There is no certainty to how the United Kingdom’s Brexit drama will play out and the country faces a perfect storm, said Professor Mike Kenny, professor of public policy, University of Cambridge speaking at the Fiduciary Investors Symposium.
Long-term infrastructure investors need to engage with the public and do much more to build trust in the value of their capital, said Brett Himbury, chief executive, IFM Investors (Australia), the global infrastructure manager, owned by 27 leading pension funds with $120 billion AUM.
Thinking and acting long-term and holding their service providers to account on long-term risk behaviours and measures, is one of asset owners’ most enduring challenges. Speaking at the Fiduciary Investors Symposium at Cambridge University a panel of experts highlighted important tools asset owners can deploy to ensure they stay focused on the long-term.
OTPP increased its bond allocation from 22 to 31 per cent last year. The defensive strategy was aimed at taking advantage of rising yields in fixed income markets and protecting the portfolio from a potential economic slowdown given the late cycle and decade-long economic expansion.
Oregon State Treasury has de-risked its $12 billion real estate allocation, moving away from closed end, private equity-style investment and its associated inherent cyclical risk and total return focus. Building in more liquidity and transparency, reduced volatility and lowered fees via evergreen manager partnerships in separate account and open-end fund structures.
The €9 billion ($10 billion) Dutch fund for disabled workers, PWRI, has introduced a proprietary index that tilts towards companies that prioritise workers’ rights and health and safety issues. It’s a revolutionary approach to reflect the fund’s distinctive ESG priorities and a guide for other investors wanting to prioritise the “s” in ESG.
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FIS Cambridge 2019