CalPERS aligns performance pay with new allocation strategy

CalPERS is set to change its benchmarks for measuring performance compensation for senior investment staff so they are consistent with recent changes to its strategic asset allocation.Earlier in the year CalPERS introduced a range of new benchmarks, including composite benchmarks for the new asset classes. The proposed performance plan will align with these benchmark changes.

The restructure of asset classes resulted in assets being classified in five main groupings: growth, income, inflation, real assets and liquidity.

Some of the key performance changes reflect CalPERS’ economic outlook for likely returns in the coming year, with infrastructure performance benchmark changed from CPI plus 5 per cent to CPI.

AIM (private equity) moved to a global public markets-based benchmark to better align with global equity and total fund policy benchmark.

In forestland the benchmark for measuring performance was changed to NCREIF Timberland.

Performance plans will also take into account both quantitative and qualitative measures.

Sponsored Content

Chief investment officer, Joe Dear (pictured), will have 70 per cent of his performance compensation in quantitative measures, calculated on a sliding scale of performance above a series of basis points hurdles for the total fund.

Of his performance remuneration, 20 per cent will depend on qualitative factors such as leadership, succession planning, risk management and teamwork.

The remaining 10 per cent will be decided by performance in enterprise-wide initiatives during the fiscal year.

The board will review the new performance measures at its May 17 meeting.  A second board level review is set for June to further refine certain benchmarks and incentive schedules.

Leave a Comment

Sort content by

Slow and steady not necessarily the best way to go

‘The Hare and the Tortoise’, a well-known Aesop’s fable, does not have much in common with ‘An Imperial Message’, a less-well-known story from Franz Kafka, but combined they may tell us something about current reactions to the unsettling world which the global financial crisis has thrown investors into.mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

ESG index to launch on Shanghai exchange

In a sign that ESG issues are becoming a greater concern in China, the country’s first ESG index will launch this Friday as a joint venture between the main Shanghai exchange and an Italian research company.mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

Sovereign funds favouring Asian IPOs for next 3 months

Asian IPOs, core retail real estate and natural resource investments are the most favoured by the world’s sovereign wealth funds for the next three months, according to a ‘consensus demand meter’ produced by the Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute in the US.mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

Inside the pension crisis

Managing director for Rogerscasey and former CIO of the Kentucky Retirement Systems, Adam Tosh, looks at the pension challenges facing state and local governments.mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

CIC gets its money back from collapsed US cash trust

The China Investment Corporation has recovered all of its $5.3 billion invested in a US money market fund, the Primary Fund, which collapsed and suspended redemptions in 2008.mrec4inarticleinline Sponsored Content scnative1 scnative2 scnative3

The oil spill from an investor’s perspective – not as bad

The BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is not only the most devastating environmental disaster ever in the US, it raises issues around energy policies which continue to evolve. A client note from Russell Investments says energy stocks will continue to reflect the impact of the disaster and investors may well look at

Previous