For investors preparing for 2027, the challenge begins with a demanding calculation: where does the most attractive balance between risk and return lie, and how much liquidity should a portfolio retain to capture emerging opportunities? The answer influences allocations across bonds, private credit, private equity and other asset classes, alongside the investment horizon for each commitment.
These questions will take centre stage with the participation of Gordon Harding, Vice President and Fixed Income Strategist at PIMCO, UK, at the 12th International Funds Summit. Taking place on 16 November 2026 at Parklane, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Limassol, the Summit will explore “The European Alternative Funds Landscape.”
Harding brings a fixed income strategist’s perspective to a debate that extends across the investment spectrum. For fund managers and institutional investors, private market allocations are closely connected to the returns available in public markets, financing costs and access to capital.
Interest rates and liquidity sit at the heart of that assessment. They influence corporate financing, valuations and investors’ return requirements. The discussion will examine how the macroeconomic environment is shaping European private markets and the risks and opportunities professionals must weigh as they prepare for the next investment cycle.
Of particular importance is the relationship between private and public markets. For pension funds and other institutional investors, every allocation forms part of a broader portfolio of obligations, objectives and constraints. Expected returns must be assessed alongside investment duration, valuation transparency and liquidity needs.
Changes in institutional allocations also carry consequences for fund managers. The priorities of capital providers influence fundraising prospects and the expectations attached to an investment proposition. Understanding those priorities is therefore essential to developing strategies that can attract and retain investor support.
The debate also encompasses Europe’s competitiveness within the global investment landscape. Its ability to attract and deploy capital depends on the quality of available opportunities and the conditions in which investors operate. For the European alternatives industry, the challenge involves both identifying growth prospects and presenting compelling investment strategies.
Harding brings experience across several areas of fixed income investing. Based in PIMCO’s London office, he focuses on multi-sector fixed income strategies. Before joining the firm in 2019, he was a fixed income specialist at UBS Asset Management, covering global rates, global credit and unconstrained strategies.
Previously, he spent more than 12 years on M&G Investments’ fixed income team, most recently as an Investment Director, communicating investment strategies to a broad range of clients and prospective investors. He holds an undergraduate degree in economics and public policy from Leeds Beckett University in the UK.
For fund managers, pension fund representatives, investment advisers and financial services executives, his participation offers an opportunity to connect the macroeconomic outlook with practical portfolio decisions.
The 12th International Funds Summit provides a forum for that exchange, bringing together professionals who raise, manage and allocate capital. As investment planning for 2027 advances, understanding the forces that could change an allocation decision becomes increasingly valuable.
From the pricing of risk to the balance between liquidity and long-term commitments, the discussion will address questions with direct relevance to investment strategy — and to the professionals responsible for putting it into practice.
For more information and registration, click here.
Event Details
Organisers: Cyprus Investment Funds Association (CIFA) and Invest Cyprus
Coordinator: IMH
Gold Sponsors: Athlos Capital, Eurobank Cyprus, KPMG Cyprus, PwC Cyprus
Silver Sponsors: Alpha Bank, Alter Domus
Supporters: Association of Cyprus Banks (ACB), Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE), Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW), Cyprus Bar Association, CFA Society Cyprus, Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (CISI), Cyprus Fiduciary Association (CYFA), The Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Cyprus (ICPAC), The Institute of Internal Auditors Cyprus
Media Sponsors: IN Business magazine, CBN portal, GOLD magazine
Contact IMH:
Tel: +357 77777741
Email: events@imhbusiness.com
Website: www.cyprusfundssummit.com
