Rising to the challenge
Boards and investment committees must rise to the current challenge, with governance models needing a pivot to respond to the new social distancing norm. Roger Urwin outlines a virtual investment committee model.
NY Common joins allocator push on company AI transparency
The $273 billion New York State Common has upped the pressure on portfolio companies to report on how artificial intelligence usage is contributing to layoffs, as AI governance becomes a growing focus in the proxy voting and engagement activities of asset owners.
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The power of collective investor action
It’s time for the responsible investment community to step up and play its role as long-term holders of capital and call corporations to account. It’s time for asset owners sitting at the apex of the investment chain to lead the financial sector through this crisis. We need to maintain a focus on long-term horizons and support collective action while trying to understand the real issues companies are facing from COVID-19 as well as the flow on effects to our individual portfolios.
Leadership under challenge
Evolving culture and leadership to respond to the challenges in a crisis are a key source of resilience and can lead to positivity of mindset and action.
The rise of the Sovereign Wealth Fund
In the past 20 years the number of SWFs has grown from 20 to more than 100 with their assets estimated to grow by $500 billion a year. So where do they invest and what impact are they having on the market? Sarah Rundell investigates.
Breaking barriers: Trustee diversity
Trustee boards lack diversity because there is a lack of role models, because breaking into a non-diverse trustee board is challenging and unwittingly hostile, according to executive director of regulatory policy, analysis and advice at The Pensions Regulator, which is committed to supporting pension funds to improve diversity and inclusion and will produce best practice guidance on board composition.
Challenges for Germany’s pension funds
Opportunities exist to improve portfolio efficiency among Germany’s pension funds, but it will create additional governance requirements. The conservatism of the portfolios is seemingly more difficult to move and reflects the higher degree of comfort required by German investors. Head of investments in Germany for Willis Towers Watson argues it is important to note that the short-term comfort this may provide may well come at a long-term cost.
Governance