The Oxford/26 Congress, organised by Fide through the GET-2 Think-Tank, will take place from 16 to 18 September 2026 at Jesus College, Oxford, under the title Energy, Innovation, and Geopolitical Shifts: Strategic Investment Opportunities.
In this conversation, Juan Ramón Caridad, Head of Strategic Clients Iberia & LatAm at Pictet Asset Management and Director of the Oxford/26 Congress, speaks with María Folqué, Lead Marketing Manager Iberia at Allianz Global Investors, about the main themes that will shape the next edition of the Congress.
The starting point for Oxford/26 is particularly meaningful. As Juan Ramón Caridad explains, 2026 marks the beginning of the second half of the journey from the start of the century towards the 2050 horizon. It is therefore an opportunity to assess where we stand, what has been achieved, and what still needs to be done in order to address some of the major economic, technological, environmental and social challenges ahead.
The Congress will bring together scientific perspectives, financial objectives, sustainability targets and regulatory constraints in a shared space for discussion. This multidisciplinary approach reflects one of the central ideas behind GET-2: complex challenges cannot be understood from a single angle. They require dialogue between investors, policymakers, companies, academics, scientists, regulators and international institutions.
One of the core themes of Oxford/26 will be the convergence of several structural forces: the energy transition, demographic change, new geopolitical scenarios and the artificial intelligence revolution. Together, these dynamics are reshaping economic growth, business models, infrastructure needs and investment priorities.
The conversation highlights the importance of understanding the geopolitical context as a starting point. Questions around energy security, autonomy, digital sovereignty, supply chains, rare earths and commodity constraints are increasingly central to any discussion on transition and sustainable finance. The global economy is moving from a model designed primarily around efficiency and long supply chains towards one that places greater emphasis on resilience, security and strategic autonomy.
Oxford/26 will also examine how the development of artificial intelligence and the reindustrialisation of the Western world are creating new demands for energy, infrastructure and investment. The Congress will explore different scientific and technological perspectives, including renewables, nuclear energy, infrastructure financing, climate adaptation, carbon capture, energy storage and other disruptive solutions.
A key message of the conversation is the need for pragmatism. Sustainable investment cannot be approached only through ambition or aspiration. It must also take into account fiduciary responsibility, economic viability, minimum return expectations, social impact, measurable outcomes and the practical limits of what can be financed and implemented.
María Folqué underlines that this year’s Congress will be especially practical, with a strong focus on technologies, infrastructure and the financing mechanisms needed to support the transition. The aim is not only to discuss where the world is heading, but also to understand what solutions are available, what barriers remain and what opportunities may emerge for strategic investment.
Another distinctive feature of Oxford is the quality of the environment it creates. As both speakers note, Jesus College offers a unique setting for serious working sessions, informal exchanges and conversations that would rarely take place in ordinary professional contexts. The Congress creates space for participants to step outside their institutional roles and engage in open, rigorous and constructive dialogue.
The topics discussed in Oxford are not imposed from above. As Juan Ramón Caridad explains, they emerge from the ongoing work of the GET-2 Think-Tank throughout the year, including workshops and conversations with senior professionals across the industry. This bottom-up approach ensures that the programme reflects real concerns, current challenges and the questions that matter most to those working directly in finance, sustainability, policy, business and innovation.
With Oxford/26, GET-2 continues to evolve alongside the field of sustainable investment itself. The Congress will place energy, innovation and geopolitical change at the centre of the debate, while maintaining a practical focus on investment decision-making, infrastructure needs, risk management and long-term value creation.
Oxford/26 will be an opportunity to gain a clearer picture of where the economy is heading, how markets may respond, and how strategic investment can contribute to a more sustainable, resilient and competitive future.
This congress is possible thanks to the support of Pictet Asset Management, Columbia Threadneedle Investments, Allianz Global Investors, Fermat Capital, BME Institute, FIAP and Transparency International Spain.
