Agenda
Wednesday, April 14
1 – 1:45 p.m. ET
CEO Perspectives: Leadership in Challenging Times
Hear from the CEOs of three highly regarded trade associations as they share leadership insights in times of disruption. Topics to be covered include industry priorities, challenges, membership expectations, and partnership opportunities in the rapidly evolving association space.

Kenneth E. Bentsen, Jr.
President & CEO
SIFMA

Susan Neely
President & CEO
American Council of Life Insurers

Eric Pan
President & CEO
Investment Company Institute

Wayne Chopus
MODERATOR
President & CEO
Insured Retirement Institute
1:45 – 2 p.m. ET
Break
2 – 2:30 p.m. ET
How Congress Can Strengthen Retirement Security — A View from the House
Hear leading voices for retirement security in the U.S. House of Representatives offer their outlook for legislation to address our nation’s looming retirement savings crisis.

Representative Tom Suozzi
(D-NY)
Member
United States House Committee on Ways and Means
Representative Kevin Brady
(R-TX)
INVITED MODERATOR
2:30 – 2:45 p.m. ET
Break
2:45 – 3:30 p.m. ET
Keynote Presentation: Keeping It Human in a Digital World
Digital technology is now embedded in our lives and will continue to evolve. From daily use to future projections, learn how to master its use as an advantage in your personal and professional developmental growth rather than allow technology to master you.

Kate O’Neill
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Strategist & Futurist
KO Insights

Paula Nelson
MODERATOR
Co-Head & Managing Director Individual Markets
Global Atlantic Financial Company
Treasurer & Secretary
IRI Board of Directors
3:30 – 3:45 p.m. ET
Break
3:45 – 4:15 p.m. ET
Current and Emerging Issues in Broker-Dealer Regulation
Hear FINRA’s perspective on the first year under Regulation Best Interest and how oversight will evolve in year two and beyond, the fallout from COVID-19, the heightened focus on DEI, the evolving regulatory framework for ESG investing, and the challenges and opportunities presented by emerging technologies.
SPEAKER:
Robert W. Cook, President & CEO, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
MODERATOR:
Ian MacEachern, Head of Investment Products, Wells Fargo Wealth and Investment Management
4:15 – 4:30 p.m. ET
Break
4:30 – 5:00 p.m. ET
Leadership, Talent and Retention: Radically Human
COVID-19 changed how we lead, and how we live. Join this session to hear a Korn Ferry leadership and human capital expert discuss trends in acquiring and developing talent in 2021 and beyond.
SPEAKER:
Kate Shattuck, Senior Client Partner, Korn Ferry
Wednesday, April 21
12 – 12:30 p.m. ET
Plugging the Gaps in Your Marketing Strategy
Mass marketing campaigns extend your company’s brand in meaningful ways but often fail to reach more niche segments of the consumer population. Understanding the principles of intersectionality and the messages that resonate across diverse groups can be a game-changer for making your next campaign the most successful yet.
SPEAKER:
Dr. Leah Wright Rigueur, Harvard University
MODERATOR:
Victor Howell, Vice President, Research Consulting and Development Unit, Natixis Investment Managers
12:30 – 12:45 p.m. ET
Break
12:45 – 1:15 p.m. ET
How Can Congress Strengthen Retirement Security: A View from the Senate
Hear leading retirement security voices in the U.S. Senate offer their outlook for legislation to address our nation’s looming retirement savings crisis.
INVITED SPEAKERS:
Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD)
Senator Rob Portman (R-OH)
1:15 – 1:45 p.m. ET
Sponsored Breakout Session
1:45 – 2:15 p.m. ET
What to Expect from the SEC — The Best Interest Standard, Regulatory Modernization, and More
Tune in for a discussion of the SEC’s 2021 priorities, including enhanced oversight of Regulation Best Interest and Form CRS, the Commission’s views on industry priorities such as modernization of electronic delivery rules, the need for a new registration form for registered index-linked annuities (RILAs), and more.

SEC Commissioner
Hester M. Peirce
2:15 – 2:30 p.m. ET
Break
2:30 – 3:00 p.m. ET
The Impact of COVID-19 on Industry Operations
COVID-19 arrived swiftly and delivered immediate and long-term impacts to our business models. Join us as we project future models to deliver enhanced outcomes for our industry and the consumer.
SPEAKER:
Matthew Josefowicz, President & CEO, Novarica
3:00 – 3:15 p.m. ET
Break
3:15 – 3:45 p.m. ET
NAIC Talks Policy with IRI
Join us for a conversation about NAIC leadership’s 2021 priorities, the NAIC’s work to date, and next steps on COVID-19 and DEI, industry modernization, and opportunities for industry and state regulators to collaborate on efforts to protect and promote consumer financial stability in the coming year.
SPEAKER:
David Altmaier, NAIC President & Florida Insurance Commissioner
MODERATOR:
Angela Hollan, Vice President, Head of Government Relations, Allianz Life Insurance Company
Wednesday, April 28
1 – 1:30 p.m. ET
The Post-COVID-19 Workplace
COVID-19 has dramatically altered the work environment, and we are unlikely to fully return to a pre-COVID-19 world. Which changes will persist? This session will explore what developments and technologies are on the horizon that may further evolve the workplace, perhaps in unexpected ways.
1:30 – 2 p.m. ET
Sponsored Breakout Session
2 – 2:30 p.m. ET
Top Retirement Priorities for the Labor Department in 2021 and Beyond
This session will feature a discussion of DOL’s interpretation of the five-part test for fiduciary status, the prohibited transaction exemptions available to firms and advisors to facilitate the provision of investment advice to retirement savers, next steps on the lifetime income illustrations rule, and how industry and the Department can cooperate to advance retirement security.
2:30 – 2:45 p.m. ET
Break
2:45 – 3:15 p.m. ET
Leading with DEI, How Firms Can Walk the Talk
Closing the racial wealth gap requires concerted policy action designed to advance bold, comprehensive solutions. This session will focus on the role that financial organizations need to play as Congress develops policy solutions to affect the needed change in this area.
3:15 – 3:30 p.m. ET
Break
3:30 – 4 p.m. ET
Congress in 2021: Will Gridlock or Bipartisanship Prevail?
Will Congress continue to operate in partisan gridlock? Or is there a bipartisan path forward? Listen to members of Congress who are committed to moving from gridlock to action by pursuing bipartisan policy solutions to help address the real challenges faced every day by the American people.
INVITED SPEAKERS:
Representative Tom Reed (R-NY)
Senator Krysten Sinema (D-AZ)
4 – 4:15 p.m. ET
Break
4:15 – 4:45 p.m. ET
The Advisor and Client Are Not Who They Were
COVID-19 has changed the way advisors work with their clients and the role the insured retirement industry’s products and services play. The intersection of consumer research and advisor experience offers insight into how we can better serve clients today and in the future.
Wednesday, May 5
1 – 1:30 p.m. ET
2021 Economic Outlook: Primed for Growth or Set up to Stall?
How quickly can the economy rebound in 2021 while we emerge from the pandemic? What effects will the Biden Administration and a new Congress have on growth prospects, and what impact effect might low-interest rates have? Hear from a leading expert on the opportunities and pitfalls for the 2021 economy.
SPEAKER:
Sara Eisen, “Closing Bell” Co-Anchor, CNBC
1:30 – 1:45 p.m. ET
Break
1:45 – 2:15 p.m. ET
The Decade of Historic Transformation
We have all just lived through one of the most disruptive years in our nation’s history. But broader macro trends, already well underway, promise to be just as disruptive and bring an avalanche of change to the world in the next ten years. Transforming disruption and change into opportunity and evolution will not be easy, but it is critical if our industry is to survive and thrive.
SPEAKER:
Professor Mauro Guillen, The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania
2:15 – 2:45 p.m. ET
Sponsored Breakout Session
2:45– 3:15 p.m. ET
Financial Markets and Product Evolution
Where the major indexes will stand on May 5, 2021 is anyone’s guess. Interest rates and market volatility, the potential for higher taxes, and new dynamics such as the Reddit-versus-Hedge Funds wild ride in January and February will keep things interesting. This session will highlight opportunities and threats from the asset manager’s perspective and the implications for product design and innovation.
3:15 – 3:30 p.m. ET
Break
3:30 – 4 p.m. ET
The Future of Post-COVID-19 Conferences
Conferences have long been the catalysts of innovation, collaboration and connection within our industry. Organizations are struggling to figure out how to effectively convene their constituencies in this ever-changing environment. What is the future of large-scale gatherings in a post-COVID-19 world?
4 – 4:15 p.m. ET
Break
4:15 – 5 p.m. ET
IRI Officers Fireside Chat
This session features officers of the IRI Board of Directors. They will share thoughts on IRI’s evolving mission and vision, and how our strategic priorities of today will influence the IRI of tomorrow.

John Kennedy
Head of Retirement Solutions Distribution
Lincoln Financial Distributors
Chairman
IRI Board of Directors

Paula Nelson
Co-Head & Managing Director Individual Markets
Global Atlantic Financial Company
Treasurer & Secretary
IRI Board of Directors

Wayne Chopus
MODERATOR
President & CEO
Insured Retirement Institute