Wealth managers will be on the hot seat today in midtown Manhattan – and loving it.

The reason?

They’ll be talking to wealthy investors who they’d love to have as clients at the Institute for Private Investors annual year end forum at the St Regis Hotel.

The wealth executives have fair warning that the wealthy will put them on the spot: the forum “will include a format to meet, compare and ‘grill’ managers and advisors,” the program for the event clearly states.

“We want to have a thoughtful and spirited discussion,” said Kristi Kuechler, the San Francisco-based senior managing director for IPI who organized the event, themed "Doing Diligence" this year.

“Members will have the opportunity see how managers approach the same subject quite differently.”

According to the format, a trio of managers in different areas of wealth management will make a presentation and then be grilled by IPI members, whose net worth typically is measured in eight digits.

One multifamily office session will feature Jamie McLaughlin, chief executive of New York-based Geller Family Office Services chief executive of Geller Family Office Services, Drew McMorrow, managing director at Ballentine Finn and Biff Pusey, vice president of family office services at JoycePayne Partners.

Another session, focusing on investment platforms and strategies at MFOs spotlights Bradley Fisher, chief  executive of Springcreek Advisors, chief investment officer for Oxford Financial Group and Marianne Young, president of Market Street Trust company.

Emerging markets, fixed income, private equity, trust planning and long-only equity will also be discussed at the forum.

Many wealthy investors were hit hard by  last year’s market collapse and will paying close attention, said Charlotte Beyer, the IPI’s founder and chief executive.

“The emotional aftermath of bad decisions or overleveraging  is beginning to take hold in people’s minds, “ she said.