When a company is undergoing a merger or acquisition, it’s important to maintain consistency regarding benefits plans and streamline the process as much as possible. “It’s crucial to allocate the proper resources to make sure the process goes smoothly and benefits coverage is maintained or improved upon,” says Connie Cooper, associate vice-president of executive financial […]
When communicating risk management posturing to executive boards, it’s important for pension plan sponsors to tell a cohesive and fulsome story, said Danny Ip, director of investment risk and analytics for the Toronto Transit Commission Pension Plan, during the Canadian Investment Review‘s 2024 Risk Management Conference. The TTC plan, which has $8.7 billion in assets under management, has […]
The consolidation of firms within the pension and benefits industries could pose a threat because there’s less choice available in terms of service providers, says Susan G. Seller, a pension and benefits lawyer at Bennett Jones LLP. “I think the evolution of the services they offer . . . poses a particular challenge for employers […]
Since municipalities and provinces fund public services and infrastructure with clear environmental and social benefits, as well as having substantial power to shape policies in their jurisdictions, municipal and provincial bonds are useful tools for institutional investors pursuing a thematic environmental, social and governance approach, according to a new report by the United Nations’ principles […]
As Thames Water Utilities Ltd. came under fire this month for its financial mismanagement and poor environmental record, the debacle highlights institutional investors’ responsibilities around due diligence and risk management. “Thames Water should act as a kind of warning,” says Andrew Clare, a professor and chair in asset management at the City, University of London’s […]
When Saskatchewan’s Public Employees Pension Plan’s board introduced alternatives to its investment lineup in 2020 with an aim to improve the defined contribution plan’s risk-adjusted returns through diversification, it wasn’t its first time at the rodeo. The move came after 15 years of experience and comfort with alternatives through the PEPP’s defined benefit companion plan, […]
A lawsuit settlement on the other side of the world is reverberating around the globe as it increases the environmental, social and governance standards for a US$41 billion pension fund and potentially encourages similar legal action elsewhere. The lawsuit, filed against the Australian Retail Employees Superannuation Trust, known as REST, by one of its members, […]
In the wake of the coronavirus fallout, real estate, infrastructure and private debt investors seem to be zeroing in on well-established managers, according to Preqin Ltd. data for the second quarter of 2020. With no surprise, real estate saw a challenging second quarter with a decline in activity in funds closing compared to the first […]
In the current low-yield environment, many pension funds are looking for alternatives to fixed income to earn the returns required to pay pension obligations. The answer for some may be private credit. “We like private credit because we see a lot of excess yield compared to the same risk and return that you can achieve […]
In times of crisis, many pension plan sponsors pull back on investing in private equity, including the secondary market, because they’re trying to assess their liquidity needs, says Joseph Marks, global head of secondaries at Capital Dynamics. But this pulling back often happens at a time when they should be putting their foot on the […]