Nick Moakes, CIO of the $72 billion Wellcome Trust, told the conference that too many investors were banking on a return to the ultra-low interest rates that prevailed over the past decade.

Eleven rock stars of international and local funds management took to stage – each tasked with picking and pitching one company whose shares will take off over the next year.

Northcape Capital’s Fleur Wright this gives a rare opportunity to buy a high quality company at an attractive price.

Chris Kourtis has put his biggest bet on embattled Perpetual – picking one of the most hated stocks on the ASX – that he believes will soon be the ‘cheapest listed asset manager of scale in the universe’.

Paul Bassat predicts emerging artificial intelligence companies will disrupt sectors and overtake established incumbent companies just as rapidly as the seismic shifts that took place when the internet emerged in the mid-1990s.

Among the stock picks and stunts at the Sohh Hearts & Minds event, Howard Marks and Nick Moakes provided investors with long-term rules for playing markets.

‍Don’t overlook down and out silver miners, legacy skincare brands ready for a revival and a big financial company suffering from a severe case of shareholder wealth destruction.

“There’s no finer place for the finance festival than in the festival city,” said Matthew Grounds. He, along with fellow Barrenjoey co-executive chairman Guy Fowler and investor Gary Weiss, is one of Sohn’s driving forces.

‍Hearts & Minds Investments chair Chris Cuffe is hoping for HM1 to grow to more than $1.5bn in the next five years.

Influential New York-hedge fund manager Ricky Sandler will turn to Europe for his next stock pick.

The portfolio manager says defensive stocks pose a bigger risk than the magnificent seven for investors that are overexposed to the American sharemarket.

The concentration risk in global stock indexes that has built up during the strong rise over the past year must now be a key consideration for global investors, according to Vihari Ross.

Mr Mehta is sticking to his well-worn strategy: he’s hunting for companies across Asia that aren’t battling intense competition and have management teams focused on costs, cash generation and high payouts to shareholders.