Thomas A. Smith

Managing Director – Emerging Markets, Senior Portfolio Manager
MetLife Investments

Thomas A. Smith is Managing Director and the Senior Portfolio Manager responsible for MIM’s Emerging Markets portfolios. Mr. Smith has 18 years of EM investing experience and has managed MetLife’s EM portfolio since 2012. Prior to his current role, Mr. Smith was based in Latin America, serving as Regional Strategist for Latin America sovereign credit, Global Market Strategist for MetLife Afore and head of research for Latam Financial Institutions. Mr. Smith received his B.A. in International Studies and Spanish from Southwestern University and earned a Masters in Finance from the Center for Macroeconomic Studies (CEMA) in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Mr. Smith is Fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.

8:25 AM Keynote Expert Panel | Emerging Markets Outlook | What Are The Top Trends Shaping Market Structure And How Will They Impact Your Interactions With Brokers, Platforms And Technology Players?

Will 2020 bring more stability or even more uncertainty in emerging markets? As the industry copes with huge political changes, social and environmental challenges and new regulations - how should investors react and prepare in this ever-changing world? Hear from the experts on market-shaping trends that will generate returns in an increasingly complex and unpredictable environment.

The outlook for the rest of 2019 and 2020 and performance of macroeconomic indicators - interest rates, GDP, inflation, exchange rates and the influence these will have on emerging markets
Commodity markets, cheap labor, political instability and more - what topics will rule the EM agenda over the coming months?
Assessing the drivers for both buy side and sell side in 2019 - how can you capitalize on these drivers?
How will technology and market structure progress in EM now and in 5 years?
Identifying the winners and losers in EM investing - where will you find the most profitable havens going forward?
Firms that are not typically a household name are now entering EM - what does this mean for the industry?

2:15 PM Panel | Moving Beyond High Yield: Investment Grade Bonds In Emerging Markets

The opportunities to make large returns in high yield EM bonds have always been hard to ignore for tolerant investors. As emerging markets’ rise in stature, investment grade debt also starts to stands out, acting as a source of high quality profit for investors who are willing to look beyond developed markets’ debt for attractive income opportunities. Join this panel, to learn more on how best to incorporate IG bonds into your portfolio.

Assess current risks and opportunities within investment grade bonds
How IG bonds should influence, or continue to influence, your current investment plans
Which EM countries are currently prone to less default than their developed market counterparts and how you can take advantage

Check out the incredible speaker line-up to see who will be joining Tom.

Download The Latest Agenda