2025 SPEAKERS

ALEJANDRA GRINDALL

Chief Economist, Ned Davis Research

My session title:

• PRESENTATION: Global macro outlook: how insurers should future-proof portfolios amid shifting growth dynamics, uncertain yields, and long-term inflation risks : 9:20 AM - 10:00 AM

ALLAH RAKHA SHEIKH

Chief Information Officer, Madison Mutual

Allah Rakha Sheikh is a highly accomplished IT leader and results-driven executive, having a wealth of experience spanning over 20+ years. His expertise extends across multiple fronts. From driving innovation in customer engagement, orchestrating product transformations, empowering employees, and optimizing IT operations. With a passion for instilling a culture grounded in ownership, teamwork, and accountability, he places significant emphasis on strategically repositioning IT from a cost center to a revenue generator aligned with broader business objectives. In his role as Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Madison Mutual Insurance Company (MMIC), Sheikh is celebrated for his collaborative and empowering leadership approach. He is strongly devoted to cultivating a culture that values continuous improvement, fosters creativity, and instills a deep sense of responsibility within the IT department. Additionally, his unwavering commitment to talent development and mentorship has led to the creation of a motivated and high-performing team, playing a crucial role in shaping the future of technology within MMIC.

My session title:

• PANEL DISCUSSION: Improving investment efficiency: transforming compliance, operations, and reporting through digital innovation : 1:50 PM - 2:30 PM

ALTON COGERT

President & CEO, Strategic Asset Alliance

Alton R. Cogert, CFA, CPA, CAIA, FDP, CGMA, President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Cogert formed Strategic Asset Alliance in 1994.

Currently, Mr. Cogert is an Independent Member of American Fidelity Assurance Company's Investment Committee of the Board. Previously, he has served as a technical advisor to the NAIC Invested Assets Working Group. He is a former member of the Board of Directors and former chairman of the Investment Committee of the National Alliance of Life Companies.

Prior to SAA, Mr. Cogert accumulated more than 20 years of financial institution experience, including over 10 years experience in senior financial management. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst, a Certified Public Accountant, Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst and a Financial Data Professional Charterholder. Mr. Cogert holds a BS from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the University of Southern California

My session title:

• PANEL DISCUSSION: Interest rate dynamics: investment leaders discuss the opportunities and challenges amid current trends : 4:10 PM - 4:50 PM (Moderator)

BENJAMIN PITTSLEY

Director of Alternatives & Investment Officer, Amica Insurance

My session title:

• PANEL DISCUSSION: How to balance strategic appeal against execution complexity in private markets : 4:30 PM - 5:10 PM

BLAKE MOCK

MD, Insurance Relationship Management, Invesco

My session title:

• PANEL DISCUSSION: Insurance Industry Trends : 8:30 AM - 9:10 AM

CAITLIN FREEH

Global Head of Client Experience Delivery, BlackRock

My session title:

• PANEL DISCUSSION: Improving investment efficiency: transforming compliance, operations, and reporting through digital innovation : 1:50 PM - 2:30 PM

CHRISTOPHER MECHEM

Head of Institutional Insurance, Invesco

My session title:

• PANEL DISCUSSION: Insurance Industry Trends : 8:30 AM - 9:10 AM (Moderator)

CRISTINA MELENCHON

Senior Content Producer, Clear Path Analysis

My session title:

• PRIVATE MARKETS AND REAL ASSETS FORUM - PANEL DISCUSSION: Decoding private markets: a how-to strategy for winning in this competitive landscape : 1:55 PM - 2:20 PM (Moderator)

DIANE YOUNG

Chief Investment Officer, Gore Mutual Insurance

My session title:

• ASSET ALLOCATION & INVESTMENT STRATEGY FORUM - PRESENTATION: Managing returns and constraints: exploring the trade-offs between yield, capital efficiency, regulation, and liquidity : 1:55 PM - 2:20 PM (Moderator)

JAMES OVERPECK

VP Investments, Hanover Insurance

My session title:

• ASSET ALLOCATION & INVESTMENT STRATEGY FORUM - PANEL DISCUSSION: Enhanced Fixed Income - increased diversification, duration and spread management through market cycles : 3:20 PM - 4:05 PM

JASON YOUNG

Head of U.S. & APAC Corporate Private Placements and Private Structured Credit, Private Capital, MetLife Investment Management

Jason Young is Head of U.S. Corporate Private Placements and Private Structured Credit for MetLife Investment Management’s (MIM) Private Capital. He is responsible for leading MIM’s U.S.-based Private Placement team covering the Corporate and Structured Debt Private Placement markets in the U.S and APAC

Prior to joining MIM in 2024, Jason held various transactional and organizational roles across global corporates, structured corporates and direct origination across his 17-year career at Corebridge Financial fka AIG Investments. Prior to Corebridge Financial, Jason completed a three-year formal credit training program within Citigroup’s middle market lending group.

Jason earned an M.B.A. from Southern Methodist University’s Cox School of Business and a B.B.A. from Texas Christian University’s Neeley School of Business. He is a CFA® charterholder.

My session title:

• PRIVATE MARKETS AND REAL ASSETS FORUM - PANEL DISCUSSION: Decoding private markets: a how-to strategy for winning in this competitive landscape : 1:55 PM - 2:20 PM

JOHN BRADLEY

Former VP, Chief Investment Office, Fidelity & Guaranty Life Insurance Company

John Bradley is a former Vice President of Investments for the PRT business and Chief Investment Officer of the Bermuda and Cayman Reinsurance entities for F&G.  With over 30 years of experience, John has spent much of his career at Prudential in asset & liability management focused on a diverse set of insurance liabilities including Pension Risk Transfer, Term, and Indexed Universal.  John co-developed the pricing structure for the two largest US pension transactions – GM & Verizon.  John earned his B.A. in Economics from Rutgers University and his MBA from Columbia University.  He is a CFA Charterholder.

My session title:

• ASSET ALLOCATION & INVESTMENT STRATEGY FORUM - PANEL DISCUSSION: Enhanced Fixed Income - increased diversification, duration and spread management through market cycles : 3:20 PM - 4:05 PM (Moderator)

JON AMBOS

Founder/President, Bentley Road Group

My session title:

• PANEL DISCUSSION: Improving investment efficiency: transforming compliance, operations, and reporting through digital innovation : 1:50 PM - 2:30 PM (Moderator)

LALE TOPCUOGLU

Head Investment Strategy & Public Fixed Income, Swiss Re

My session title:

• PANEL DISCUSSION: Navigating global opportunities and risks in strategic asset allocation to create a road map to resilient portfolio growth : 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM

LIZ GORGOGLIONE

Director, Credit Risk - Pension Risk Transfer Solutions, Legal and General Retirement America

My session title:

• PRIVATE MARKETS AND REAL ASSETS FORUM - PANEL DISCUSSION: Strategic real estate allocation in uncertain markets: when will the tide turn and how can investors prepare for it? : 3:20 PM - 4:05 PM

LOU MORTILLARO

Chief Financial Officer, Dealer Owned Warranty Company

My session title:

• PANEL DISCUSSION: Interest rate dynamics: investment leaders discuss the opportunities and challenges amid current trends : 4:10 PM - 4:50 PM

LYNNE MCENTEGART

VP Investment Operations & Technology, Hanover Insurance

My session title:

• PANEL DISCUSSION: Improving investment efficiency: transforming compliance, operations, and reporting through digital innovation : 1:50 PM - 2:30 PM

MANPREET SINGH

Chief Investment Officer, Singh Capital Partners

My session title:

• PANEL DISCUSSION: How to balance strategic appeal against execution complexity in private markets : 4:30 PM - 5:10 PM

MARK YU

Head of Enterprise Capital Strategy, New England Asset Management

Mark is Head of Enterprise Capital Strategy at NEAM, Inc. and is responsible for delivering insurance asset allocation, capital management and advanced risk analytics to our global clients. He joined the Firm in 2012 having been a Senior Risk Manager within the Governance and Strategy team at AIG Enterprise Risk Management. Prior to working at AIG ERM, he was a Senior Vice President and Treasury Director within the Group Capital Management division of Swiss Re. Mark holds a Bachelor of Arts from National Tsing Hua University in Taiwan, an M.S. from the University of Iowa, is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries, a CFA Charterholder, a Financial Risk Manager, and is a Member of the American Academy of Actuaries. He has been employed in the insurance or investment industry since 1999.

My session title:

• ASSET ALLOCATION & INVESTMENT STRATEGY FORUM - FIRESIDE CHAT: How can liquidity risk modelling, monitoring, and stress testing strengthen strategic asset allocation? : 2:20 PM - 2:50 PM

MEHDI KHALILI

Investment Strategist and Chair of Global Infrastructure Task Force, Legal and General

My session title:

• ASSET ALLOCATION & INVESTMENT STRATEGY FORUM - PANEL DISCUSSION: Enhanced Fixed Income - increased diversification, duration and spread management through market cycles : 3:20 PM - 4:05 PM

NOEL HILLMANN

Chief Executive Officer, Clear Path Analysis

My session title:

• Chairman’s opening address : 1:00 PM - 1:10 PM
• Chair’s opening address : 9:15 AM - 9:20 AM
• PANEL DISCUSSION: Navigating global opportunities and risks in strategic asset allocation to create a road map to resilient portfolio growth : 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM (Moderator)

PETE MILLER

Head of Insurance Solutions, Invesco

My session title:

• PANEL DISCUSSION: Insurance Industry Trends : 8:30 AM - 9:10 AM

RAVI MALIK

Portfolio Manager, SSI Investment Management

My session title:

• ASSET ALLOCATION & INVESTMENT STRATEGY FORUM - PANEL DISCUSSION: Enhanced Fixed Income - increased diversification, duration and spread management through market cycles : 3:20 PM - 4:05 PM

RYAN TAYLOR

SVP Treasurer, AXIS Specialty; Group Treasury Director, AXIS Capital Group

My session title:

• PANEL DISCUSSION: Interest rate dynamics: investment leaders discuss the opportunities and challenges amid current trends : 4:10 PM - 4:50 PM

SCOTT SKORNIA

Senior Investment Advisor, Mariner

Scott joined the Cardinal team in 2005. He is the lead consultant for several clients and is also involved with equity research. He leads both insurance and pension client relationships and helps lead the firm’s pension practice.
Prior to joining Cardinal, he worked at The Federal Reserve Bank of Saint Louis where he was a Bank Examiner responsible for reviewing the risk management practices of financial institutions.

Scott holds a BS in Business Administration from the University of Missouri Saint Louis. He received his CFA charter in 2006. He became a Member-Owner in 2011.

My session title:

• PANEL DISCUSSION: How to balance strategic appeal against execution complexity in private markets : 4:30 PM - 5:10 PM

SHAWN BENGSTEN

Chief Risk Officer, Woodmen Life

My session title:

• PANEL DISCUSSION: Navigating global opportunities and risks in strategic asset allocation to create a road map to resilient portfolio growth : 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM

THOMAS ARTHUR

Vice President – Investments, Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company

My session title:

• ASSET ALLOCATION & INVESTMENT STRATEGY FORUM - PANEL DISCUSSION: Enhanced Fixed Income - increased diversification, duration and spread management through market cycles : 3:20 PM - 4:05 PM

TODD CAMPBELL

Chief Executive Officer, Builders Insurance Group

Todd M. Campbell is President and Chief Executive Officer of Builders Insurance, an A.M. Best “A” rated mutual captive company located in Atlanta, Georgia.  Builders is a super-regional insurer operating in 20+ states and its surplus lines carrier is licensed in 49 jurisdictions in America. Builders, with $360 million in surplus and $1.1 billion in assets under management, $245+mm in annual premium and 200 employees, has been an integral part of the Worker’s Compensation, General Liability and Commercial Insurance markets in the Southeast for 32 years.

Todd also serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of Sagicor Life Insurance company, part of the Sagicor group, a 150-year-old insurer based in Barbados and Bermuda, and publicly traded on the Toronto Stock exchange. He also serves as chair of the Sagicor Investment and Risk board committee, with $5+ billion in assets under management.

Todd attended Appalachian State University as an undergraduate and received a law degree from Mercer University’s Woodruff School of Law in Georgia.

My session title:

• PANEL DISCUSSION: Navigating global opportunities and risks in strategic asset allocation to create a road map to resilient portfolio growth : 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM