10th annual Infrastructure Investment Australia Summit – Agenda

October 29 2026, Sydney

8.00 Registration

8.30 Opening Remarks from the Chair

8.40 Keynote: Unpacking global geopolitical developments and the outlook for investors

  • Considering perspectives on inflationary pressures, fluctuating interest rates and supply chain disruptions
  • Reflecting on market volatility and navigating uncertain market conditions
  • Adjusting investments for enhanced portfolio resilience and stability amid slowing growth
  • Leveraging the resilience of infrastructure investments to preserve capital and maximise returns

Alexander Downer AC, Former Minister for Foreign Affairs

 

9.40 Powering the future by investing in clean energy infrastructure

  • Supporting sustainable growth in clean energy with greenfield energy infrastructure investments
  • Investing in construction-ready infrastructure to achieve appealing risk-adjusted returns
  • Accessing opportunities in emerging and innovative sectors such as energy storage and renewable energy generation
  • Delivering positive impact by supporting the energy transition and incorporating ESG considerations into investment processes

Ivor Frischknecht, Managing Partner, Sosteneo

 

10.00 Leveraging high demand digital infrastructure investments for sustainable growth

  • Accessing opportunities in high demand and fast evolving digital infrastructure sectors
  • Driving communication demands with investments in connectivity and data infrastructure
  • Investing in the backbone of the digital economy through cloud computing and data centres
  • Understanding and managing risks associated with digital infrastructure to protect returns

Omar Jaffrey, Managing Partner and Sole Founder, Palistar

 

10.30 Morning Coffee

 

11.00 Panel: Reflecting on trends in deal flows and valuations in the Australian infrastructure market

  • Identifying the most attractive and opportune investments in a competitive environment
  • Leveraging strategic partnerships to negotiate favourable terms and access new deals
  • Reviewing valuations of Australia’s largest infrastructure asset classes and their impact on investments
  • Optimising resources and efficiency through due diligence in valuating deals

Martin Wilkinson, Head of Investments, Allianz Australia Life Insurance

Gabrielle Butera, Portfolio Manager, Mid Risk Assets, Australian Retirement Trust

Emmanuel Diinis, Associate Director, Infrastructure, Cbus Super

Gary Greene, Investment Manager – Infrastructure, HESTA

 

11.45 Building stable returns with investments in European mid-market infrastructure

  • Navigating opportunities in sectors with typically high barriers to entry
  • Investing in European utilities and renewable energy to generate environmental, economic and social benefits
  • Driving communicating and connectivity demands with digital and transport infrastructure investments
  • Integrating ESG considerations throughout the investment lifecycle to achieve net zero and sustainable development goals

Serkan Bahçeci, Head of Research, Arjun Infrastructure

 

12.15 Panel: Diversifying infrastructure portfolios to enhance resilience and promote growth

  • Understanding how a turbulent geopolitical climate demands reconsideration of traditional infrastructure investing
  • Balancing risk management and return requirements when looking to diversification opportunities
  • Exploring geographic regions and emerging sectors which deliver stable, long-term returns
  • Building an innovative portfolio diversification strategy while managing risk and return objectives

Mark Hector, Head of Infrastructure, Aware Super

Marcia Cameron, Head of Real Assets, Direct, Rest Super

Chloé Brayne, Head of Private Markets and Unlisted Assets, Colonial First State

Dimitra Voutas, Head of Real Assets, Suncorp

James Drohan, Director, Listed Real Assets, Future Fund

 

1.00 Lunch

 

2.00 Panel: Moving up the curve of risk/return as infrastructure investments evolve

  • Exploring innovative and emerging investment solutions to move up the yield curve
  • Reassessing the risk/return profiles of traditional and emerging infrastructure classes for new risks and opportunities
  • Pushing boundaries for investable assets while maintaining adherence to requirements and objectives
  • Employing strategic, creative and collaborative initiatives to meet returns in high-risk, low-growth environments

Maria Guo, Director Infrastructure and Timberland, Future Fund

Nick Langley, Portfolio Manager, Head of Real Assets, ClearBridge

Karl Marschall, Investment Director, Real Assets, AustralianSuper

Sally Cameron, Senior Manager Infrastructure, NGS Super

 

2.45 Scaling up and structuring funds for the generational data centre boom

  • Comparing the risk-return profiles of data centre investments compared to traditional asset classes
  • Evaluating the long-term return potential of global technology giants committing billions to developing data centres in Australia
  • Navigating ESG obligations and planning liabilities which compromise data centre development timelines
  • Assessing power network alternatives to public grid dependency for optimal energy generation

Andrew Peisch, Partner, Infrastructure, KKR

 

3.05 Afternoon Tea

 

3.30 Panel: Investing in social infrastructure with strong outcomes in sustainability and social impact

  • Assessing the capacity for social infrastructure to promote growth and social impact
  • Exploring the opportunities and risks in sectors of increasing demand, including health, education, housing, and more
  • Measuring social impact of investments through measurable initiatives such as OECD and Closing the Gap targets
  • Ensuring value-aligned investment partnerships deliver on returns and ensure long-term growth

Simba Marekera, Deputy Chief Investment Officer – Head of Private Assets, Brightlight Group

Leilani Weier, Head of Responsible Investment and Sustainability, Rest Super

Adam Roberts, Head of Private Markets, Australian Ethical Investments

Kate Donnelly, Impact and Unlisted Investments Manager, Future Group

 

4.15 Keynote: Leveraging AI to oversee the performance of infrastructure investment portfolios

  • Utilising generative AI to accelerate the identification of critical risks and mitigations across portfolios
  • Employing machine learning models to predict areas of risk
  • Assessing the opportunities and dangers of AI in decision-making for portfolio management
  • Unpacking lessons learnt from AI in business transformation cases

Sue Brake, Board Member, Aware Super and NZ Super Fund, and Chair of the Advisory Board, Dragonfly Thinking

 

4.50 Closing Remarks from the Chair

5.00 Networking Drinks

6.30 End of Summit