What will it will finally take to finally change the financial system as an enabler of a world that is safer, healthier and more just? This is an invitation for the restless leaders, institutional rebels, trouble-causing mavericks, those just sick of the status quo and who are tired of superficial ESG metrics and are ready to talk about how the financial system can genuinely work for people and the planet.
The evening is built around the core challenge at the heart of The Investment Integration Project, the reality that the way we invest today ignores the systemic risks and effects of climate change, the destruction of nature, social inequality and authoritarianism. While the Australian financial sector does a better job now at identifying risks to individual assets, organisations and portfolios, there is still a substantial gap between protecting a single holding and protecting the structures that the entire system relies on. We will gather to discuss why institutions get stuck making tiny, incremental changes and what is required to shift into a mindset and program of action where financial power is used to fix the root causes of instability and inequality.
As we share another of Gus's aastronomical feasts, the conversation will be anchored by our special guest, Burkhart. Joining us from New York, Bill is a global heavyweight in system-level investing. As the CEO of TIIP and an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, he has spent years at the global epicentre of finance, helping some of the world's largest investors move beyond narrow, short-term thinking. Bill brings a wealth of experience from Manhattan on how to practically challenge the norms that keep capital tied to the status quo.
We want to move past the act of ticking boxes to explore how we can overcome the hurdles that hold us back in Australia - from the way we define our duties to the practices of our biggest financial structures. This is about identifying the friction points between profit and responsibility and discussing how we can bridge the gap between global ideas and our local reality.
This experience is for those who feel the weight of these big challenges and are looking for more than a standard networking event. It is an opportunity to connect with peers who are navigating the same institutional hurdles and to help define a more courageous way forward for Australian finance.
The supper club will take place at Hustle Studio, and enable and inclusive and participatory vibe where every voice at the table feels safe and welcome to be part of the dialogue. By joining us, you are helping to shape how financial influence is used in Australia, ensuring that our institutions become tools for real change rather than just observers of the problem and the source of ever-growing disclosure reports.
