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[Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) have matured from niche products to become a core component of modern investment strategies. But their rapid rise and ever-growing diversity have placed pressure on financial advisors, institutional investors, and financial research professionals in learning how to navigate a growing global pool of disparate ETF vehicles. This higher level of complexity on research, due diligence, analysis, selection, and portfolio construction has spawned the need for single focus conferences to more thoroughly explore an increasingly intricate universe of Exchange-Traded Products (ETPs).
To learn about the behind-the-scenes strategy and mechanics of how a major industry ETF Conference is designed for the needs its audience, we reached out to Trammel Robinson, Director, ETF Issuer Relations at ETF Global – a leading, independent provider of enterprise-grade ETF reference data, analytics, and hosts of their twice-a-year ETP Forums dedicated exclusively to the global Exchange-Traded Products (ETP) ecosystem.
Beyond ETF data and tools, their semi-annual ETP Forums have become the largest one-day ETF conferences in the industry. These forums bring together top ETF issuers, analysts, and investment professionals to share perspectives on identifying market and product trends, decoding regulatory updates, and exploring emerging and innovative portfolio strategies. They function as a central hub for collaboration in the ETF ecosystem.
We asked Trammel to share with us the thinking and planning behind assembling their ETF industry events and give us a sneak peek at what they have orchestrated for their upcoming November 18, 2025 ETP Forum at the New York Athletic Club in New York City.]
Hortz: What has been your goal in originally launching and actively sustaining two ETP Forums a year? Why is the effort important?
Robinson: We have two primary goals with our Exchange Traded Product (ETP) conferences. The first is to deliver the best content presented by the most knowledgeable people in the ETP industry. We have always placed great emphasis on the quality of our panels and the professionals who participate in them – individuals from ETF firms, leading industry vendors, and partners who can address the most important and timely topics shaping the industry. The caliber of the people involved in these discussions has always been our top priority.
The second key goal is networking. These conferences are business-first events. We are proud to host such an event in the financial capital of New York at the prestigious New York Athletic Club. It is about gaining insights and creating connections that can lead to meaningful, actionable decisions in the marketplace.
We host two Forums each year for a reason. Our Fall Forum serves as a review of the ETP industry’s progress to date and explores what the coming year may bring, what trends we can project, and what will drive discussions in the next cycle. Our Spring Forum focuses on where the industry currently stands, addressing the most pressing issues and emerging trends, and considering what actions or shifts are likely to shape the immediate future.
Ultimately, both ETP Forums center on what is happening right now in the industry. Holding them twice a year allows us to maintain that immediacy. A single annual event would leave us questioning whether to look backward or forward, but by gathering twice a year, we can do both in a timely and relevant way.
Hortz: Now in your 13th year, how have you newly-expanded the ETP Forum for 2025?
Robinson: Historically, the conference was very focused on the ETF industry, primarily the issuers, custodians, administrators, and service providers. About two years ago, we began discussing who attends other ETF conferences and what they are seeking to gain from them. Through that discussion, we identified the key types of participants.
We started with the ETF issuers, which include their service providers. Their goal is to connect with the people who will directly invest assets into their products. On the other side are the ETF investors, wealth managers, endowments, family offices, RIAs, and others. We asked ourselves how we could provide the greatest value to both groups at the same time. Hearing directly from the product creators provides invaluable insights into ETF strategies, creating a transparent path to understanding these products more deeply.
The decision was to expand our Forum structure to address each group’s needs through two separate informational tracks. Having two tracks does not limit anyone from attending sessions in either track. Instead, it allows us to tailor the content to each audience while still capturing the broader needs and priorities of the ETF market as a whole.
Hortz: Tell us more about the nature of the two tracks. How are each separately constructed?
Robinson: Let us start with the ETF investor side. We begin with topics such as actively managed ETFs and how they continue to dominate new ETF issuances. We cover crypto ETFs, defined outcome ETFs, fixed income ETFs, options-based ETFs, and top opportunities for 2025 and 2026. In essence, we focus on the actual products that participants invest in. We take the discussion a step further by engaging directly with the people who create these products. We ask them why they chose to develop these products, what makes them beneficial, and what challenges they experience during the creation and distribution process.
Our goal is to have the product creators and managers speak directly to investors about the thinking behind their offerings and why they believe a product succeeded. Hearing directly from the people responsible for these products provides invaluable insight.
The investor track is designed for professional investors, wealth managers, and family offices who are seeking new products or looking for opportunities that align with their firm’s strategies. At the same time, some participants may be clients of these investors and have the opportunity to hear directly from them and engage with specific questions. The focus of the investor track is to highlight products and trends that investors want to learn about, directly from the managers behind those ETF offerings.
The industry track, on the other hand, is geared toward the business side of ETFs. Participants in this track are often ETF managers and issuers who want to hear from major exchanges, legal and compliance professionals, and other service providers. They are interested in understanding why they should list their products on one exchange versus another, what legal and compliance topics they should be considering and discussing, and which service providers can give them the best value. This track also includes trading-focused panels, mutual fund-to-ETF conversions, strategies for maximizing visibility and distribution and much more.
Hortz: How do you go about planning and developing a Forum? How do you pick topics and build an agenda?
Robinson: While I take a leadership role in the process, we rely on the entire team to make it happen. It truly takes a village. We start by identifying the key topics and strive to keep the panels as fresh and relevant as possible. We look at the current market environment, new product launches, recent SEC regulations, and any emerging hot topics or news about innovative product announcements. All of these factors guide us in curating the most compelling and timely content.
Once we determine the topics, we focus on sourcing the most relevant experts to speak on those subjects, ensuring that each session presents timely and meaningful discussions led by the highest-quality experts in the field.
Hortz: Can you share what are some of the key themes or interesting topics for the upcoming Fall ETP Forum in NYC?
Robinson: There are two new topics I can highlight now. One of them is a panel focused on the distribution of ETFs. We understand that an issuer can have the best product, but if no one knows about it, it will be hard to sell and ultimately gain assets. This panel will discuss some of the main strategies ETF issuers should and should not implement in their own distribution process.
The second topic is the rise of UCITS and global ETFs. As the growth of ETFs continues not only domestically but also globally, many U.S.-listed companies are starting to place their ETFs into UCITS wrappers to make them tradable in European markets. This marks a fundamental shift in the ETF landscape and an increased focus on the European market.
Hortz: Anything else we should know about the Forum and why industry professionals should come to the event?
Robinson: It is clear that our Forums are business-first conferences. We are intentional and deliberate in how we design them to ensure that firms can justify sending their people away from their desks, knowing they will gain real value from the experience. We want participants to benefit from the ETP Forum in a meaningful way and see a return on the time, effort, and resources they invest to attend.
That value may come from the high-level education offered in panel discussions or from insightful conversations with fellow attendees, whether through panel insights or networking sessions in the intimate setting of the New York Athletic Club. Our approach to the ETP Forum’s structure and design is centered on ensuring participants leave with actionable insights and lasting connections that help them better serve their firms and clients.
This article was originally published here and is republished on Wealthtender with permission.
About the Author
Bill Hortz
Founder Institute for Innovation Development
To make Wealthtender free for readers, we earn money from advertisers, including financial professionals and firms that pay to be featured. This creates a conflict of interest when we favor their promotion over others. Read our editorial policy and terms of service to learn more. Wealthtender is not a client of these financial services providers.
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