Shaping the Future of Funds: Insights from the 2025 Clearstream Fund Summit 

Clearstream’s 2025 Fund Summit marked two decades of shaping the future of the investment industry, and it did so in style. Held in Luxembourg, the event gathered over 400 senior leaders, innovators, and regulators to explore how funds are evolving in an era defined by technology, transparency, and transformation. 

A Milestone Moment 

Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, the Fund Summit has become Luxembourg’s premier platform for the global fund community. Hosted by Clearstream Fund Services, this year’s edition was more than a look back at the past two decades: it was a forward-facing discussion on what’s next for funds, investors, and the financial ecosystem at large. 

Rachel Treece, CEO of The Henka Institute, and Neil Wise, Chief Commercial Officer and Executive Board Member at Clearstream, opened the day by welcoming participants to a packed agenda that blended strategy, innovation, and collaboration. 

Key Themes: Alternative Strategies, Private Markets, and Active ETFs 

The tone was set early by Claude Wampach, Director at the CSSF, who emphasized the importance of robust regulation as the fund industry embraces digital transformation and alternative investment strategies. 

In a session titled “From Conventional to Cutting-Edge,” Oliver Johnson (SimCorp) and Neil Wise (Clearstream) explored how investors are moving beyond traditional funds toward alternative and private market structures that offer diversification and resilience. 

That theme continued in “From Niche to Necessary: The Rise of Private Markets,” moderated by Fiona de Watazzi (Arendt), with speakers from Apollo, Partners Group, and BlackRock highlighting how private assets are becoming central to wealth management strategies. The discussion underscored the operational and regulatory innovation required to make private markets more accessible to institutional and retail investors alike. 

Innovation Meets Liquidity 

Philippe Seyll, CEO of Clearstream Fund Services, and Edouard Boscher of Carmignac tackled one of the sector’s hottest topics: liquidity in private markets. Their session on evergreen structures and secondaries revealed how new vehicle types are reshaping access to private equity, reflecting market demand for simplified, long-term access to private markets for private investors. 

Technology and the Future of Funds 

The conversation then shifted toward digital transformation. Peter Karst (FNZ Bank SE) shared insights into the German fund market’s evolution, while Oliver Wyman’s Magnus Burkl and Kamil Kaczmarski discussed competitiveness in global financial services, urging firms to leverage technology without losing sight of trust and human expertise. 

The much-anticipated Active ETF panel brought together voices from Goldman Sachs, DWS, and J.P. Morgan, moderated by Allan Stewart (Clearstream). The debate captured the industry’s current inflection point: active ETFs are redefining the boundaries between traditional fund management and technology, combining adaptability and openness to appeal to today’s new generation of investors. 

The AI Challenge 

Closing the conference, Christina Stathopoulos, founder of Dare to Data, delivered a compelling keynote on AI ethics and regulation. Her message was clear: as artificial intelligence transforms many aspects of society, ensuring accountability and human oversight will be crucial to maintaining trust in the system.

2026: a New Chapter 

As conversations continued over dinner and networking drinks, one thing was evident: the 2025 Fund Summit was not just a reflection of industry progress, but a celebration of collaboration. With over 400 professionals in attendance and lively debates on every stage, the event reaffirmed Luxembourg’s position at the heart of the global fund landscape. 

The Fund Summit will return to Luxembourg in 2026, continuing its legacy as a cornerstone event for the global fund industry. In addition, two spin-off editions are planned for Asia and Switzerland in Q2 2026, expanding the reach of this collaborative platform.

You can already register your interest here.