FTSE Russell Convenes

Hosted by FTSE Russell (an LSEG business)

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Oct 2026

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FTSE Russell Convenes gives you insider access to the ideas shaping the future of investing. Join leading voices from finance and academia as they unpack the forces transforming markets, regulation, and investor behaviour—brought to you by a global index leader at the heart of the investment ecosystem.

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October 12, 202618 min

Looking beyond the AI story: The questions that matter most

In this episode of FTSE Russell Convenes, Clara Durodié, CEO of Cognitive Finance, explores the critical questions organisations must address as AI moves from experimentation to enterprise-wide transformation. The discussion examines how AI is reshaping business and operating models, revenue structures and competitive advantage, while highlighting the importance of governance, human oversight and responsible deployment. Clara also explores AI's growing dependence on energy and infrastructure, introduces the concept of cognitive capital as a future driver of enterprise value, and shares the leadership qualities needed to navigate the AI era with confidence. A thought-provoking conversation on building sustainable value and resilience in an increasingly AI-driven world. Chapters (00:00:00) - From asset management to Python: Clara's views on AI (00:04:40) - AI as a long-term investment (00:06:32) - Parenting agents (00:10:08) - Questions that should be asked (00:13:39) - The role of psychology in financial services

October 5, 202612 min

Democratising private equity: Expanding access to growth

Private equity has long been associated with institutional investors, but growing demand and new investment structures are helping broaden access to private market opportunities. In this episode of FTSE Russell Convenes, Indrani De speaks with Sean O'Hara, President of Pacer ETF Distributors, about the appeal of private equity and venture capital, the impact of companies remaining private for longer, and the increasing interest from retail investors. The conversation explores how innovative ETF and index-based approaches can provide exposure to private equity return characteristics through liquid, publicly traded investments, potentially reducing some of the traditional barriers to entry. Chapters (00:00:00) - Why should investors consider private equity? (00:02:00) - Why appetite is increasing for retail investors (00:03:31) - Traditional private equity vs ETFs (00:11:08) - Final thoughts

September 28, 202614 min

The future of ETFs: Key trends and innovations

In this FTSE Russell Convenes discussion, Alyson Shupe , Managing Director and Head of Global Product Strategy at Goldman Sachs Asset Management, and Ravi Goutam , Managing Director and Head of US & Canada Institutional iShares at BlackRock, explore the forces driving the next phase of ETF growth. The conversation examines the expanding role of ETFs in model portfolios, the rise of active and derivatives-based strategies, and how investors are increasingly using ETFs to achieve specific outcomes such as income generation, downside protection and alpha opportunities. The panel also shares insights on global adoption trends, product innovation, and the future role of alternatives and private markets in portfolio construction. The FTSE Russell Convenes series brings independent and unvarnished insights and opinions from experts at our World Investment Forum, including practitioners, investors, academics and LSEG colleagues. Chapters (00:00:00) - The biggest shifts in the ETF market (00:03:43) - Model portfolios (00:05:26) - Distribution: Institutional vs model delivery (00:07:29) - Generating alpha with active ETFs (00:08:15) - Goldman Sachs' Innovator acquisition (00:10:33) - International ETF markets (00:11:45) - Future of ETFs

September 21, 202615 min

Digital assets and the future of investor choice

In this episode of FTSE Russell Convenes, Ryan Sullivan speaks with Russell Barlow, CEO of 21Shares, and Stephen Coltman, VP and Head of Macro at 21Shares, about the evolution of digital assets and their growing role in investment portfolios. The conversation explores how increased regulatory clarity, market maturity and product innovation are helping drive broader adoption of digital assets. The speakers also discuss the potential of tokenization, the importance of investor education, and why digital assets are increasingly being considered alongside traditional asset classes as part of long-term portfolio construction. Chapters (00:00:00) - Crypto assets: Navigating regulatory uncertainty (00:02:45) - Tokenisation (00:05:30) - Is crypto really a niche asset class? (00:07:27) - Changes in crypto's regulatory environment (00:08:55) - Hyperliquid: A crypto use case (00:11:15) - Investor education

September 14, 202613 min

The case for going global: An investor’s guide

In this episode of FTSE Russell Convenes, Indrani De, CFA, PRM, Head of Global Investment Research at FTSE Russell, speaks with Dan Muzzarelli, Global Head of ETF Distribution at Franklin Templeton, about the importance of global diversification. They discuss the impact of home-country bias, the role of international ETFs in portfolio construction, and opportunities across global markets, including India, South Korea, Japan, and Europe. The conversation offers practical insights on building resilient portfolios and navigating an increasingly interconnected investment landscape. Chapters (00:00:00) - Global exposure: Reducing home bias (00:02:30) - Ex-US diversification (00:04:03) - Granular country exposure (00:06:11) - Navigating risk (00:09:05) - Franklin Templeton and emerging markets (00:11:15) - Final thoughts

September 4, 202621 min

Fixed income in motion: The path towards electronification of markets

Fixed income markets are undergoing rapid transformation as technology, data and automation drive greater transparency, liquidity and efficiency. In this episode of FTSE Russell Convenes, Marina Mets speaks with Troy Dixon, Head of Global Markets at Tradeweb, about the future of fixed income trading, the growth of electronification, and how innovations such as tokenisation, workflow automation and prediction markets are reshaping market structure and investment outcomes. Chapters (00:00:01) - Introduction (00:01:21) - The scale, speed and electronification of fixed income markets (00:03:58) - How data, liquidity and executability are reshaping institutional fixed income (00:06:25) - How electronic trading will transform other fixed income asset classes (00:09:32) - How digitisation and tokenisation will change fixed income (00:13:48) - Opportunities that prediction markets could create for institutional investors (00:18:26) - What’s the future of fixed income trading?

September 2, 202612 min

Inside private markets: The trends shaping the future

In this episode of FTSE Convenes, Gerald Toledano speaks with Mike McCabe, Head of Strategy at StepStone, about the evolving private markets landscape. They discuss the growing demand for transparency, improved risk measurement, liquidity management and the increasing role of data, analytics and indices in helping investors better understand and manage private market exposure. As access to private markets expands, investor education remains a key priority.The FTSE Russell Convenes series brings independent and unvarnished insights and opinions from experts at our World Investment Forum, including practitioners, investors, academics and LSEG colleagues. Chapters (00:00:00) - Introducing StepStone (00:02:25) - Private markets today: What's changed? (00:04:08) - Volatility, valuation and risk measurement (00:06:00) - A structural test: Reflecting on liquidity stress events (00:07:50) - How data is transforming portfolio management (00:10:36) - Daily private market valuations and analytics: Use cases and limitations

August 25, 20269 min

Controlling exposure through Russell US indexes' modularity

In this episode of FTSE Russell Convenes, Funds & ETFs, FTSE Russell's Lakshmi Thurai speaks with Fernando Morrett, Senior Product Manager at Vanguard, about how investors can use Russell Index-based ETFs to gain targeted exposure across market capitalisation and investment styles. Chapters (00:01:38) - Why indices matter in ETFs (00:02:10) - Key index selection criteria (00:03:44) - Toolkit approach to investing (00:04:49) - Modular Russell framework (00:05:49) - Russell ETFs: Growth vs value exposure (00:07:02) - Russell 2000: Small caps and diversification (00:08:26) - Investment opportunities with Vanguard's Russell ETFs

August 25, 202613 min

The index advantage for ETF investors

In the latest episode of FTSE Russell Convenes Funds & ETFs, Arne Noack , Head of Equity and Multi-Asset Product at FTSE Russell Americas, is joined by Andrey Kotlyarenko , Senior Product Manager at Vanguard, to explore why the underlying index plays a critical role in shaping investment outcomes. As ETF adoption continues to grow, investors are increasingly looking beyond expense ratios to better understand the index methodologies that drive portfolio exposures. Chapters (00:01:19) - The importance of tracking index selections in ETFs (00:02:40) - FTSE Russell vs. S&P: Index construction methodologies (00:04:55) - The modular approach to index construction (00:07:46) - Market concentration concerns and mitigation (00:09:30) - Choosing ETFs beyond index choice (00:13:21) - Portfolio building resources for investors

August 17, 202626 min

Positioning portfolios across size, style, and market cycles

U.S. equity continues to play an important role in diversified portfolios. To provide concise insights on this topic, FTSE Russell partnered with Vanguard to create a video series exploring how Russell U.S. Index-based ETFs can help investors gain diversified exposure and navigate changing market conditions. Watch the first episode as part of the FTSE Russell Convenes Funds & ETF Series and discover how Russell US Index-based ETFs can help investors build diversified US equity exposure and position portfolios across size, style, and changing market conditions. Chapters (00:00:00) - Introduction (00:01:22) - The importance of benchmark construction in ETFs (00:02:55) - Core vs targeted ETF allocations (00:06:20) - Building portfolios with the Russell framework (00:09:34) - Diversifying beyond mega-cap tech (00:13:16) - Growth vs value (00:17:00) - The Role of Russell 2000 ETFs (00:20:22) - How to choose a Russell ETF (00:22:48) - What Drives ETF performance behind the scenes? (00:24:38) - Biggest opportunities for investors using Russell US ETFs

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