Tag: Institutional Investing

Project Acacia and Tokenized Markets with Justin Chapman and Paul Abraham

Project Acacia and Tokenized Markets with Justin Chapman and Paul Abraham

As tokenized assets move into real-world testing, institutional investors need to understand how they could affect existing payment systems, settlement processes, risk controls, and operating models.

What can real-world testing teach financial institutions about the next stage of digital markets?

In this episode, Paul Fahey speaks with Justin Chapman, Group Head of Strategic Partnerships, Digital Assets and Financial Markets at Northern Trust, and Paul Abraham, Chief of Investment Services at Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation, about Project Acacia. They cover a live use case connecting a tokenized carbon credit with traditional cash settlement, what institutional investors are learning about tokenized assets and digital cash, and why hybrid infrastructure may remain part of financial markets as adoption develops.

Key points:

  • How Project Acacia tested tokenized assets alongside traditional payment infrastructure and settlement processes
  • Why institutional investors are studying tokenization before broader adoption reaches their operating models
  • How digital cash, tokenized equities, and different settlement models may develop across jurisdictions
  • Where tokenization may improve liquidity, collateral use, operational efficiency, and risk visibility
  • Why trust, liquidity, security, and regulatory clarity remain central to wider institutional participation
  • And more!

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About Paul Abraham:

Paul Abraham is Chief of Investment Services at Commonwealth Superannuation Corporation (CSC), which provides superannuation products and services to Australian Government and Australian Defense Force employees. He joined CSC in 2005 and brings more than 30 years of financial services experience, with previous roles spanning chartered accountancy, asset management, and financial planning across Australia, London, Tokyo, and Singapore. Paul is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia and holds a Master of Financial Management from Australian National University and a Bachelor of Business (Accountancy) from Charles Sturt University.

Institutional Investing in a Changing Global Market

Institutional Investing in a Changing Global Market

Institutional investors are balancing rapid market change with the need to make disciplined, long-term investment decisions.

As regulations evolve, technology advances, and geopolitical events influence capital flows, investors are balancing opportunity with operational discipline.

In this episode, Paul Fahey speaks with Gerard Walsh, Global Head of Market Solutions, Banking and Markets at Northern Trust, about the forces shaping institutional investing today. They explore how geopolitical developments are influencing investment decisions, why operational resilience has become a growing priority, what organizations should consider as more markets move toward T+1 settlement, and how artificial intelligence is being applied to risk management, cybersecurity, and decision support. 

Gerard also shares why strategy, thoughtful execution, and experienced human judgment continue to play an essential role alongside advancing technology.

Key takeaways:

  • How geopolitical events are influencing institutional investment decisions and capital allocation worldwide
  • Why operational resilience and risk management have become priorities for large investment organizations
  • What investors should prepare for as more global markets transition toward T+1 settlement cycles
  • Practical examples of artificial intelligence improving cybersecurity, risk monitoring, and operations
  • Why experienced human judgment remains essential alongside AI-driven decision support
  • And more!

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Digital Assets, Tokenization, and the Future of Institutional Investing

Digital Assets, Tokenization, and the Future of Institutional Investing

Financial markets continue to evolve as institutions evaluate new ways to move assets, improve settlement processes, and expand investment opportunities.

What role will digital assets play in the future of investing? And how are institutions balancing innovation with regulation, governance, and risk management?

In this episode, Paul Fahey speaks with Andrew Czupek, Head of Digital Assets and Innovation, North America at Northern Trust, about the findings from Northern Trust’s 2026 Global Asset Owner Peer Study. They explore growing institutional adoption of digital assets, the rise of tokenized funds, the importance of interoperability between traditional and digital systems, and how regulatory developments are influencing participation.

Andrew also shares why utility, mobility, and infrastructure development are becoming key drivers of long-term institutional interest.

Key takeaways:

  • Growing institutional participation reflects increasing interest in digital assets beyond cryptocurrency exposure
  • Digital cash and settlement rails are helping address twenty-four-hour market activity needs
  • Tokenized assets create new opportunities for collateral mobility and operational efficiency
  • Regulatory frameworks are shaping institutional confidence and participation decisions
  • Interoperability between traditional and digital systems remains critical for broader adoption

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Private Markets, Climate Risk, and AI: Inside Canada’s Investment Model with Katie Pries

Private Markets, Climate Risk, and AI: Inside Canada’s Investment Model with Katie Pries

Long-term investing is shifting, but what actually separates disciplined investors from the rest?

How are leading institutions balancing performance, risk, and innovation while managing growing complexity?

In this episode, host Paul Fahey speaks with Katie Pries, Country Executive for Northern Trust Asset Servicing in Canada, about how Canadian asset owners approach private markets, governance, and emerging technologies. They explore how the Maple Eight have shaped global investing practices, why climate risk is now embedded in decision-making, and how data challenges are evolving. Katie also shares how AI is being applied to improve efficiency without replacing human judgment, and why execution and governance are now the real differentiators.

Key takeaways:

  • Private markets treated as core portfolio building blocks tied to long-term liabilities and cash flow stability
  • Data challenges shifting from scarcity to overload, with a focus on timely, decision-ready information
  • Climate risk is integrated into governance frameworks and viewed as a financial and execution risk
  • AI is improving data processing, risk monitoring, and workflow efficiency without replacing human oversight
  • The Canadian model stands out for disciplined execution, governance, and a long-term investment mindset
  • And more!

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The New Era of OCIO with Anwiti Bahuguna

The New Era of OCIO with Anwiti Bahuguna

The world of institutional investing continues to grow more complex, and many organizations are turning to outsourced chief investment officer (OCIO) partnerships to help them navigate that complexity.

In this episode, host Paul Fahey is joined by Anwiti Bahuguna, Global Co-Chief Investment Officer Asset Management & CIO Multi-Asset Investment, to explore how the OCIO model is evolving and why it’s becoming an essential component of modern investment governance. Drawing on her deep experience in multi-asset management, Anwiti explains how institutions can balance transparency, technology, and tailored strategy in an increasingly dynamic market environment.

Here’s what you can expect from the episode:

  • The evolution of the OCIO model from smaller mandates to billion-dollar portfolios
  • How technology, data, and transparency are redefining investment oversight
  • What distinguishes an effective OCIO partnership in today’s market
  • Where the OCIO model is heading over the next decade
  • And more!

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