Matthew GriffinFounder, President and Futurist, 311 Institute
G7 · G20governments advised
850+keynotes
102countries
17codexes
Finance and banking sessions forAfricaONEShawbrook BankStandard Chartered BankThe Institute of Internal AuditorsWolters KluwerCrown Prince Court
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Ayse and the team at STOXX, part of the Deutsche Börse Group, invited Matthew to keynote the STOXX Annual Conference, titled "Investing in the Future and the Future of Investing", at News UK's head office by London Bridge.
He set out the sources of change and disruption, and the factors accelerating and multiplying their impact on every industry from agriculture to transportation, along with what those disruptions mean for the audience's investment and portfolio decisions. He then turned to the investment industry itself: the threats and opportunities it faces over the next decade and beyond as it searches for new signals that lead to alpha and tries to keep up with the latest technology.
"There has, arguably, never been a better time, or a riskier time, to invest in today's markets, but investors who lack the right vision could quickly find themselves on the wrong end of tomorrow's markets."Matthew Griffin, London, May 2018
The advances he highlighted included in vivo gene editing, robotics and space internet systems, and new universal DNA, quantum and neuromorphic computing platforms. These, he argued, will not only change how many quant models are built but revolutionise AI itself, from new quantum algorithms that process matrices at massive scale and speed, to self-learning platforms modelled on the human brain that pack the power of today's largest supercomputers into a package the size of a fingernail.
The day's line-up also included fellow futurologist Matthew Stevenson, who made the case for investing in ethical, sustainable businesses with green credentials, the CEOs of RepRisk and Carbon Delta, and Professor Myron Scholes, Nobel Laureate in Economic Sciences, from Stanford University.
311 Intelligence
What this means for your leadership team
Change now compresses planning cycles.
The session began with the sources of change and the factors that speed up and multiply their effect on every industry. 311 data shows faster technology adoption and shorter corporate lifespans squeezing business planning cycles. A portfolio built on slow assumptions about any sector is exposed.
New compute will redraw alpha signals.
Quantum algorithms that process matrices at massive scale and speed could change how quant models are built. Brain-style neuromorphic platforms could fit supercomputer power into a package the size of a fingernail. 311 places wide use of quantum computing around 2038 and neuromorphic computing around 2036, so early work belongs in research and watching briefs.
Sustainability sits beside technology risk.
The same conference line-up made the case for ethical, sustainable businesses with green credentials. 311 data shows carbon emissions trading spreading to China's heavy industry, India, Indonesia, Japan and Turkey. Leaders should treat climate pricing and technology disruption as linked inputs to one investment view.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
Which of our models rely on assumptions that faster change could break?
Who owns our watch on quantum and neuromorphic computing?
How would carbon pricing change our portfolio's risk picture?
The trends and technologies behind this session
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
What does this session mean for organisations that invest?
It means the quality of an investment view now depends on how well it reads technical change. The session linked disruption across every industry to portfolio decisions, and to the search for new signals that lead to alpha. Organisations should test their models and assumptions against faster change.
How does quantum computing relate to the future of investing?
The session argued that new quantum algorithms could process matrices at massive scale and speed, which may change how many quant models are built. 311 data rates the technology at readiness level 7, with wide use around 2038 and an action of Watch.
How does AI in investment decisions relate to this keynote?
The keynote said the investment industry is trying to keep up with the latest technology. 311 data shows asset managers and traders moving AI from back-office support into research, portfolios and trading, with wide use around 2027 and an action of Act now.
How can 311 brief our leadership team on this?
Through a private executive briefing or leadership workshop, tailored to your sector, in person first.
Bring this to your leadership teamA private executive briefing or leadership workshop, tailored to your sector. In person first, anywhere in the world.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s session and 311 data.
If Matthew gave this session today
Whole industries could soon be disrupted in a day.
The Future of Exponential Disruption sets out the forces accelerating global disruption and how close we are to disrupting whole industries in a day, which is exactly the risk investors need to price into their portfolios.
