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The investment landscape has shifted sharply, with geopolitical forces such as trade disputes, sanctions, military tensions and supply‑chain fragmentation reshaping risks across global markets. For financial advisers, the practical challenge is understanding how the funds in their clients' portfolios are responding to these changes, and whether those responses stand up to scrutiny. This panel brings together two fund managers from different asset classes, equities and fixed income, to explore how they assess geopolitical risk in practice. The discussion will examine the signals managers watch for, how geopolitical instability changes the investment case for specific holdings, and where the most significant risk concentrations sit today, equipping advisers with a clearer set of questions to apply across any internationally invested fund.
Chief Executive and Co-Founder at Pathfinder Asset Management
John has spent more than 15 years committed to proving that ethical investing can not only deliver great financial outcomes and seek to avoid harm, but also help fund a better, more sustainable world. He co-founded Pathfinder with a mission to generate both individual wealth and collective wellbeing for its members, championing the belief that no one should have to choose between an ethical investment and a profitable one, and that businesses and individuals can ethically make a profit while contributing to solutions for some of the world's biggest problems.
Under his leadership, Pathfinder became the first New Zealand fund manager to achieve B Corp certification and holds an A+ rating from the UNPRI for strategy and governance. The firm’s KiwiSaver plans have earned top accolades, including Mindful Money’s 2026 Best Ethical Investment Provider and Best Integration of Positive Outcomes, MoneyHub's Favourite Ethical KiwiSaver Scheme, and the Sustainable Business Network's (SBN) Transforming Aotearoa New Zealand award. John was personally recognised with SBN’s Sustainability Superstar Award in 2023 and the NZ Sustainability Leadership Award at the 2024 Robert Walters Leadership Awards.
Co-CEO of Mindful Money
Kate is a financial services professional with a career spanning the UK and New Zealand, focused on improving outcomes across life and wealth management, advice, and digital technology. In the UK, she saw responsible investment and sustainability become mainstream for retail and institutional investors. As Head of Investor Relations at Legal & General, she helped explain financial innovation in areas such as community housing and green infrastructure. She holds a BA in classical languages, is a Chartered Management Accountant, and has the CFA Certificate in ESG Investing.
After returning to New Zealand in 2020, Kate met Barry Coates and was inspired by his vision for Mindful Money — to make money a force for good and help Kiwis align investments with values. She became a trustee and supported the team behind the scenes before joining Barry as co‑CEO in 2024, where she leads research for the Mindful Money tool. Her broad expertise spans climate‑change frameworks and complex human‑rights issues. She also holds governance roles, including with the Auckland Philharmonia.
Global Fixed Income Client Portfolio Manager at Nuveen
Alan is a product specialist for Nuveen’s ESG/impact global fixed income capabilities. He is responsible for delivering impact bond solutions to asset owners, consultants, and financial professionals globally. Alan leads client communication and reporting for the team’s institutional separate account clients, and spearheads a myriad of product management, thought leadership creation, business development and operational projects to keep the investment team focused on markets.
Prior to joining Nuveen in 2012, he led the North America fixed income manager research team at Mercer Investment Consulting. Prior to Mercer, he was a mutual fund analyst and portfolio manager of target risk portfolios at Morningstar.
Alan graduated with a B.S. in Finance, with Honors, from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation and is a member of CFA® Institute and CFA® Society North Carolina. He is a former director of CFA® Society Chicago.
