Episode 334: Key Themes for 2025 – Affordability, Land-light Models, and Demographics
In this episode of the InsuranceAUM.com Podcast, host Stewart Foley, CFA, welcomes back Robert Clark, Chief Investment Officer and Founding Partner of Domain Real Estate Partners, for a timely discussion on the state of U.S. residential real estate. With affordability continuing to challenge buyers and mortgage rates remaining elevated, Bob offers a deep dive into how homebuilders are adapting their models in 2025, from navigating margin pressure and shifting demographics to embracing land-light strategies.
The conversation explores the growing role of insurance capital in financing residential development and how institutional investors are responding to macroeconomic forces such as immigration policy and interest rate volatility. Bob also discusses how Domain partners with homebuilders to manage risk and unlock capital efficiency in an increasingly complex housing market.
Whether you're focused on credit, real assets, or portfolio construction, this episode offers valuable perspective on the intersection of real estate fundamentals and investment opportunity in today’s market.
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Episode 333: The Future of Infrastructure: AI, Innovation, & Insurance Portfolio Strategy
In this episode of the InsuranceAUM.com podcast, host Stewart Foley, CFA, sits down with Mansi Patel and Jeff Matthews of Principal Asset Management to explore how infrastructure debt is evolving—and how those changes are influencing insurance investment strategy. From AI-driven demand for data centers to the energy transition and shifting demographics, the conversation unpacks the current state and future outlook of infrastructure investing.
Mansi and Jeff also explain key trends shaping the asset class: the rise of digital infrastructure, the role of power and natural gas in supporting AI growth, and the importance of geographic diversification. They provide insights into how insurance companies can access these opportunities through both SMAs and fund vehicles, while navigating regulatory and capital efficiency considerations.
With decades of combined experience, the guests share their views on risk, essentiality, and how infrastructure investments have performed under stress. Whether you're new to the space or deep in portfolio construction, this episode offers timely insights into one of the fastest-growing segments of insurance investing.
In this episode of the InsuranceAUM.com Podcast, host Stewart Foley, CFA, speaks with Mario Giannini, Executive Co-Chairman and longtime leader of Hamilton Lane, for a candid discussion on the evolving landscape of private markets. Giannini challenges the notion that private equity is “dead,” explaining why fundamentals remain resilient despite recent underperformance and how the long-term value proposition continues to attract institutional investors.
The conversation explores key themes shaping portfolios today including secondaries, infrastructure, and the rise of private credit as well as how artificial intelligence is transforming the private markets ecosystem. Giannini also offers perspective on what insurance investors are asking, the importance of asset allocation over market timing, and how culture and discipline have driven Hamilton Lane’s enduring success.
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Episode 331: Navigating the Future Macroeconomic Challenges and Commercial Real Estate Opportunities
In this episode of the InsuranceAUM.com podcast, host Stewart Foley, CFA, sits down with Erin Patterson, Global Co-head of Research and Strategy at Manulife Investment Management, to explore the intersection of macroeconomic uncertainty and commercial real estate opportunity. Erin shares how Manulife is navigating ongoing volatility, from interest rate shifts to global trade disruptions, and why a resilient, globally diversified strategy remains key for insurance investors.
The conversation covers the "five Ds" shaping their investment lens demographics, deglobalization, decarbonization, digitalization, and democratization and how these trends are influencing everything from market selection to sector prioritization. Erin also dives into the evolving role of alternative real estate, the importance of demographic tracking, and how AI and infrastructure considerations are shaping CRE strategy. Whether you're focused on long-term income or adapting to short-term uncertainty, this episode offers valuable insights into institutional real estate allocation in today’s complex environment.
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Episode 330: Are Private Credit Hyperscalers a Ticking Time Bomb?
Jeffrey Diehl, Managing Partner and Head of Investments at Adams Street Partners, joins the InsuranceAUM.com podcast to explore whether the rapid growth of private credit platforms, particularly BDCs and insurer-owned portfolios, is creating systemic risk or sustainable opportunity.
In this candid conversation with host Stewart Foley, Diehl explains how deployment pressure, the rise of PIK loans, and reduced underwriting discipline could challenge returns in an overheated segment of the market. He also unpacks the scale of capital flowing through these platforms, the structural differences between perpetual BDCs and traditional private credit funds, and what red flags insurance investors should be monitoring.
For anyone allocating to private credit, or evaluating manager selection, this episode offers timely, practical insight into how scaling may impact risk, performance, and long-term portfolio outcomes.
Tune in to the InsuranceAUM.com Podcast, hosted by Founder and Advisor, Stewart Foley, CFA. Our podcast features insightful conversations with CIOs, asset managers, and other distinguished professionals in the insurance asset management industry. Each episode delves into the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities, providing listeners with valuable perspectives and practical advice. Don’t miss out on these engaging discussions that are essential for insurance investors and asset managers.
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