Keith Ambachtsheer, director of the Rotman International Centre for Pension Management (Rotman ICPM), believes increased scale expands the capabilities of pension funds, while also enhancing their operations and lowering costs. But their financial strength should not be allowed to compromise their core purpose. He shares his thoughts with Simon Mumme.
Apples with apples: Teachers’ plan emphasises risk as much as return
“You almost don’t need to say the words, ‘risk management’,” says Barbara Zvan, head of risk and asset mix at the $84.9 billion (C$87.4 billion) Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP), when asked about how closely integrated the investment and risk management teams at the big defined benefit fund are. She talks to Simon Mumme about how the OTPP assessed risk during the financial crisis, and how it views markets now.
Governance changes give BP flexibility in investment decision making
The most recent investment review by the £13 billion ($20 billion) BP Pension Fund, completed last month, didn’t focus on altering investment allocations, rather it examined the way investment decisions are made at the fund. Chief executive, Sally Bridgeland spoke to Amanda White about the governance changes and the new flexibility around investments. Defined benefit … Read more
AustralianSuper rethinks hedge funds
The A$28 billion ($25.5 billion) AustralianSuper, has reduced its allocation to hedge funds from 3.5 per cent to 1.5 per cent, as part of a process of analysing the sources of beta within the overall investment portfolio.
Hedge fund responds to crisis with backdoor listing
Hedge fund managers are moving to improve their capital base in the wake of the financial crisis, as well as their risk processes and asset/liability alignment for liquidity purposes.
Constitutionality of Cuomo’s Common Fund reforms challenged
New York’s State Comptroller, Thomas DiNapoli, has hinted the constitutionality of legislation to create a board of trustees for the State’s Common Retirement Fund may be challenged.
