The 2026 agenda

Exhibit hall doors open at 9:00 AM, and content kicks off at 9:30 AM. Attend a breakout session, walk the floor, and network with top industry contacts. Don’t miss the chance to catch a live podcast featuring industry experts. 

The exhibit hall will close for lunch between 11:45 AM and 1:00 PM

Use this time to transition to the exhibit hall, where all the action takes place.

Max Curtin, Morningstar | Ivor Schucking, Vanguard |Pramod Atluri, Capital Group | Ryan Brist, Franklin Templeton

With spreads at historic lows, credit markets appear unusually tranquil. But is this stability a sign of health or a mask for underlying risks? This session interrogates default complacency and hidden leverage across markets to determine if investors should be preparing for volatility.

Kyle Lalonde, Morningstar | Kat Hussion, United Advisors America | Claudia Ochoa-Espejo, Raymond James | Ximena Silva-Avila, Perennial Financial Services

Join three experienced Direct Advisory Suite users for a dynamic discussion on how they leverage the platform to empower their clients to make more informed investment decisions.

We’ll explore what success in Direct Advisory Suite looks like from their perspective, highlight real client success stories, and uncover the tools and strategies that enhance their day-to-day workflows.

Stay with us after the discussion for a live demonstration of their favorite workflows in action.

Welcome to the Wealth Management Invest Podcast. David Bodamer delves into the strategic insights of financial advisors and Chief Investment Officers (CIOs) from leading RIAs, including the increasing adoption of alternative investments to enhance the conventional 60/40 portfolio. Episodes showcase engaging discussions with top asset managers, shedding light on the ever-evolving landscape of private investment offerings, cutting-edge technology, and the latest developments in traditional ETFs and SMAs.

Todd Trubey, Morningstar | Ramona Persaud, Fidelity | Mike Barclay, Columbia Income | Andrew Brandon, JP Morgan

Dividend funds have underperformed broad market indexes since 2023, raising questions about their role in portfolios. Is this a cyclical headwind, or is the fundamental case for dividend investing changing? Three portfolio managers with diverse approaches to dividend stocks weigh in on the strategy’s future.

In a market environment shaped by evolving economic conditions, technological change, and shifting capital flows, investors are increasingly focused on the role that different asset classes play within a broader portfolio. In this session, Gary Rozier, Senior Managing Director in Blue Owl’s Real Assets platform, will discuss how investors can think about selected real asset exposures, specifically net lease real estate and digital infrastructure, through a portfolio construction lens.

The discussion will explore how these sectors have evolved over time, what has remained consistent in how they are underwritten, and how they fit within a diversified allocation. It will also touch on how investors are evaluating opportunities across a range of markets, as well as the influence of longer-term structural trends, including the growing importance of digital infrastructure in the economy.

Kyle Lalonde, Morningstar

Building on insights from the Peer to Pier panel, this session showcases Direct Advisory Suite in action. Watch a live demo highlighting tools like Research, Portfolio Management, and Investment Proposal generation. Plus, get an exclusive look at the latest innovations powered by the AI Assistant!

Malik Ahmed Khan, Morningstar

ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini have demonstrated impressive capabilities—but no single model has maintained a clear lead for long, and none have established a monetization strategy that delivers consistent profitability. The question remains: Will any of these models build a genuine economic moat and generate sustainable profits, or will foundational models ultimately become commodities?Malik Ahmed Khan, Morningstar

Claire Cusack, Morningstar | Rob Edwards, Morningstar | David S. Friedman, Bountiful Financial LLC 

Evolving investor expectations require wealth managers to deliver portfolios that align with clients' personal beliefs and ethical priorities. This session explores how value-based investing is transforming into a scalable, data-driven component of modern wealth management. Walk away with emerging approaches from industry experts to personalize portfolios and integrate faith-aligned frameworks into your practice.

Saraja Samant, Morningstar | Samy Muaddi, T Rowe Price | Anujeet Sareen, Franklin Templeton | Shamaila Khan, UBS 

Emerging market bonds surged in 2025 but now trade at tighter levels despite a complex geopolitical environment. Amid a changing global order and a weakening USD, this panel discusses fixed income opportunities outside the US. Determine what categories warrant a permanent allocation in diversified portfolios.

Warren Pierson, Co-CIO, and Lyle Fitterer, Co-Head of Municipals, discuss the bond market, the importance of liquidity, and opportunities for income and relative value in the Treasury, securitized, corporate, and municipal sectors.

Thomas Aviles, Morningstar | Joe Agostinelli, Morningstar 

Discover 2026 insights and trends for advisors from the perspectives of investors surveyed in the latest Morningstar Investor Perspectives survey. Explore evolving investor behaviors, the growing role of trust and emotional value, and how financial advisors can bridge knowledge gaps in areas like private markets and AI adoption. Advisors will gain actionable strategies to help clients stay confident, focused, and committed to their long-term financial goals.

'This Week in Wealth' is Citywire's weekly podcast that breaks down the biggest stories in the US wealth management industry and what they mean for advisors. Citywire USA editor-in-chief Alex Steger and Citywire RIA editor Ian Wenik are joined by a rotating cast of Citywire journalists and notable industry names.

In this press-only roundtable moderated by Laura Lutton, Jason Kephart, Jack Shannon, and Brian Moriarty will share fresh insights from Morningstar's State of Semiliquid Funds. The discussion will explore the push to broaden access to private markets, the rise of private credit, and what recent market stress has revealed about liquidity and redemption risk. The panel will also share insights on whether these vehicles are delivering on the promise of higher returns — or introducing new complexities around valuation, fees, and portfolio overlap — and what these dynamics could mean for long-term investors, including retirement portfolios.

Exhibit hall re-opens for afternoon sessions at 1:00 PM. Please begin to make your way back for all that the afternoon awaits!

FinTechs to Watch – A showcase of seven emerging fintechs redefining advice and reshaping the wealth experience. They will compete for Best in Show, with lunch with Kunal Kapoor, Morningstar’s CEO, as the grand prize.

Moderated by Nate Hartauer of Fintech Alliances, this session features showcases by Toby Wade (DeepVest), Ilyas Zakiat (BIASafe AI), Florian Kohler (AltQ), AJ O’Hara (Abacus), Sindhu Joseph (CogniCor), and Cameron Howe (Investipal).

Jason Kephart, Morningstar | Ankul Daga, Vanguard | Nick Nefouse, BlackRock | Alexandra Wilson-Elizondo, Goldman Sachs

We put the leading asset managers bringing private markets to individual investors on the hot seat. This session dissects the opportunities and challenges of integrating private market strategies into portfolios. Unpack liquidity concerns, valuation questions, and the potential for enhanced returns.

Go inside the investment room with Principal Asset Management in this candid, Q&A style conversation featuring CIO and Global Head of Fixed Income Michael Goosay and Senior High Yield Portfolio Manager Josh Rank. Together, they break down the macro signals that truly matter, how those insights shape views on credit and high yield today, and what it means for investors navigating a shifting market. More than commentary, this is a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how real portfolio decisions are debated, tested, and executed—straight from the leaders making them in real time.

Paul Condra, PitchBook | Kyle Stanford, PitchBook | James Ulan, PitchBook 

SpaceX, Anthropic, and OpenAI’s upcoming IPOs highlight the growth missed by waiting for companies to go public. Learn about the expanding access points to VC-backed companies and how venture exposure should factor into your portfolio.

Financial advice is entering an AI‑native era—one where leading is defined by the quality, independence, and transparency of the data behind the technology you use. We're proud to introduce the AI assistant in Direct Advisory Suite - built to bring independent intelligence directly into the advisor workflow and power the expertise that sets your advice apart, and empowers your clients' success.

Will Danoff has been one of the most successful active managers in history during his more than 35-year tenure at Fidelity Contrafund. In this exclusive conversation prior to his retirement, he’ll reflect on the importance of curiosity, how he manages his research process and information flow, the impact of artificial intelligence, how he’s mentoring younger managers and analysts, what makes Fidelity’s research culture unique, and more.

Preston Caldwell, Morningstar | Hong Cheng, Morningstar | Dominic Pappalardo, Morningstar 

What is driving the U.S. economy today and what risks and opportunities lie ahead? This panel analyzes the current drivers of the US economy, providing a forward-looking outlook on growth, inflation, labor markets, Fed policy and interest rates. They highlight forces shaping the macroeconomic landscape, from AI disruption to rising geopolitical tensions, and translate these macro trends into investment implications across global assets and currencies, laying out key scenarios and how investors can prepare for an uncertain, fast changing landscape. 

David Reyna, Morningstar | Catherine LeGraw, GMO | Ranjan Bhaduri, Bodhi Research Group | Brian Portnoy, Shaping Wealth 

 Liquid alternatives often frustrate investors in bull markets but prove invaluable during market stress. This panel examines the psychological and structural challenges of these diversifying strategies. See how advisors can manage client expectations to drive better long-term outcomes.

Hear how established Morningstar partners are turning data, intelligence, and AI into real client outcomes, and what they have learned as they move from idea to execution, with practical takeaways for wealth leaders.

Ahead of her main stage appearance, PIMCO Portfolio Manager Sonali Pier willjoina pressQ&Ato previewhersession exploring the key differences between private and public credit. Hear her perspective on transparency, liquidity, and return expectations, and how investors and advisors can better understand whether these strategies serve as complementary tools or competing options within a portfolio.

Join us for the taping of a bonus episode of The Morning Filter podcast. Co-host Susan Dziubinski sits down with Morningstar analysts to discuss current market trends and how to invest to take advantage of them.Join us for the taping of a bonus episode of The Morning Filter podcast. Co-host Susan Dziubinski and Morningstar senior equity analyst William Kerwin take a deep dive into Apple as an investment. They'll share some technology stocks that Morningstar thinks look attractive, too.

Make your way to the Aon Grand Ballroom and enjoy our lineup of afternoon keynote sessions. 

Moderated by Robby Greengold, Morningstar 

Join influential Fidelity Contrafund portfolio manager Will Danoff for a candid discussion on his 35 years in active management. Danoff, known for his growth-oriented strategy, reflects on the professional journey that shaped  his philosophy. He reveals his outlook on the future of stock picking.

Brian Moriarty, Morningstar | Brad Marshall, Blackstone | Caitlin Nemeth, Cliffwater | Sonali Pier, PIMCO 

Private and public credit differ dramatically in transparency, liquidity, and return expectations, often confusing investors about their roles in a portfolio. This session explores the key distinctions between the two, assesses suitability for different investor types, and clarifies if they are competitors or complementary assets.

Will Guidara, Unreasonable Hospitality

As a financial advisor, you are in the business of serving other people. Serving efficiently is no longer enough—now, it's how you make the people you work with and those you serve feel that matters most of all. Will Guidara shares why he believes our world is on the precipice of becoming a hospitality economy, and how every advisor can choose to be in the business of hospitality by transforming ordinary interactions into extraordinary experiences.

Join your media colleagues and Morningstar leaders for an evening of meaningful conversations, cocktails, and bites at the annual MIC Media Reception at Bar Sol, located conveniently on Navy Pier.

Kunal Kapoor, Morningstar | Jon Gray, Blackstone 

The boundaries between public and private sectors are blurring, reshaping modern portfolio construction. In this fireside chat, Morningstar CEO Kunal Kapoor and Blackstone COO Jon Gray provide a roadmap for this new terrain. Break down the rapidly evolving world of private markets and the strategic shifts impacting investors today.

Christine Benz, Morningstar | Dana Anspach, Sensible Money | Michael Finke, The American College of Financial Services 

Sequence of returns, inflation, long-term care costs, and unexpected early retirement pose serious risks to today’s retirees. This session unites Benz's expertise in personal finance education, Anspach's on-the-ground experience building retirement income plans, and Finke's academic rigor in behavioral finance and wealth management. Discover practical strategies that help safeguard client portfolios and navigate complex planning decisions with confidence.

Use this time to transition to the exhibit hall, where Thursday's sessions will take place.

Dominique Jackson, Morningstar

Redefine your advisory approach with a live walkthrough of Direct Advisory Suite. Discover how interactive tools like the Client Dashboard, AI-generated talking points, and the new Interactive Web Report empower you to deliver deeper portfolio insights. Plus, see the dynamic Portfolio Compare Tool in action, showcasing its powerful analysis and reporting capabilities.

As private-market strategies become more widely available, financial advisors and their clients are gaining new tools to incorporate into portfolios. We’ll discuss what’s driving this shift, the opportunities and risks associated with private markets, and how advisors can help clients navigate this evolving landscape. Most importantly, we’ll explore how these strategies can potentially enhance diversification – rather than lead to “diworsification.”

Damien Conover, Morningstar | Travis Miller, Morningstar | Karen Andersen, Morningstar | Erin Lash, Morningstar

Discover how dividend-paying stocks with economic moats can strengthen income-focused portfolios. This panel explores investment strategies for identifying companies with durable competitive advantages and attractive dividend yields—helping you build resilient, income-generating portfolios for your clients. 

Dan Lefkovitz, Morningstar | Hendrik (Hank) Bessembinder, Arizona State University | Alex Poukchanski, Morningstar 

From the roaring twenties to the present day, a century of US equity market history offers invaluable insights for investors. Experts from Morningstar Indexes and the academic community examine historical market trends through the lens of the CRSP Research database. Topics to be covered in this interactive session will include market concentration, public-to-private convergence, and initial public offerings.

Jeff Ptak, Morningstar | Andrew Daniels, Morningstar | Eric Jacobson, Morningstar | Elizabeth Foos, Morningstar 

Our panel of Morningstar manager research leaders share the red flags that make them pause, probe further, or rule out a fund entirely—and how advisors can use these practical insights to identify risks during the due diligence process.

This session will explore how evergreen funds are reshaping private market investing and why advisors are increasingly adopting them.  We'll debunk common myths around their return potential versus public markets and overall fee structures and look ahead to what's next - including integration into 401ks and model portfolios, and the potential for tokenization and blockchain to expand and simplify access to private markets.

Are mutual funds becoming obsolete? The original vehicle for retail investors is under attack from ETFs and CITs.

Dominique Jackson, Morningstar

Discover how the AI Assistant in Direct Advisory Suite transforms client reviews into seamless, story-driven experiences. Through a live walkthrough, see how a single chat generates portfolio insights, comparison reports, and meeting-ready prompts—from holdings details to tailored talking points. Gain clarity, speed, and confidence to elevate every client conversation.

Paul Tait, Morningstar | Phillip Straehl, Morningstar | Dominic Pappalardo, Morningstar | Ricky Williamson, Morningstar 

Leaders from Morningstar's Chief Investment Office discuss the best investment ideas across global equity and fixed income markets. Get insights on how to position client portfolios to capture the strongest opportunities in the current market environment. 

Adam Sabban, Morningstar | Helge Skibeli, JP Morgan | Carl Kawaja, Capital Group 

Amid political and economic shockwaves from Washington, how are global equity portfolio managers adapting? A panel of three distinguished managers offer their strategies for navigating a volatile equity market and parsing the current landscape.

Kimberly Hart, Morningstar | Chris Tate, Morningstar | Brian Moriarty, Morningstar | Jack Shannon, Morningstar 

Discover the best practices for incorporating semiliquid funds into investment strategies. This discussion evaluates their merits against traditional asset classes to determine their true efficacy as a portfolio diversifier.

Move beyond hype and see practical, relatable moments where AI assistance supports better outcomes for advisors and their clients. We’ll walk through how AI can enhance client relationships, streamline workflows, and elevate decision-making—without losing the human touch that defines great advice. 

In this session, John Bogosian, Managing Director, Blackstone Private Wealth, will cover the fundamentals of private markets and discuss the role private assets can play in portfolios.

Moderated by Bridget Hughes, Morningstar 

Join David Booth, a pioneer of index and factor investing, for a candid conversation on what five decades in markets have taught him. In this closing session, Booth reflects on the industry’s biggest shifts, how Dimensional Fund Advisors—the asset management firm he founded—has adapted through market cycles, and why uncertainty can benefit long-term investors. Expect grounded insights from a leader who helped shape modern investing.

Exhibit hall re-opens for afternoon sessions at 1:30 PM. Please begin to make your way back for all that the afternoon awaits!

David Carey, Morningstar | Miles Lewis, Franklin Templeton | Mike Valentine, Wasatch Core Growth | Scott Brayman, Champlain Investment Partners

From flying cars to new-age tech hardware, niche themes have pushed small- and mid-cap indexes to historic levels. Three accomplished portfolio managers offer their opinions on concentrated benchmarks, if it still pays to invest in quality stocks, and whether small- and mid-caps will finally get their day in the sun.

Following his main stage session, Dimensional Fund Advisors Founder and Chairman David Booth will join a press briefing to expand on lessons from five decades in markets. Building on his reflections around industry shifts, market cycles, and long-term investing, Booth will offer additional perspective on how investors can navigate uncertainty and what it means for portfolio strategy today. 

Kenneth Lamont, Morningstar

AI remains a dominant investment theme in 2026, with infrastructure spending set to rise by 60% to over half a trillion dollars. Kenneth Lamont explores how AI is reshaping industries, identify key beneficiaries, and shares effective strategies for investing in equities and funds during this transformative era.

Isabella Pradhan, Morningstar

AI adoption in financial services is accelerating, and that means new challenges are popping up every day. From endless proofs of concept and hallucinated responses to outputs that are inconsistent across models, meaningful AI deployment is far more complex than experimenting with a chatbot.

This session will explore what typical AI conversations miss: the rising risks in our evolving AI landscape, what firms are actually experiencing as they test AI, and why the quality and structure of data inputs matter just as much as the model generating the output.

Whether you’re experimenting with generative AI or taking further steps to responsibly bring AI into your workflows, this session will provide practical insights into what works, what doesn’t, and what financial services firms should be thinking about next.

Samantha Lamas, Morningstar | Danielle Labotka, Morningstar 

New research reveals how advisors can better support clients when markets feel unpredictable. This session outlines a practical process that combines what clients want with effective coaching techniques. Walk away with tools to communicate amid uncertainty, build client engagement, and keep clients focused on their long-term goals.

Zachary Evens, Morningstar | Bryan Armour, Morningstar | Daniel Sotiroff, Morningstar 

Mutual funds are increasingly migrating toward ETFs through conversions, share classes, and new stand-alone structures. Explore the distinct advantages and disadvantages of each approach while uncovering the critical implications for advisors and investors during this transition.

Stephen Margaria, Morningstar | Greg Sharenow, PIMCO 

Michele Freed, BlackRock | Juan Leon, Bitwise 

Gold, commodities, and crypto are often grouped together, yet their market drivers differ significantly. This panel breaks down the economic forces behind each, how they interact with equities and bonds, and what advisors should consider before allocating client capital.

ETFs are evolving fast. This session cuts through the headlines with “facts-behind-the-flows” view of what’s driving industry trends, and where investors are seeing real opportunity versus noise.  We’ll highlight Invesco’s leadership across core ETF building blocks – QQQ, factors, commodities, fixed income – along with industry-leading experience educating the market on active ETFs.  We’ll share timely perspective on QQQ and Nasdaq index stewardship, and what it takes to manage and scale index-linked exposures through changing market environments.  Finally, we’ll deep dive into the derivative-income ETF landscape and Invesco Income Advantage ETFs – how to define the peer group, what “good” looks like in product mechanics, and a clear feature-by-feature framework for evaluating products across the Morningstar derivative-income category.