing a paradigm shift—everything is an alternative.” – Jenny Johnson, President & CEO of Franklin Templeton
Forget data centers—AI’s most powerful applications are already transforming the way we detect disease, move through cities, and allocate capital. Cathie Wood, Founder & CIO of ARK Investment Management.
“Private credit’s meteoric rise over the last 15 years has created excess—and 2025 may be the year we see how well firms have underwritten through it.” – Bob O’Leary, Co-CEO, Oaktree Capital Management
Find out what’s at the top of LACERS’ research list right now, with Jessica Chamuk, Head of Real Estate, LACERS.
“We can talk about sophisticated investments all day—but at the end of the day, it’s my team that’s helping families through the worst moments of their lives. That’s why we’re here.” – Debby Cherney, CEO, SBCERA
“It’s not about carving out an alternatives allocation—it’s about building portfolios across a continuum of public and private markets.” – Shannon Saccocia, Chief Investment Officer of Wealth, Neuberger Berman
“This is like the Super Bowl for CAIA Association.” – Aaron Filbeck and Mario Valverde of Blackrock.
“Try to avoid the hype in AI—look for VCs who actually have the experience to navigate this market, not just chase trends.” – Jeff Meyers, Director of Private Markets, St. Louis Trust & Family Office
“They don’t want a 60/40 portfolio—they want crypto, commodities, and whatever’s trending.” – Geoff Schneider, SVP, Financial Advisors, BNY Wealth.
“We’re looking for the next big thing—maybe it’s cold storage, maybe it’s fusion—but it has to deliver real returns and serve our pensioners well.” – Adele Lopez Tagaloa, Trustee at Orange County Employees Retirement System.
“Distress shows up in every market cycle—it’s about being ready.” – Jake Abbott, Senior Investment Officer at SBCERA.
Is tokenization the gateway to democratizing alternatives? Oliver Fines, Head of Advocacy and Capital Markets Policy Research, EMEA at CFA Institute, unpacks how tokenization may finally open access to once-unattainable asset class.
“We’re here to build community, share market insights—and have a little fun along the way.” – Ghufran Rizvi, President of CalALTs, and Angela Ty, President-Elect.
“ALTSLA isn’t just a conference—it’s a think tank for what’s next in the alternative investment space.” – Laura Merlini, Managing Director of EMEA, CAIA.
“The democratization of tokenization is changing everything.” – Michael Treidl, CIO of Blue Coin Capital.
What makes the emerging manager landscape worth watching right now? Stephanie Lynch, CO-Founder, Managing Partner at GEM.
Special thanks to the entire ALTS Team, CAIA, CFA Society Los Angeles, CalALTs, and all the interviewees who took time to step off the stage and onto the mic.
