PKA, one of Denmark’s largest pension service providers, is exploring whether to increase its risk budget by 10 per cent to boost returns. Michael Flycht, deputy director of equities and liquid alternatives at PKA, outlines why the fund is achieving this objective via leverage rather than direct exposures, and where it's allocating towards in hedge funds and infrastructure.
In the space of three months the State of Wisconsin Investment Board has moved its portfolio from “defensive” to “offensive” as it “leans into the opportunities” presented by the coronavirus crisis. CIO and executive director David Villa, and deputy, Rochelle Klaskin spoke to Amanda White about the portfolio and how the large internal team is managing remotely.
The KRW14.3 trillion ($12 billion) Korea Public Officials Benefit Association is sitting on more than 10 per cent cash, but in a unique challenge due to the coronavirus crisis, it is having trouble deploying capital. Amanda White spoke to CIO, Dong Hun Jang, about the options including listed alternatives and distressed opportunities.
Cash is king right now, according to CIO of the Pennsylvania School Employees’ Retirement System, Jim Grossman, and he’s got plenty of it. The fund has a very diversified asset allocation, with about half the portfolio invested in liquid assets and Grossman and his team are working hard to make sure that the strategic allocations are maintained.
The French SWF, FRR, is preparing to invest more in equities and illiquid assets as important reforms extend its time horizon. With the coronavirus crisis delaying the asset allocation decisions the fund is operating in an "intermediate context", slowly shifting out of bonds and into equities.
In the six months Kasper Lorenzen has been CIO of the Danish fund, PFA, he has made moves in investment and decision-making that have resulted in the fund weathering the short-term coronavirus storm. He is however, wary of the long-term structural changes particularly to patterns of globalisation.
Oregon Investment Council has committed to investing $3 billion a year in private equity, with the smooth pacing strategy part a response to the fund’s overweight position to poor performing vintages as a result of its allocations before and after the GFC. The investor is also focusing on manager relationships with a focus on accessing new relationships and upsizing the best existing ones; and a new strategy that sees no provider in charge of more than 5 per cent of the portfolio.
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