Increased deal-making in the Canadian annuities market is adding pressure to defined benefit plan sponsors seeking to de-risk their plans, says Jason Vary, president of Actuarial Solutions Inc. “[The market is] getting worse,” he says. “This year, I’ve had some experiences where we’re placing some small annuities, under $5 million, and we really struggled to […]
The swift removal of the chief executive officer, three executives and the 11-person board at the Alberta Investment Management Corp. is a dramatic move that raises red flags about the influence of Alberta’s provincial government, says Anthony Guindon, a partner at Koskie Minsky LLP. “We don’t entirely know at this stage but it makes one […]
In the years following the 2008/09 financial crisis, Dan Langlois realized the allocation strategy for the Calgary Foundation’s endowment portfolio needed a significant adjustment if it planned to meet its annual funding goals. “I knew we needed to do something in terms of increasing the return in the portfolio to preserve the corpus or the […]
While an arduous U.S. presidential election cycle may have created some market volatility, any uncertainties among Canadian institutional investors may begin to wane following Donald Trump’s election as the 47th U.S. president on Wednesday, says Ian Riach, senior vice-president and portfolio manager at Franklin Templeton Investment Solutions. “Economics tend to trump politics . . . . […]
Éric Trudel’s long leadership and oversight tenure across roles in the insurance industry resulted in a win at Benefits Canada’s 2024 Workplace Benefits Awards on Oct. 18. The executive vice-president and leader of group insurance at Beneva Inc. won the Industry Leadership award for his commitment to resourceful solutions for both benefits plan members and […]
While political tensions have recently flared between Canada and India, institutional investors are unlikely to adjust their capital allocation to the country, says Partha Mohanram, John H. Watson chair in value investing at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto. “I don’t [have] any indication that you’re going to see any kind […]
Amazon Canada’s commitment to unique financial wellness offerings led to a win at Benefits Canada‘s 2024 Workplace Benefits Awards on Oct. 18. The technology company was recognized in the Financial Wellness Program category for offering its more than 48,000-person workforce free estate planning as part of its benefits package. It wanted to stress the need for […]
IMAX Corp. won the Benefits Plan Communications award at Benefits Canada’s 2024 Workplace Benefits Awards on Oct. 18 for its use of engaging technology tools to educate employees during its benefits plan redesign. The entertainment and technology company was recognized for the steps it took to consider the voice of its employees — through interactive virtual […]
Anti-market sentiment in the U.S. is gaining momentum with both Democrats and Republicans, according to David Frum, a writer at The Atlantic, during the keynote session at the Canadian Investment Review’s 2024 Risk Management Conference. The latest election cycle is showing voters are interested in how an economic idea is presented and by the type […]
The risk associated with high-profile name concentration in technology equities is pushing institutional investors to consider risk-mitigating strategies, according to Nick Zylkowski, managing director and co-head of customized portfolio solutions at Russell Investments Ltd., speaking during a session at the Canadian Investment Review’s 2024 Risk Management Conference. He noted investors are reviewing their exposure to […]