FINANCE – ART – GARDENS
A TALK IN THE NICCONE VALLEY, UMBERTIDE
24th September 2026
10.30am to 14pm.
Morning beverages and lunch included.
The future of financial markets, AI, continuing wars and financial and tax planning your life in Italy
By Gareth Horsfall
This article is published on: 22nd August 2026
During my time spent trying to keep cool, my mind turned once again to upcoming events this year. Conversations with clients are almost always lurching around all the current potetial threats – from AI, continuing wars, the US midterms and a future which seems more uncertain than ever. I can almost feel everyone’s anxiety, and so I thought, let’s talk about them in person and try and put our minds at ease, before the winter period sets in.
So, I decided to set up an in-person talk like no other.
A talk on the future of financial markets, AI, continuing wars and financial and tax planning your life in Italy
All this mixed with a more ‘soothing’ art history talk on the renaissance artist Raphael and his life in Umbria, presented by Dr Tom Henry – Emeritus Professor of Art History at the University of Kent on the artist Raphael in Umbria.
All this, in a stunning hillside location, Casa Nova (www.casanovaumbria.eu) nestled in the Niccone Valley, Umbria.
First up with be a financial markets talk with Chris Saunders of New Horizon Asset Management
AI, War & Markets: Investing in a Divided World
You can watch a very interesting 2 minute video by clicking on the link below, of Chris explaining why we are very likely living through World War 3. Not a world war as we know it historically, but one which may be taking place right before our eyes.
WHY WE COULD BE LIVING THROUGH WORLD WAR 3
New Horizon Co-Founder Chris, will discuss:
- The global AI race and the opportunities it may create
- Why volatility is likely to remain a feature of investing
- Where the winners and losers may emerge
We celebrate 15 years of The Spectrum IFA Group in Italy in 2026.
In my time since I set up the branch in Italy, I have learned a few Italian financial planning tips and tricks along the way.
I will make a short talk and then throw questions over to you in a Q&A.
Dr Tom Henry and his wife, Patricia Robertson
And finally, to eradicate any anxieties about the future, there will the talk by Dr Tom Henry – Emeritus Professor of Art History at the University of Kent on the artist Raphael in Umbria.
Formerly Professor of History of Art at the University of Kent and now Emeritus Professor; Lecturer in Art History at John Cabot University. Cavaliere dell’Ordine della Stella d’Italia. He was Director of the University of Kent’s School of Classical and Renaissance Studies in Rome, and is a curator and expert on Raphael, Signorelli and Central Italian painting, with extensive experience of working in Italy. He speaks regularly at conferences in Italy (including at Villa I Tatti and British Institute, Florence; Accademia di San Luca, Rome; Bibliotheca Hertziana, Rome; Villa Wolkonsky, Rome; Museo di Capodimonte, Napoli; and in the Vatican Museums) as well as abroad (Albertina, Vienna; Courtauld Institute of Art, London; Cleveland Museum of Art; National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo; Musée du Louvre, Paris; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; National Gallery of Art, Washington).
And you get to see all this in the amazing country hillside garden setting in the Niccone valley, curated by Trish, Tom’s wife, a passionate gardener and lover of nature, and who also cultivates and sells irises.
Trish will also be avaialble for any gardening questions you might have!
Due to the nature of the event, I only have space for a maximum of 30 participants, so if you are interested in attending and blocking your place then please let me know as soon as possible.
Please contact my assistant, Silvia Loi on silvia.loi@spectrum-ifa.com and book your place.
Let’s get out and get some fresh autumnal air after a seemingly endless hot summer!