AIF APAC continues its mission to bring together the Asian institutional investor community to foster the exchange of best ideas, practices, and information
SEOUL / April 15, 2026 / — AIF APAC, the Asia-Pacific division of AIF Global (www.aifglobal.org), an independent economic think tank focusing on investment policy among the world’s largest asset owners, held its Annual Investors’ Meeting in Seoul, Korea, followed by the AIF Institute Japanese Investing Symposium in Tokyo, Japan.
Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), Chief Investment Officers (CIOs), and Senior Investment Officers from organizations including the National Pension Service, Public Official Benefit Association, Korea Investment Corporation, Japanese Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF), as well as many other Japanese government officials and academics, participated in the Investors Forum.
The Annual Investors’ Meeting in Seoul on April 7th and 8th convened to focus on key issues confronting the Korean institutional investor community and institutional investors across the APAC region. Issues included ongoing pension reform efforts, the emergence of generative artificial intelligence in investing, and how to manage risk and liquidity in an era of geopolitical uncertainty.
The Japanese Investor Symposium followed on Friday, April 10th, offering Japanese investors a chance to gather and take a deep dive on issues of greatest interest to Japanese investors.
Across both forums, a central theme emerged: “AI Innovation, Investment Opportunities, and the Transformation of Alternative Investment Paradigms.” The programs highlighted how the AI-driven industrial revolution is reshaping global capital markets—creating new opportunities in areas such as data infrastructure, private markets, and real assets—while simultaneously introducing new risks related to policy, regulation, and geopolitical fragmentation. Participants explored how institutional investors can adapt portfolio construction, enhance risk-adjusted returns, and navigate liquidity challenges in this new environment.
Yonsei University Professor of Finance Sam Y. Chung, Head of AIF APAC, organized and led both meetings. “Amid a rapidly changing macroeconomic and geopolitical environment, alpha generation and risk management are at the top of APAC institutional asset owners’ minds. The AI-driven transformation of the global economy is not only creating new investment opportunities, but also fundamentally reshaping how portfolios are constructed across private and public markets,” said Professor Chung.
“The theme of this year’s events—AI innovation, investment opportunity, and the evolution of alternative investment paradigms—reflects the urgent need for investors to rethink capital allocation, risk management, and long-term strategy in a structurally shifting landscape.”
AIF CEO Brant Maller, who founded AIF over 20 years ago, noted, “AIF’s establishment as an independent, global investments think tank can been seen in the amazing group of real-world academics that shape AIF’s content. Harvard Business School Professor of Investment Banking Josh Lerner has chaired AIF’s Boards since its inception, and Professor Sam Chung’s leadership of AIF APAC further attests to AIF’s deep ties to investment finance and investment academia.”
Maller continued, “AIF’s mission has always been to help the owners of the world’s largest pools of capital meet their investment objectives. Each year, the AIF APAC investor list grows longer and more impressive, and the participation more robust, which is a testament to Professor Chung’s experience on the investment advisory boards of NPS and Korea Post, status as a respected finance academic, and reputation in the community,”
Investors from the APAC region will also be traveling to New York, NY in October as part of the APAC Delegate Educational Program. This certification gives participants the opportunity to network with and learn from U.S. counterparts. Investors will engage in unique programming over two days and participate in the AIF Institute for Private Capital Investing Symposium, which will be held concurrently.