As pension funds face growing pressure to invest more at home, investors face a balancing act between supporting long-term national interests and their fiduciary duties to beneficiaries. Investors call for policy incentives, not mandates, and transparency, not constraints.
Renowned geopolitics professor Stephen Kotkin remains an “unbelievable optimist about where the world is,” despite the ever-present potential for catastrophe and unprecedented challenges from climate change, geopolitical power dynamics, artificial intelligence and other technological developments.
When CEO of New Zealand Super Matt Whineray joined the fund in 2008 there were 40 employees, NZ$14.7 billion in assets which was all outsourced and the investment committee consisted of “anyone who wanted to attend”. When Whineray leaves on December 8 he’s leaving a very different organisation.
Global asset management firm Robeco has differentiated its ESG assessment methodology to give a more accurate picture of the impact investors have on sustainable development goals (SDGs), according to Rachel Whittaker, the firm’s head of sustainable investment research.
Investors’ approach to ESG has evolved considerably, particularly in the area of engagement with portfolio companies, and encouraging change through active and targeted engagement is “the epitome of what active managers can do”, the Sustainability in Practice conference at Oxford university has heard.
CIOs need to fight back against the politicisation of ESG in the United States by adopting sound governance principles and not allowing their funds to be “pinned down to one side of the [political] spectrum”, the Sustainability in Practice conference at Oxford University has heard.
The numbers behind CalPERS hunt for a new CIO: 55 applicants so far; a $300,000 budget to secure a candidate; and a process of candidates submitting to 40-odd checks including credit checks and social media history.
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