In November, leading public intellectuals, pension leaders and investment experts joined delegates at the Canadian Investment Review‘s 2021 Investment Innovation Conference at the Pillar and Post Inn and Spa in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont. During their presentations, the event’s speakers touched on a veritable smorgasbord of topics relevant to defined benefit pension plan sponsors. Despite the breadth […]
However long the social, political and economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic may last, humanity and its economic systems have weathered the storm exceptionally well, said David Frum, a political commentator and senior editor at The Atlantic, during the keynote address at the Canadian Investment Review‘s 2021 Investment Innovation Conference. “We just put the entire world […]
Asset managers that incorporate climate change into their investment processes are increasingly looking beyond commitments to net zero and exploring the impact on asset valuation, said Michelle Dunstan, chief responsibility officer at AllianceBernstein, during a session at the Canadian Investment Review‘s 2021 Investment Innovation Conference. “A changing climate can be described both in terms of […]
With many defined benefit pension plan solvency ratios at all-time highs, plan sponsors have an excellent opportunity to rethink their approach to investing, according to Shivin Kwatra, head of liability-driven investing portfolio management at Insight Investments. “It is important to highlight two approaches to investing: one [is] traditional — a mean variance framework of maximizing […]
A high-profile fraud case and a devastating oil spill directly inspired Maria Elena Drew to focus on environmental, social and governance factors in her investment career. During her session at the Canadian Investment Review’s 2021 Investment Innovation Conference, the director of research in responsible investing at T. Rowe Price said she began her ESG journey […]
Investing is undergoing a paradigm shift, which will see investors do well by doing good, according to John Levy, director of impact at Franklin Templeton Investments. “Traditional investing is agnostic about its role on the planet, local communities and society. At some point, something like what we now call sustainable investing came along,” he said during […]
The OPSEU Pension Trust is shifting toward responsible investing as environmental, social and governance factors become increasingly more material to returns for institutional investors. “We’re seeing a lot of shifting sands around consumer preferences and expectations,” said Alison Loat, managing director of sustainable investing and innovation at OPTrust, during a session at the Canadian Investment Review‘s […]
“Inflation is here and it has a meaningful impact on portfolios and financial assets,” said Ilan Kolet, an institutional portfolio manager at Fidelity Investments Inc., during a session at the Canadian Investment Review‘s 2021 Investment Innovation Conference. “I don’t think this will be a shock to anyone in the room or online.” Highlighting the most […]
Institutional investors can play a role in reconciliation efforts by embracing the growth opportunities presented by Canada’s Indigenous communities, according to Kevin Thomas, chief executive officer of the Shareholder Association for Research and Education. Joined by Mark Sevestre, senior advisor and founding member of the National Aboriginal Trust Officers Association, during a session at the […]
Pension plan sponsors pay too much attention to predictions and not enough to demographic data, according to Darrell Bricker, chief executive officer of Ipsos Public Affairs and a senior fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Policy. “Demographics . . . is like a glacier,” he said during a session at the Canadian Investment […]