“Don’t panic when everyone’s panicking, and don’t be greedy when everyone’s greedy,” Shaw and Partners Investment Advisor, Daniel Chiew, said when addressing the first Young Investors Carnival at Perth’s Town Hall.
The first panel for the day discussed “Opportunities of the Future,” and was led by speakers: Mr Chiew, ASEAN Business Alliance Chair Dr Sandy Chong, and Curtin University Manager of Innovation Entrepreneurship Programs Geremy Farr-Wharton.
Dr Chong encouraged investing from a young age.
“I flew to Singapore and started with $2000 to invest and I saw that turn into a 100 per cent return, followed by more and more returns down the line,” he said.
The panel explored the risks and fears people experience before taking their first investment steps.
“If you look at the company’s portfolio – does it have a good asset? That’s an important factor to look into before you start investing,” Mr Chew added.
Young Investors Carnival
Toto Boutdara is the founder of the Young Investors Circle. He planned the carnival as part of his mission to bring young people together and educate them on investment topics at inexpensive events.
“It’s about bringing young people together, learning to invest better and really making the most of our hard-earned money,” he said.
“There is an appetite for that. We see that within the feedback from our events and our engagement. A lot of young people want their money to go further, they want to create that financial stability.
“We have speakers from the big four firms – from the banks – from listed companies, as well as emerging companies, and, experts in different industries such as AI, data science and the tech space, so we have a lot of speakers that are experts in areas that matter to the next generation.”
Women-leading companies
Dr Chong said a study done by Credit Suisse’s research institute revealed that companies led by women outperformed in the market by more than 25 per cent over a six-year period.
“Interestingly enough, women-led companies have a higher return than male-led companies,” Dr Chong said. “I tend to look into that too as a factor to determine whether to invest in a company or not.”
The investment bank also found that companies with more women in senior leadership positions performed better in terms of share price growth, return on equity and dividend yield.
Future of Technology
The second panel discussion on the “Future of Technology” began with speakers delving into the effects of artificial technology (AI) and sustainability on various market sectors.
When asked which sectors people should keep an eye on, Australian Innovation Management Institute Board Member Eva Chye said: “I personally believe the main focus moving forward should be on sustainability.”
Investors could watch not just for financial reports, such as annual reports, but also for sustainability reporting.
Ms Chye believes that accountability for company actions would be just as important as financial reports.
“If it’s an oil company, how do they process their petrol and gas?” she said.
“Sustainability reporting is the foundation of accountability and corporate social responsibility.”
The show goes on
The Young Investor Carnival was moving from the Perth Town Hall to the Hyde Perth Kitchen this evening, for a masquerade-themed networking event and a live fashion showcase.